Crunchy, slightly spicy, sweet and tangy, this quick pickled cabbage is a great accompaniment to meats but can also be had on its own as a substitute for a salad.
Pickled cabbage is delicious and packs a lot of vitamins at less than 100 calories per cup. The best part is that it only takes 20 minutes to make unlike fermented cabbage or sauerkraut. You can make it pretty much any time even if you have very little time to spare. Every time I serve it to my guests I get a lot of compliments and a good amount of surprise when they learn how quickly it can be made.
I particularly like this crunchy cabbage with roasted, baked or broiled chicken breasts. The pickling juices are great as a sauce so don't leave them out. Pour some over your side dish - rice or potatoes - and you will know what I mean. That sweet and tangy taste will make any side dish taste better.
For more spiciness double or triple the number of hot red chili peppers. Chili pepper seeds and the membrane is where the real heat is, so leave them in if you want some extra heat. Jalapeno peppers can also be used in this recipe but start with one de-seeded pepper and see how you like it. You can always add more later if desired.
Garlic adds a lot of flavor to pickled cabbage but if you want to remove the harsh, bitter bite of raw garlic, zap it on high for 10 seconds in a microwave or blanch in hot water for a minute before slicing.
Quick Pickled Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 cabbage about 2 lbs, cut into about 1-inch squares
- 2 carrots large, shredded
- 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 red chili pepper seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup sunflower oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 2/3 cup white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper optional; or substitute for ground coriander seeds
Instructions
- Mix the cabbage, shredded carrots, garlic, hot pepper and black pepper in a large bowl.
- In a small sauce pan, bring the water, oil, vinegar and salt to a boil. Stir to dissolve the salt. Add the honey, stir and bring to boil again.
- Pour the hot pickling liquid over the cabbage then toss the cabbage with two large spoons. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer to a 2 quart jar, packing tightly. Cover with a lid and let cool to room temperature then refrigerate. It will only get better with time.
Notes
Nutrition
rin says
would this be ok without honey & oil? i want to make cabbage rolls but id like to stay in a deficit 😓
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
I am sure that will work just fine for cabbage rolls. I use steamed or parboiled cabbage leaves to make rolls. Adding a little flavor if using this recipe but without oil and sugar will give them more flavor.
Lin Davis says
I am trying to cut down on salt would that be possible for this recipe?
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
Lin, you could lower the amount of salt to 1 Tbsp or even lower. However, remember that the calculated sodium amount in the recipe nutrition card takes into the account all of the salt. But not all of the salt will be absorbed by cabbage and a lot of it will be left in the brine. If you drain the brine off before serving, the sodium level will be lower, perhaps much lower. I can't say how much lower as there isn't a simple way to calculate it without some specialized equipment.
Donny says
I made without oil
Doc Smith says
It's harvest time and I needed a cabbage recipe for some of our crop, this one is great! If you add a Wild Grape leaf (they are Everywhere) or cherry tree leaf the tannins will keep the cabbage crunchy - i add them to all my pickled foods.
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
Thanks for the tip, Doc Smith. I usually use oak and black currant leaves for that. I do it with pickles, never though about adding to cabbage. Good idea.
Susan says
This is truly an old recipe. My family took variations of it to family, reunions and potlucks and picnics. It was the salad of choice at fall church dinners. One variation is to put celery seed in the brine. Another variation is to put about 2 tablespoons of pickling spice into a cheese cloth bag, and cook it with the brine. Both are delicious. Thank you for this version of an artisan recipe.
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
You are very welcome. Enjoy!
Cynthia says
Delicious! I will be making this on a regular basis.
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
Enjoy!
Chris says
Olive oil or sunflower oil?
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
Sunflower is better, it doesn't get cloudy in the fridge.
Bev S says
I would have never believed that all of the cut up vegetables would fit in two quart jars….fit beautifully. Can’t wait to try
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
The other way is true too 😉 I cut up a big bowl of hot cherry peppers and filled halves with cream cheese. Thought I'd need a 5 liter fermentation jar for them but they barely reached half way so I had to transfer them into a smaller one. Enjoy!
Michael J Rachel says
should the liquid form white lumps when boiling; they disappear while stirring be come back if not stirred
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
I can't say I recall seeing white lumps... if they disappear if you stir then I would stir well. It's possible that it could be the reaction of the particular salt and vinegar being used, it's hard to say. I'll pay attention the next time I am making this.
Jennifer Hill says
How long will this last refrigerated? Thanks for the recipe!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
About 10-14 days, then it starts to soften up a lot and lose the crunch. Still good though. It won't go bad soon but won't have the same texture.
Marilyn says
Can you use canola oil? I have olive oil and canola oil. I would hate to have another opened bottle oil as they go rancid.
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
Canola would be a better choice than olive as it has a slightly lower freezeing temperature and shouldn't get noticeably cloudy in the fridge.
Marc says
Very good and tasty . Thank you
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
You are very welcome.
MoMo Martinez says
This Pickled Cabbage recipe is MY MOST FAVORITE!
So delicious with all that garlic, coupled with the sweetness of the honey!
When I eat this dish, I am enthralled by all the layers of flavor.
Thank you for sharing this... I have passed it on to friends as well!
Brava!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
So happy to hear that. Enjoy!
Mary Page says
I followed the recipe and found it very easy. it tasted good, so will be making it again. thank you!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
You are very welcome. We make this very often, goes well with just about anything, and my kids love it as a snack. Couldn't be happier with that as cabbage packs a lot of vitamins and nutrients.
Malin K says
Super tasty and simple to make. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I have it more or less to every meal. One of my new favorites! A Big thank you from Sweden!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
You are very welcome, Malin. Happy cooking!
Bruce says
Hello there. Would sliced onions work in this recipe or would it cause a bad reaction?
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
Hi Bruce, I don't like adding onions as they impart a strong flavor. I do sometimes add chopped fresh onions and drizzle some olive oil, and some chopped herbs (cilantro, green onions) just before serving, it tastes really good that way.
Julie says
Hi! Have you ever tried to make this with raw apple cider vinegar in lieu of the white vinegar?
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
No, never tried that but I think it's a very good alternative.
Julie says
I gave it a try, using the same ratios, and it turned out fantastic!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
Malt vinegar is another good one to try. I use it a lot lately.
melody says
Amazing and simple. On my second batch already! so far I have had it a long side pork chops, on cabbage rolls and with my pierogies. So good. Thank you!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
You are very welcome, Melody. My family loves it, we make this pickled cabbage several times a month. I made a large batch just this past weekend. Put it in a glass cookie jar. Better pickled cabbage then cookies, right? It's a lot healthier;)
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Lately we've been shredding our cabbage, my kids prefer it that way. Well, as long as they eat it...
Jane P. says
Simply outstanding! Thank you so much for sharing such an easy and delicious way to prepare cabbage!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan says
You are very welcome!
JP says
Interesting recipe and the cabbage turned out delicious. I paired it with grilled chicken and it's like the two were made to be consumed together. Thanks for sharing.
Misrii - Homemade Food says
This looks amazing! I have to try this in the next few weeks!