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Vegetables · Brassicas

Red cabbage

Purple-red cabbage with crisp, peppery leaves, used raw in slaws or braised sweet and sour.

Also called: purple cabbage

A kind of cabbage

5 recipes with it

What it is

Red cabbage is a dense, deep-purple variety of head cabbage with white veins. It is slightly firmer and more peppery than white cabbage. Its pigment turns bluish in alkaline conditions and brighter red with acid, which is why it is usually cooked with vinegar or apple.

Brassica oleracea (Capitata group)

How it’s used

  • Braised with apple and vinegar (Rotkohl)
  • Shredded into slaws and salads
  • Pickled
  • Added raw to tacos and bowls for colour

Characteristics

Taste
Peppery, slightly sweet and earthy.
Appearance
Deep purple leaves with white ribs.
When cooked
Bleeds colour into other foods; turns blue-grey without acid and vivid magenta with vinegar or lemon.
Sold as
fresh
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate whole heads in the crisper; wrap cut halves and use within a week or so.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
31 kcal
Protein
1.43 g
Carbohydrate
7.37 g
Fat
0.16 g
Fibre
2.1 g
Sugars
3.83 g

USDA FoodData Central: Cabbage, red, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Cabbage — Same texture and cooking time; no colour.

Related ingredients

Recipes with red cabbage

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