Cabbages

Raw

Raw cabbage is usually sliced into thin strips or shredded for use in salads, such as coleslaw. It can also replace iceberg lettuce in sandwiches. Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Cooked

Cabbage is often added to soups or stews. Cabbage soup is popular in central Europe and eastern Europe, and cabbage is an ingredient in some kinds of borscht. Cabbage is also used in many popular dishes in India. Boiling tenderises the leaves and releases sugars, which leads to the characteristic "cabbage" aroma. Boiled cabbage has become stigmatised in North America because of its strong cooking odour and the belief that it causes flatulence. Boiled cabbage as an accompaniment to meats and other dishes can be an opportune source of vitamins and dietary fibre. Stuffed cabbage is an East European and Middle Eastern delicacy. The leaves are softened by parboiling or placing the whole head of cabbage in the freezer, and then filled with chopped meat and/or rice.

Cabbage ready to harvest
Red cabbage

Red cabbage

The Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra) is a sort of cabbage, also known as Red Kraut or Blue Kraut after preparation. Its leaves are coloured dark red/purple. However, the plant changes its colour according to the pH value of the soil, due to a pigment called anthocyanin. On acidic soils, the leaves grow more reddish while an alkaline soil will produce rather yellow coloured cabbages. This explains the fact that the very same plant is known by different colours in various regions. Furthermore, the juice of red cabbage can be used as a homemade pH indicator, turning red in acid and blue in basic solutions.

On cooking, red cabbage will normally turn blue. To retain the red colour it is necessary to add vinegar or acidic fruit to the pot.

Red Cabbage needs well fertilised soil and sufficient humidity to grow. It is a seasonal plant which is seeded in spring and harvested in late fall. Red Cabbage is a better keeper than its "white" relatives and does not need to be converted to sauerkraut to last the winter.

We have a spicy pickled red cabbage recipe, as well as Mrs Beeton's origin recipe.

Uses

Red cabbage is often used for salads and cole slaw. This vegetable can be eaten raw or cooked.

Fermented and preserved

Cabbage is the basis for the German sauerkraut and Korean kimchi. To pickle cabbage it is placed in a jar, covered with water and salt, and left in a warm place for several days to ferment. Sauerkraut was historically prepared at home in large batches, as a way of storing food for the winter. Cabbage can also be pickled in vinegar with various spices, alone or in combination with other vegetables. Korean baechu kimchi is usually sliced thicker than its European counterpart, and the addition of onions, chillies, minced garlic and gingers is common.

Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subspecies) is a Chinese leaf vegetable commonly used in Chinese cuisine. The vegetable is related to the Western cabbage and of the same species as the common turnip. Some of the many variations on its name and spelling are; choy sum, bok choy, bok choi, pak choi, pak choy.

We have a nice recipe for Spicy Chinese cabbage.

Tatsoi

Tatsoi (Brassica narinosa or Brassica rapa var. rosularis), also called spinach mustard, spoon mustard, or rosette bok choy, is an Asian variety of Brassica rapa grown for greens. This plant has become popular in North American cuisine as well, and is now grown throughout the world.

The plant has dark green spoon-shaped leaves which form a thick rosette. It has a soft creamy texture and has a subtle yet distinctive flavour.

It takes 45-50 days to harvest and can withstand temperatures down to -9.4 degrees C (15 degrees F). Tatsoi can be harvested even from under the snow.

Mizuna

Mizuna (, also called Xiu Cai, Kyona, Japanese Mustard, Potherb Mustard, Japanese Greens, California Peppergrass, Spider Mustard, etc.) is a Japanese name used primarily for cultivated varieties of Brassica rapa nipposinica but also for Brassica juncea var. japonica and similar varieties of Japanese mustard greens with jagged or frilly dandelion-like leaves and a sweet, mild, earthy flavour.

Rapeseed

Rapeseed (Brassica napus), also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rapaseed and (in the case of one particular group of cultivars) canola, is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family). The name derives from the Latin for turnip, rāpum or rāpa, and is first recorded in English at the end of the 14th century.

Rapeseed leaves and stems are also edible, similar to those of the related bok choy or kale.

Rapeseed is a heavy nectar producer, and honeybees produce a light coloured, but peppery honey from it. It must be extracted immediately after processing is finished, as it will quickly granulate in the honeycomb and will be impossible to extract. The honey is usually blended with milder honeys, if used for table use, or sold as bakery grade.

How much does one cup of cabbage weigh?

Estimated US cup to weight equivalents:

Ingredient	US Cups	Grams	Ounces
Raw Cabbage - shredded / sliced / chopped	1 Cup	100 g	4 oz
Cooked Cabbage - shredded / sliced / chopped	1 Cup	225 g	8 oz

Conversion notes:
Every ingredient has a cups to ounces or grams conversion table. Search for the ingredient, cup to weight conversions are at the end of each ingredient page.

We also have a generic conversion table and a portions per person lookup.

Seasonal Information: Cabbages

This information is specifically for countries in the northern temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; particularly the United Kingdom, however it should be applicable for northern USA, northern Europe, Canada, Russia, etc.

Cabbages are at their best and in season during the following months: June, July, August, September & October.

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