Pickled Red Cabbage

This is the best way to make quick pickled red cabbage. This can be enjoyed immediately or fermented for a more pungent flavor and turned into sauerkraut. We have a lot of simple cabbage recipes on my site but this is specific with the purple variety.

What is Pickled Red Cabbage?

It is a tangy and flavorful condiment made by soaking red cabbage in a brine, typically made with vinegar, salt, sugar, and various spices. The process preserves the shredded head infusing it with the flavors of the liquid. Totally reminds me of my grandmother. Definitely her favorite food and she made it all the time, I mean ALL the time.

Almost all of the recipes I have created on my site use the green variety. It is the most popular, cheapest, with a milder flavor. Color is fun though. There are several ways to make this into something delicious. This time we’re going to heat it up, our red cabbage coleslaw uses it raw.

How to Make Sauerkraut with Red Cabbage

You may have had pickled banana peppers at the store jarred, or served a tiny dollop at a restaurant and wanted to make it yourself, we have how! The best reason for doing this is for one it is cheaper, but more than that you can create the flavors you love most. Want it spicy, add red pepper flakes. More tang, add more vinegar.

Is pickled cabbage the same as sauerkraut?

Kinda. If you loved our quick sauerkraut recipe using green cabbage, this will be a hit too. Both are great but are a little different from one another as far as the seasoning blends used. Most of the time this is a side dish while the white variety is served on top of brats, known to be included in German dishes mostly.

The transition from pickled cabbage vs sauerkraut is the amount of time it ferments. Typically to get to this term you would jar into a container void of air for 4-6 weeks. In that time the flavors will deepen, as well as the scent the longer it sits. Most of the time this is kept on the countertop and not the fridge to sit.

Ingredient Notes

You are going to want to start with a whole head of red cabbage, use a sharp knife to thinly slice, you will want it shredded for this. Alternatively you could make very fine shreds with a food processor.

Some apple cider vinegar will give it that zing. If you do not have this type other vinegars will work however some are more intense than others. White wine vinegar is much milder than regular that comes in huge jugs so you would need to adjust to your flavor preferences.

Water is used for the liquid, but anything works really. I mean I have heard people say that they have substituted 1 can of beer for some of it for a wow pop to this.

You want larger granule Sea salt to make this to get it brined in a sense for that really deep flavor you are expecting.

White sugar, granulated will give it a bit of sweetness.

For the seasonings we add caraway seeds, some prefer mustard seeds, to do kinda’ the same thing which is to add a deeper taste with some whole cloves of garlic.

Variations and Substitutions

Feel free to include some red pepper flakes for heat if you like. You can make, sit, cool completely and slightly adjust sugar and salt when done if you think it needs to be tweaked to your liking. Once you make it a time or two and keeping notes as to your favorite amounts you’ll know for the next go around.

Quick pickled Purple Cabbage Recipes can be made, cooled and enjoyed right out of the pot. I will tell you that if you store it in mason jars in the fridge for about a week though it is the best!! Make sure that whatever containers you use that you trap the least amount of air inside for best results. They need a tight seal too.

How Long Does Pickled Red Cabbage Last?

If cooled properly and sealed in glass jars with tight lids this will stay well for up to two weeks. Better yet the flavors will intensify over time and honestly after about a week it is the best it will ever be! You could use green instead of red but I wouldn’t use Napa cabbage recipe just because it is a lot more delicate.

If you love adding a bit of texture to your savory dishes this works great for that. Cabbage adds a TON of flavor to any dish too. Once you decide that you love this recipe there are others you should try like our slow cooker cabbage or one that is great after the holidays called cabbage and ham.

What Does Red Cabbage go With?

If you serve this quick pickled red cabbage as a side dish it goes with basically any sort of protein you might be baking. Duck is often times paired with this type though. Sometimes stewed cabbage of this type is just seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked with butter. That is a great fast side too.

My personal favorite is using this once cooled for several days in the fridge on sliders. When I make some killer pulled pork or make mini burgers with sweet Hawaiian buns this is perfect served on top. Brings a bit of a slight crunch, tang, and pretty color to them too. Our roasted red cabbage goes with literally any protein.

Of course I will say that I did eat this often when I went to Oktoberfest with my German grandpa. With a brat and taters this was just the bomb and I can see a plate full of it right now. Reminds me of him too. You can slice sausages fresh so they are warm and then toss together with this when it’s cooled for a great dinner combo for sure.