Cabbage Is a Recipe Multitasker, From Ramen to Schnitzel

If there is one vegetable that desperately needs a PR campaign, it’s cabbage. In 2024, the cruciferous vegetable was voted the “most hated” in five states across the US. The survey, conducted by gardening resource Gurneys, discovered that people in Massachusetts, Indiana, Alabama, California, and Nevada can’t stand cabbage. To be fair to the divisive vegetable, it wasn’t alone. Mushrooms, cauliflower, celery, and asparagus also made the most-hated list. 

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It’s not hard to understand why cabbage often fails to win over many. It can be prone to an off putting soggy texture, especially when boiled. But there are many ways to transform cabbage into an ingredient that is actually pretty tasty. We know you might be skeptical, but if you try even one of the recipes listed below, you might start to feel differently. Keep reading to find out more about why cabbage deserves a moment in the spotlight. Spoiler: it’s really, really good for you. 

Why do people dislike cabbage?

One of the biggest reasons why people can’t get along with cabbage—which comes in many varieties, —is the smell. This is because the vegetable contains sulfur compounds. And when you cook cabbage, the egg-like aroma of these compounds is released. 

But there are ways to avoid this odor if you prefer. If you’re steaming or boiling cabbage, the Italian food magazine La Cucina Italiana recommends adding a few bay leaves to the water, for example. Other tips include adding lemon-soaked bread to the water, or even some capers. This is because capers are often preserved in vinegar, which contains odor-neutralizing acetic acid.

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The texture of cabbage, too, can also be off putting for some. When it’s overcooked, it can be quite soggy and even mushy. So with that in mind, the most important thing to keep in mind when preparing cabbage is not to cook it for too long. If you’re steaming it, thinly sliced cabbage shouldn’t take any more than five minutes (the thicker the slices, the longer it will take). 

But you don’t have to steam or boil cabbage. You can also fry or sauté cabbage, which will give it a nice crispy texture. You can also bake or roast cabbage until it’s tender and a little crispy.

Is cabbage a superfood?

Learning to cook cabbage is not just beneficial for your tastebuds, it’s also good for your health. Often dubbed a “superfood,” the cruciferous vegetable—which is related to vegetables like Sprouts and kale—is packed with nutrients. 

Per Healthline, one cup of raw green cabbage contains more than half of the daily value of vitamin K, an essential nutrient that supports liver health and helps blood to clot. It also contains 36 percent of the daily value of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps with a number of processes in the body, including iron absorption. 

On top of this, cabbage is a source of folate, manganese, vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants. The latter help tackle free radical damage in the body and chronic inflammation, both of which can increase the risk of chronic disease if left unchecked. 

Cabbage’s health benefits don’t stop there. The vegetable also contains fiber, which is vital for gut and digestive health. You can read more about the importance of getting enough fiber in your diet here. 

How to start liking cabbage: 7 vegan recipes to try

This underrated vegetable has bags of potential and can play a key role in several tasty recipes. From ramen to slaw to pasta to schnitzel, find out how to get the best out of cabbage below.

1 Easy Vegan Ramen Noodles With Cabbage and Mushrooms

In this fast and easy ramen recipe, red cabbage is sautéd alongside mushrooms, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until it begins to wilt. After that, it’s quickly mixed with noodles and ingredients like soy sauce (for umami), toasted sesame oil, and chili garlic to create a flavorful ramen dish that is rich in essential nutrients.
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Marina Anferova

2 Smothered Vegan Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls are a staple in many Eastern European countries, including Poland and Ukraine. They are hearty, nourishing, and loaded with flavor, thanks to ingredients like sautéed onions, carrots, beets, parsley, and rice, all of which are stuffed into boiled cabbage leaves (which are only boiled until they are soft enough to roll) and smothered in rich tomato sauce.
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Bri Beaudoin

3 Falafel Bowls With Quick-Pickled Cabbage and Tzatziki

Thanks to its high water content and firm texture, cabbage is ideal for pickling. But if you don’t have the time to wait days for fermentation, this recipe will show you how to quick-pickle in less than an hour. The intense flavor is the perfect contrast to creamy tzatziki, fresh cucumbers, and crispy falafel.
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Shivangi Rao

4 Vegan Koshimbir (Indian Cabbage Slaw) With Roasted Cashews

In this Indian-style salad recipe, shredded cabbage, cashews, coconut sugar, lemon, and salt are covered with a mix of fried serrano pepper, cumin, and asafoetida to create a nutrient-dense mix of tangy, spicy flavors and textures. It’s the ideal side dish for burgers, hot dogs, and any of your other barbecue favorites.
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The Curious Chickpea

5 Vegan Cabbage, Potato, and Chickpea Sheet Pan Dinner

Get the best out of cabbage with minimum effort with this nourishing and simple sheet pan dinner recipe from The Curious Chickpea. All you need to do is chop your cabbage into wedges and combine it with potatoes and chickpeas before smothering it in dressing (in this case, mustard vinaigrette) and leaving it in the oven to bake. In this version, tarragon gravy is drizzled over the dish just before serving for an extra creamy taste.
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Zucker & Jagdwurst

6 Vegan Cabbage and Onion Pasta

Pasta lovers will know that this Italian dish is the perfect vessel for all of your favorite vegetables. But while the stars of the show are usually ingredients like tomatoes or broccoli, this recipe from Zucker & Jagdwurst proves that cabbage can be just as delicious with pasta, too.
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Rabbit and Wolves

7Vegan Cabbage Schnitzel

When you think of schnitzel, you likely think of chicken, or at least ingredients that have a similar meaty bite to them, like say tofu or seitan. But in this recipe, Lauren Hartmann of Rabbit and Wolves has demonstrated that baked cabbage “steaks” are also a delicious schnitzel ingredient. “This may be very unique, you may even be a bit skeptical, but I promise this is cabbage as you’ve never seen it before, and it will not disappoint,” Hartmann promises.
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