Cabbage might be the most underappreciated vegetable in our produce drawers. Like the quiet hum of a machine laboring in the background, this cruciferous powerhouse shows up across global cuisines, adding crunch to fish tacos, depth to stir-fries and comfort to classic braises. Yet when it comes to cooking cabbage at home, it can be the vegetable equivalent of elevator music—reliable but unremarkable and sometimes even a little bit boring. What culinary magic can transform this humble ingredient into irresistible dishes?
To explore all that cabbage has to offer, I reached out to three culinary pros with a true appreciation for the veg. The one thing they heartily agreed on was that cabbage, prepared in many ways, was anything but boring! But when forced to choose a “top” cooking method, it came down to the simple sauté, a technique that results in a perfect tender-crisp texture with just a hint of char. With just a pan and a little patience, this everyday ingredient can shed its wallflower reputation and show us what it’s really made of.
Tips for Sautéing Cabbage
When discussing technique, the chefs all agreed that proper sautéing was a cornerstone of good cabbage cookery, with “proper” being the key word. Sauté means quickly cooking food in oil or fat over relatively high heat. The term comes from the French word “sauter,” which means “to jump” and refers to how food is often tossed or stirred in the pan to ensure even cooking. However, mastering this technique comes down to three key elements: proper pan size, heat control and seasoning technique, according to our chefs.
Use a Large Pan
“Use the biggest pan you have for more surface area,” advises Heidi Fink, former executive chef of the renowned ReBar Modern Food restaurant in Victoria, British Columbia, and award-winning cooking instructor and TV host. “This is better for both [the] cabbage contacting the heat source and for evaporation. A smaller pan means less evaporation,” which she explains steams the cabbage rather than sautéing it. “It’s also important to cut the cabbage into even sizes,” she adds, so that everything will cook through at the same time.
Control the Heat
Fink advises to start with high heat and “enough fat to coat the whole pan,” adding that if you want very tender cabbage, you can turn down the heat after the initial sauté, and cover (or partially cover) to braise it slowly. Braising is a cooking method that combines dry and moist heat techniques and often goes hand-in-hand with sautéing. It involves sautéing or searing the food at a high temperature to develop a rich, caramelized surface, then slowly cooking it in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid at a low temperature.
Carla Contreras, a New Jersey–based food stylist, podcast host and former chef with more than 25 years of culinary experience, including at Daniel Boulud’s DBGB and the Marriott Boston, prefers to start with olive oil in a cold pan before turning up the heat. She adds the cabbage to the pan along with “the smallest pinch of sea salt and a few cranks of fresh ground pepper.” She’ll then turn up the heat to medium-high and sauté for a few minutes—enough to wilt it while retaining a toothsome bite. For a softer texture, she suggests adding a splash of water or your favorite vinegar and letting that cook down in the pan for a few extra minutes.
Temperature control is essential, and using it differently will yield different results. For Rachael Narins, a Los Angeles–based chef, three-time cookbook author and co-founder of Chicks with Knives, that means getting a “dry cast-iron pan screaming hot!” She adds diced or wedged cabbage to that hot pan with a bit of salt and, unlike the others, leaves the fat out. She prefers the light char it gets and appreciates how it “retains a bit of the crunch and a touch of smokiness while the sweetness is enhanced.”
Season Well
Contreras says that not seasoning with salt and pepper can make a dish decidedly underwhelming. Seasoning well, she says, is a simple solution for most cooking and the reason why restaurant food tastes so good.
What Type of Cabbage Is Best for Sautéing?
Luckily, this method works well with all cabbages, says Contreras, including white, red and Napa. Fink shares a little more nuance: “Red cabbage is much tougher than green cabbage; Savoy cabbage is more tender. Napa cabbage is much more delicate than any of them … and green cabbage—I mean such a versatile vegetable!” Narins, who loves cabbage so much that she named her kitten Petit Chou (“little cabbage” in French) thinks the best choice is a head of napa or Savoy, which she explains are more tender than the more common green and red varieties. “Napa is such a switch artist,” adds Fink. “It’s mild and delicate enough for soups but has an amazing depth of flavor when browned.”
Starting with a sauté (or sear), a classic for red cabbage is the German braised sweet-and-sour cabbage, says Fink: “It brings out a beautiful color, has lots of brightness in flavor, and the long braise really tenderizes the red cabbage. It’s a winner in the wintertime.” Getting some browning on green cabbage, via sautéing or other methods, brings out the nutty flavor, she adds. When it comes to prep, though, Fink is adamant that you have to slice or chop cabbage. “Never shredding—that brings out too much liquid.”
What Are Some Common Mistakes When Cooking Cabbage?
Thankfully, the most common cabbage cooking mistakes are also easily fixed. For Fink, they include not cutting the vegetables into even sizes (especially cutting cabbage too big); not using a big enough or wide enough pan and not controlling the heat properly. Narins adds that the core of the cabbage should be discarded or sliced very thin, and two of our chefs insisted that you should always taste as you go. “The best and easiest way to know if you like [it],” says Contreras, “is to grab a fork and carefully taste it.” This way, she adds, “You get to decide what the perfect texture is for you.”
Cabbage Recipe Ideas
Once you’ve mastered sautéing, it’s time to experiment with flavors. And you shouldn’t hesitate to try new things. “Cabbage tastes good with everything!” Fink enthuses. One of her favorite combinations is Savoy cabbage sautéed with butter, leeks and fresh thyme. She also recommends napa cabbage with ginger, garlic and a hint of oyster sauce. Contreras suggests using sautéed cabbage as a foundation for grain bowls by layering your favorite grain on top, followed by a mix of raw or roasted seasonal vegetables and any protein you like. Narins loves a simple dish of sautéed buttered cabbage with either whole caraway seeds or chopped fresh dill. And don’t forget the finishing touches! Contreras swears by adding a splash of cider vinegar at the end of the cooking process and topping it with pepitas or sunflower seeds for extra crunch.
The Bottom Line
Although sautéing was the unanimous favorite, Fink still firmly believes that there’s no single best way to cook cabbage. She says, “It depends on the type of cabbage and the time of year.” In the summer, she eats a ton of coleslaw and lightly steamed cabbage, and in the winter, she eats a lot more braised cabbage preparations or uses it in stir-fries or soups. Whether you’re using Savoy, napa, red or green cabbage, a simple sauté can transform this humble vegetable into something spectacular. Just remember these key takeaways: use a large pan, maintain proper heat control and don’t forget to season.
Besides its versatility, it’s also nutritious and budget-friendly, offering excellent bang for your buck. Just 1 cup of cabbage can provide 44% of our recommended Daily Value of vitamin C and 76% of vitamin K. It’s also low in calories and naturally fat-free and may be preventive against a number of chronic conditions, from cancer to heart disease. With a little know-how, cabbage can go from being boring “elevator music” to a starring role on your dinner table.
