9 Boiled Cabbage Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put vinegar in cabbage when boiling it? ›

Green is the heartiest variety; it takes well to all cooking methods. Red can turn a funny blue color when cooked, so it's best used raw. If you do want to cook it, add a touch of acid like lemon juice or vinegar to lessen the effect. Savoy can be used in any recipe that calls for green cabbage.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add cabbage. (It's OK to crowd the pot because the cabbage will shrink!) Step 2Boil until tender, about 5 minutes for shredded cabbage and 10 minutes for wedges.

Although you get different nutrients if you cook or ferment it, raw red cabbage in particular might give you the best nutritional boost per serving. Slice it very thinly and leave it for about 10 minutes to help bring out the fullest, most complex flavors. Then add it to salads or sandwiches or turn it into coleslaw.

“Additionally, cruciferous vegetables—like cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts—contain raffinose, an indigestible sugar. As it's fermented by bacteria in the gut, gas is produced, which is why you may experience flatulence and discomfort after eating these foods.

You don't add baking soda. Adding baking soda to your boiling cabbage can help reduce the objectionable smell and maintain the green color long after when it typically turns grayish from cooking for too long. However, this may rid the cabbage of its nutritional value.

The cabbage juice is called an indicator because it can tell you the pH of a solution based on the color that it changes. The vinegar will turn the cabbage juice red because it is an acid (acetic acid). The baking soda will turn the cabbage juice greenish-yellow because it is a base (sodium bicarbonate).

In fact, the most common cause of unappetizing boiled cabbage is overcooking. Overcook the hearty leaves, and you'll end up with limp, stinky mush that no one wants to eat.

To get the most benefit, try to consume ½ to ¾ cup cooked or 1 ½ cup raw cabbage per day at least 5 days per week. This is pretty easy to do since there are so many ways to prepare cabbage. Traditional methods of steaming or boiling cabbage can extract flavor and nutrients.

Red cabbage may have the edge in antioxidants, but other types of cabbage have benefits of their own. Green cabbage is especially rich in vitamin K. A one-cup serving of chopped raw green cabbage contains: Calories: 22.

How do you cut cabbage for boiling? ›

Halve the cabbage—After drying, stand the cabbage on its stem end on a cutting board and cut it in half. Cut wedges—Lay a cabbage half down on a cut side and slice it into two, three, or four equal wedges, making sure each cut goes through the core to keep the wedge intact.

Cabbage is an exceptionally healthy food. It has an outstanding nutrient profile and is especially high in vitamins C and K. In addition, eating cabbage may even help lower the risk of certain diseases, improve digestion, and ease inflammation.

While cabbage offers lots of vitamins and minerals your body needs, there can be a downside to eating cabbage. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea.

Cabbage and Its Cousins

Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cabbage, have the same sugars that make beans gassy. Their high fiber can also make them hard to digest. It will be easier on your stomach if you cook them instead of eating raw.

Red cabbage offers another bonus: It's rich in natural pigments called anthocyanins, which new research suggests may help boost insulin production and lower blood sugar levels. Finally, cabbage is often prepared with vinegar, which can help lower the GL of your whole meal.

If you add vinegar it will stay the original color. The reddish pigment in the cabbage acts as a pH indicator like litmus paper. Your method of cooking is alkaline which isn't bad but would change the color of cabbage.

Chebotar recommends adding garlic cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns to the pot of boiling water as this may help reduce gas. Bay leaf tea can help ease an upset stomach, so boiling it with the cabbage can prevent gas after eating the cabbage.

Some cleaning enthusiasts recommend boiling a pan of vinegar to help get rid of strong odours by turning the acetic acid into a vapour that might more readily react with any volatile bases in a room.