Pickled cabbage can be enjoyed as a snack or side dish. With pickling spices in mason jars, this makes for the best St. Patricks Day recipe ever.
Getting ready for St. Patrick’s Day or just obsessed with simple cabbage recipes like we are? You’ve got to try quick pickled cabbage, you’ll want to make this year round. A low carb, keto friendly dish packed with TONS of flavor. We’ll share how to make it homemade or with packaged pickling spices. (affiliate links present)
What is Pickled Cabbage?
If you have ever had well….pickles, you know that this method is soaking fresh veggies in a vinegar based liquid to add lots of flavor! This is what is done to these firm leaves that are normally quite bland. The longer it sits the more potent the flavors become but there is a way to fast forward this process!
Have you acquired a taste for this green veggie yet? Ok there is a red or purple variety too, you can use either one for this. It is crunchy, and can be made into all sorts of things. From Crockpot cabbage soup to salads, Ninja Foodi corned beef and cabbage or stuffed with ground beef we love it all sorts of ways.
It is a very cheap ingredient too which I love. I’ll be honest, I didn’t want anything to do with this head until I was in my 30’s. My Grandmother made it with everything, like several times a week. I had NO desire to even taste one bite and then all of a sudden when she was gone I couldn’t get enough of it, go figure.
You’ll want to cut this into small bite sized pieces, or you could shred it into more of a cole slaw consistency if you would rather. The smaller the pieces the more pungent the flavor in each piece. Unlike our baked cabbage steaks there is no need to use a knife when eating this jar full of goodness. To make it the EASIEST way you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes
You will need 1 whole head of red or green cabbage, and this is how to cut cabbage into small cubes or thinly sliced with a mandolin slicer
White wine vinegar or plain will give it that tang of flavor you would expect in this side dish.
Water is used for the soaking liquid, and sugar gives it a sweet flavor. I haven’t experimented with sugar-free alternatives like Splenda but I imagine it would work just the same way.
As for seasonings we are going to go with some minced garlic for a pop for flavor (and that is great for you too). Salt and black peppercorns whole will just give it a subtle peppery-ness but not too intense. Red pepper flakes if you want to add heat is a nice touch.
Pickling spices already made can be bought online. Now if you want to be a show off (just kidding, ok not really) and make your own spices you can, follow these directions. I never bother with that myself.
What type of cabbage is best to pickle?
You can use any color or variety you would like. The biggest difference between red or purple some call it, green and Napa is the thickness of the leaves and a slight flavor variance. The most common is green but we have made pickled red cabbage often as well.
Quick Pickled Cabbage Recipe
Equipment
- 1 32 oz. mason jar
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 4 c cabbage, chopped
- 1 c vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 c water
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp pickling spices
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Sterilize a 32 oz. mason jar. Chop cabbage and rinse. Lay on paper towels and press to eliminate water from outside.
- Add cabbage into the jar. In a bowl mix all other ingredients to make the brine. Pour into jar so cabbage is submerged in it. Seal lid.
- Refrigerate overnight and use within 48 – 72 hours for the ideal texture and flavor.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The best way to cut cabbage for this or Quick Sauerkraut Recipe is to just slice it in half with a very sharp knife. Cut out the stem area and then lay the flat side on your cutting board. That will keep it from moving around at all. Then slice vertically about 6 times so they’re about 1″ wide, then turn the whole sliced head around and slice vertically again to make squares.
Remember, like I said the smaller the pieces are the more they will soak up the pickled liquid it’s submerged in. If you really want a punch then shred it with a knife like you would if you were making coleslaw. I like to leave a little “bite” to it so it doesn’t soften as much and has a bit of crunch to it even after being marinated.
Here’s what this batch looked like. The longer it sits the stronger the flavors will be. Want a warm option for dinner too? Try our southern fried cabbage some night with chicken, it’s incredible.
Do I have to boil vinegar for pickling?
No, I explain the differences for this in our how to make pickles at home recipe. If you boil the mixture, then add veggies, allow to cool completely and then pop it into the fridge it will get way softer and not as crunchy. Skip the boiling and you’ll save the crunch. Think of Valasic vs. Claussen. The latter are WAY crunchier because they don’t boil the liquid.
What is the quickest way to pickle vegetables?
The smaller and finer the pieces are the quicker they will absorb the liquid. You can use shredded cabbage mix near the salads at the store. This can be enjoyed as early as 30 minutes after soaking. Of course longer is better if you ask me but it would save you some time already having it chopped into little bits. Choose whichever you like, jump to recipe below and get going on this easy pickled cabbage dish. Want more? Try swamp cabbage some night, it’s addicting!
How long does cabbage in vinegar last?
You can certainly follow these same steps and ingredients and swap out a head of red cabbage instead of green like our red cabbage coleslaw. Either one will last about a month in the fridge, if it isn’t eaten before then. I will say that red, or purple as some people define it, is a lot firmer so keep that in mind as it won’t soak up as much flavor.
