So simple you’ll never buy a bag again!
Knowing how to cut and shred cabbage is an easy technique that every home chef should know how to do.
From adding it into your favorite Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe stir-fry, mixing it into a Southern Coleslaw recipe, or topping off some Blackened Fish Tacos…
There are SO many ways you can use this healthy and low-carb vegetable in your daily cooking.
And all you will need is a knife, a cutting board, and a head of red or green cabbage!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Cabbage: Choose a head that feels firm, tight, and heavy for its size with minimal loose leaves—avoid any that feel soft or have brown or discolored spots, which can indicate it’s starting to spoil.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Prep the cabbage.
Remove any damaged or dark leaves from the head of cabbage. Place the cabbage stem-side down on a cutting board and cut it in half lengthwise.
Quarter and de-stem the cabbage.
Put each half of the cabbage flat side down and cut in half again, going through the stem. Locate the stem in the center of each quarter and cut at an angle to remove it. Repeat with the remaining quarters.
Shred the cabbage.
Place cabbage quarters flat-side down on the cutting board and cut into thin slices. Cut perpendicular to the slices to make smaller 1-2 inch pieces.
Pro Tip: One head of cabbage yields approximately 8 to 8 ½ cups of shredded cabbage.
Types of Cabbage
While red and green are the most common types of cabbage in the United States, there are over 400 different varieties.
- Cannonball (Green) – By far the most popular type of cabbage and has a slightly peppery taste when served raw and develops a sweeter flavor when cooked.
- Red – This variety is very similar to green cabbage and can be used interchangeably in most recipes.
- Savoy – A prettier type with a curly leaf, this cabbage is a little more tender with looser leaves than the above 2 varieties.
- Napa – Or sometimes referred to as Chinese cabbage, is often used in stir-frys or as the main ingredient in kimchi.
- Brussels Sprouts – Yes! These are actually tiny heads of cabbage.
FAQs
Wrap the cabbage in a lightly damp paper towel and store it in the crisper drawer. A whole head will last about 1 week at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Yes. Shredded cabbage can be placed in a freezer bag with excess air removed and frozen for up to 4–6 weeks.
Blanch wedges in boiling water for 90 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath. Once cooled, freeze for up to 4–6 months.
Yes. Rinse the outer leaves under cold water and pat dry before cutting.
How to Cook Cabbage
One of the best things about this leafy green powerhouse is that it can be enjoyed fresh or cooked.
Or serve it fresh in a Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad or on top of Roasted Cauliflower Tacos.
You can sauté it in a pan as Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls or Panda Express Chow Mein stir-fry,
Stuff it in some classic Cabbage Rolls.
Make Sauteed Cabbage or Roasted Cabbage Steaks.
Tap stars to rate!
How to Cut & Shred Cabbage
email this recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 head of cabbage red or green
Instructions
- Remove any damaged or dark leaves from the head of cabbage. Place cabbage stem-side down on a cutting board and cut in half lengthwise.1 head of cabbage
- Put each half of the cabbage flat side down and cut in half again, going through the stem.
- Locate the stem in the center of each quarter and cut at an angle to remove it. Repeat with the remaining quarters.
- Place cabbage quarters flat-side down on the cutting board and cut into thin slices.
- Cut perpendicular to the slices to make smaller 1-2 inch pieces.
Tap stars to rate!
Video
Notes
Meal Prep & Storage
- To Store: Store a full head of cabbage wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator, up to 2 weeks. Store raw sliced cabbage in an airtight container in the fridge, up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Before freezing, any form of cabbage should be blanched and then shocked in an ice-water bath, to preserve freshness. Fresh shredded cabbage can be frozen in a large Ziploc bag with all the air removed, up to 4-6 weeks. Cabbage wedges can be flash frozen on a baking sheet for 6-10 hours, to prevent sticking together, then frozen together long term in a Ziploc bag, up to 4-6 months.
- To Reheat: If using the cabbage raw, move it to the fridge a few hours ahead, to thaw. If cooking the cabbage, there is no need to thaw it ahead of time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you wash the cabbage…? If so, before or after cutting?
You can rinse it before cutting but it will only really clean the surface of the cabbage. If you have a head that’s pretty dirty, then you can always rinse the shredded cabbage and then dry it like you would other salad greens!