Let’s be honest – when you think of vibrant, beautiful vegetables, cabbage does not immediately come to mind. While it is not bursting with color or texture, it is full of nutrition, and when prepared properly, flavor. Best of all, it is one of the cheapest vegetables you will find at your local grocer.
Unfortunately, this tasty little head of leaves suffers from a bad wrap due to improper cooking methods. When improperly cooked, cabbage turns into a limp, colorless, flavorless pile on the plate. With a little care and proper cooking, cabbage is a dish that even the kids will look forward to.
Nutritional Information for Cabbage
English: green cabbage (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
According to Livestrong.com, just a half cup of raw cabbage contains 30-percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin C. Cooking it drops the value slightly to around 25-percent. It also contains up to four grams of dietary fiber as well as 45-percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin K.
Other vitamins and minerals found in cabbage include:
- Vitamins B1, B2 and B6
- Folate
- Manganese
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Vitamin A
- Iron
- Zinc
Cabbage Preparation Tips
The key to enjoying these healthy components however is proper cooking. By boiling, sauteing or steaming your cabbage into oblivion, you are not just impacting the flavor, you are removing almost all nutrient content.
When it comes to preparing cabbage, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Less is more. From seasoning to cook times, being delicate with your cabbage will yield tastier, more nutritious results.
- Do not be afraid of raw cabbage. Raw cabbage is by far the most healthy form of cabbage. Whether you are making a tasty slaw or adding it to your favorite stir fry, leaving your cabbage raw can provide extra nutrition and a tasty crunch.
- Clean cabbage thoroughly. Like any vegetable that forms a tightly bound head, cabbages are prone to little insects, dirt and other undesirables. Giving your cabbage a quick spray down in the colander will help keep these little nuisances out of your dishes.
My Favorite Cabbage Recipes
Steamed Cabbage and Sausage
What you will need:
- One package of smoked turkey sausage
- One head of cabbage
- One tbsp of butter
- One tbsp of canola oil
- One cup of water
- One Pinch of Smoked Paprika
- Salt and Pepper
Let’s Get Cookin!
- Chop your cabbage into strips that are roughly 1.5-inches wide. Doing this is simple with a good knife. Simply slice down the middle through the stem. Cut a V around the stem and pop it out. You now have a flat half-head of cabbage ready for strips.
- Chop your sausage into half-inch thick rounds.
- Bring a large heavy pan with canola oil to temperature over medium heat.
- Add in sausages and spread evenly.
- Allow to cook for five to seven minutes.
- Flip sausages and cook for additional two minutes.
- Add your cabbage to the pan along with butter and one cup of water.
- Salt and pepper to taste and cover.
- Allow this to cook for about 15 minutes.
- Check texture of the cabbage. I prefer my cabbage a little on the crunchy side. If it is not where you prefer it, cover again and check back in about five minutes.
- Plate and enjoy!
This dish is great with a side of mashed potatoes and some warm rolls to sop up the juice. It is also exceptionally cheap. Even with the turkey sausage, the total bill for the meal is well under $10 for a three or four person family.
Other cabbage recipes I enjoy include:
Next time you are in the produce section of the grocery store, pick up a head of cabbage and give these recipes a try. If you had a bad run in with cabbage in the past, try giving it another shot. You would be surprised how tasty it can be. If you have any questions or comments, leave me a comment in the boxes below! Have a favorite cabbage recipe? I’d love to hear those as well.
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I want to try this recipe with tofu instead of sausage, or maybe one of those vegetarian sausages. I already love cabbage. I’m eager to try a new recipe.
Tofu should work great. Especially firm tofu. Just dice it or create strips and slap it in a few tablespoons of hot oil before adding the cabbage. For more flavor, you could marinate the block before hand and then replace some of the water with the marinade.
Ponzu, teriyaki sauce or seasoned rice wine vinegar could be good for a splash of flavor, just be careful adding too much to the cabbage or it will pack a punch. Add a little spice with some Sriracha, red pepper flake or even some brown mustard and you’d be on your way to a tasty meat-free dish with tons of protein and flavor!
If you are looking for something a bit more comfort food style, consider some celery seed or fennel and add a touch of soy or almond milk for a creamy texture.
That’s the great thing about cabbage! It’s a flavor sponge. Just be sure to not cook it into mystery mush the possibilities are endless!
What an awesome article. I love eating cabbage and have for a long time. I wasn’t aware of the nutrients that it has. I would like to add that it is the easiest thing to grow as well. I have grown it successfully for the last 3 or 4 years. I hope all who read this article will give your recipe a try.