Pickled Red Cabbage
Pickled Red Cabbage is the perfect topping for so many dishes. This tart and spicy condiment is quick to make and keeps in the refrigerator for weeks. Great for tacos and burgers!
Pickled Red Cabbage
Cabbage seems to get a bad rap. Everyone complains that it is hard to cook and the kids say they don’t like it more than broccoli!
Me, I love it! Especially the purple cabbage. It lends a nice pink color to dishes and has a subtle flavor.
I usually do a quick sauté with a touch of balsamic vinegar for a side dish for dinner. In planning a recipe, I was looking for the perfect topping for it. The only thing that came to mind was red cabbage!
The color and crispness the cabbage adds was exactly what I was looking for. Wanting a hint of tartness to round out the recipe, I thought pickling the cabbage would be the best way. Although, I do love a great braised cabbage recipe.
Keep reading to see how it turned out. And look at these pickled red onions too!
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Ingredients Needed
Red Cabbage – You can use green cabbage but it’s not as pretty!
Jalapeno- I like to use fresh ones. Just be sure to remove the ribs and seeds or it will be very spicy!
Rice Wine Vinegar – If you don’t have it feel free to use plain white distilled vinegar.
Mustard Seeds – These are optional but I really love the tangy flavor that add to the recipe. I found yellow mustard seeds in my local market but the brown ones are great too. I usually order mine online.
Pantry Staples – Salt, sugar, garlic, ginger.
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How to make Pickled Red Cabbage
First: Place the shredded cabbage, ginger root, mustard seed, garlic clove, and jalapeno in a glass jar.
Second: Heat the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until boiling.
Third: When the vinegar comes to a boil, gently add the vinegar over the cabbage and spices. Be sure to leave 1/2 inch space at the top of the jar.
Fourth: Let cool for 10 minutes. Cover and keep in your fridge for up to two weeks. I like to wait at least 24 hours before using the cabbage so it has time to infuse with all the vinegar and spices.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Is purple cabbage good for you?
Oh, but let me tell you! Not only does it have less than 20 calories per half cup serving, but it is full of vitamins, minerals, and compounds that help guard against the effects of radiation, it may also help guard you from cancer*.
Cabbage is also great for helping with digestion and fermented versions like sauerkraut have tons of probiotics.
It is said that the purple cabbage has a powerful antioxidants!! You better start eating more of it pronto.
Red Cabbage vs Purple Cabbage
Purple and red cabbage are the same they just vary in depth of color based on the acidity of the soil so don’t stress about that! Just know that cabbage is good for you.
Red cabbage has 10 times more Vitamin A than green cabbage and double the iron. Not only does the cabbage have plenty of health benefits, it tastes great, has a beautiful color that pops when added to recipes, and is hearty enough to stand up to various types of cooking.
I love to serve it roasted in wedges, chopped up in slaw, and pickled! Now that I have made this quick pickled red cabbage, I keep finding uses for it.
If you keep it stored in the refrigerator, it will last for up to two weeks. But mine always gets eaten before then!
Yes, you can. But it won’t be as pretty:)
Feel free to play around with the flavors, herbs, and spices that you and your family like. I use these because they pair well with the dishes we typically serve.
Feel free to use any vinegar you might have on hand like white, red wine, or white wine. I wouldn’t use balsamic or apple cider vinegar because their flavors are very strong and will overpower the cabbage.
Uses for Pickled Red Cabbage
- tacos
- hot dogs
- hamburgers
- scrambled eggs
- spring rolls
Tapas Tips & Tricks
- if you are worried about putting a warm jar in the fridge, cool completely before chilling.
- it’s ready to eat after a few hours but I like to wait a full 24 hours before trying.
- make sure the jalapeno, ginger, and garlic are thinly sliced.
- use a sharp knife when slicing or use a mandoline slicer.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
I love this pickled cabbage on so many dishes. It’s one of my favorite condiments and I always have a jar in the fridge. Right next to my Olive Salad and my Pickled Taco Toppings!
Pickled Cabbage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small head red cabbage sliced thin
- 2 cups rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 inch slice of fresh ginger root
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 1/2 jalapeno sliced and seeded
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Place the sliced cabbage, ginger root, mustard seed, garlic clove, and jalapeno in a glass jar.
- Heat the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until boiling.
- When the vinegar is boiling, gently pour over the cabbage and spices.
- Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Cover and keep in your fridge for up to two weeks.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I love this! I have begun to make it weekly. I use it in my layered mason jar salads and on avocado toast. It is the best tasting, and so pretty, and healthy, and easy.
Oh I have to try it on my avocado toast! I am so glad you like it!
If I don’t have mustard seeds, can I substitute mustard powder? Also, can I use ginger powder or paste instead of fresh ginger? Thanks!
I have never tried it with mustard powder but I think it might work. Same with the ginger. I would add less as powdered tends to be stronger than fresh.
Hi there. Would love to try making this. Can I just ask, when you say ‘cover’ the jar do you mean sealed tightly with a lid or with something breathable like muslin cloth?
Thank you for any advice,
Best,
Mark
I place the lid on my jar and store in the fridge. If you are worried about the pressure from the heat you can place the lid on it just don’t tighten all the way. Then a few hours later, or when it is cool, you can tighten the lid.
I have just made this recipe and I am yet to taste it but it looks wonderful, I added some Fennell seeds to the jar aswell!
Thanks so much
OMG. Finally I have this recipe. Reliving my childhood. Thankyou
Omg…simply delighted. This is something from my childhood days and somehow the taste just keeps coming. Soo I looked it up on Pinterest and bless you I came across your recipie. It’s summers here in Pakistan and plenty of cabbage in the market. Sooo now I am going to make this delicious pickle and step back into my childhood. Thanks to you.
Omg…simply delighted. This is something from my childhood days and somehow the taste just kept coming. Soo I looked it up on Pinterest and bless you I came across your recipie. It’s summers here in Pakistan and plenty of cabbage in the market. Sooo now I am going to make this delicious pickle and step back into my childhood. Thanks to you.
Will this work for bierocks?
I believe it will. Just be sure to drain it really well. Possibly pat dry if you need to!
Can this be water bathed to last longer?
You can use the traditional canning method with all the ingredients to make it last longer for sure:)
delish thank you
Has anyone ever tried this without sugar or using coconut sugar??
I have and it is just as good! I haven’t tried coconut sugar but I am sure it will yield the same results.
Has anyone ever tried this without sugar or using coconut sugar??
Delicious. The rice wine vinegar gives it a lighter flavor than cider apple vinegar and the ginger makes it super refreshing and healthful! Thank you for sharing.
So glad you liked it!!
We raised some red cabbage last summer and I found your recipe on Pinterest. My husband and I are both crazy about it. I’m making more today! It keeps way longer than 2 weeks in the refrigerator. I’ve kept some that we’re using since last September and it is still wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Sue, thank you so much for letting me know! I love hearing that people used my recipe and keep using it over and over again. I have had my cabbage last longer but usually because I forgot it in the back of my fridge. I tend to eat mine pretty quick as I eat so many tacos and love to eat the cabbage in them. I do the same with my pickled red onions. I recently used my pickled red onions in my chimichurri sauce and it added a nice kick to it!
I just got two heads of red cabbage from our CSA (one is massive…) and was trying to think what I wanted to do with it. We like it, but the flavor, not to mention the color, is assertive, which limits its use. And I don’t want to serve the same thing all the time…
I think you’ve just solved a good part of my problem…
You can keep it in the fridge for a few weeks after you pickle it and slowly use it up!
I LOVE pickled red cabbage! It’s so tasty on tacos and burritos! I’m totally pinning this so I can give it a try!
Thanks Paige! I love to keep a jar of this and a jar of pickled red onions too!
I’m not a massive fan of cabbage, but my partner is. If I made this for him, I think he’d love me forever!
Keep it in your back pocket when you need a favor!
I LOVE pickled red cabbage! It’s so tasty on tacos and burritos! I’m totally pinning this so I can give it a try!
I LOVE pickled red cabbage! It’s so tasty on tacos and burritos! I’m totally pinning this so I can give it a try!
Is it wrong that my favorite part about pickled cabbage (or red onions) is the color? I mean ALL the heart eyes! So stunning! XX Katie
Nothing wrong with that! I also like to add some balsamic vinegar to mine too and it makes it darker!
I love cabbage too, and this is so pretty with the red cabbage. Really nice!
Thanks Meredith, I love the way it pops too! I think it adds the pickle kick AND the visual boost!
Red cabbage is so good! It’s perfect as a side dish to any meat meal, I love it especially with mashed potatoes 🙂
Ooh! I will have to try it with mashed potatoes! That sounds intriguging!
Yummy! I love cabbage! Can’t wait to try your recipe! 🙂
Thanks Sina! I hope you like it!
Yum! How can something so simple look so deliciously tempting? I want this in my life — plus I have a weakness for red/purple. 🙂 So please enter my life cabbage, I need you!
Grab a head and make some! Just takes a few minutes! I am putting on my eggs in the am!
Yum! How can something so simple look so deliciously tempting? I want this in my life — plus I have a weakness for red/purple. 🙂 So please enter my life cabbage, I need you!
Yum! How can something so simple look so deliciously tempting? I want this in my life — plus I have a weakness for red/purple. 🙂 So please enter my life cabbage, I need you!
Beautiful. This would go well with….. anything really. Love love love pickled stuff.
Thanks! It’s good on so many things! I like it on eggs and chicken too!
This looks so amazing, I love this stuff on sandwiches and pulled meat too. The colour just pops.
I will have to put it on sandwiches next time too!
What a great idea. I would snack on this all day long. Can’t wait to make it. 🙂
Thanks Susan! I am going to put it on just about anything!
This is why you and I are friends! I LOVE cabbage too! I’ve been eating cabbage this whole week too! 🙂 I should have pickled some of it instead 🙁 But I definitely will now and will be topping everything with that now! Yum 😀
I knew we were kindred spirits when I tasted your caponata! Pickled cabbage is great on eggs to I have found out recently!
What a great idea. I would snack on this all day long. Can’t wait to make it. 🙂
What a great idea. I would snack on this all day long. Can’t wait to make it. 🙂
I’ve got a whole head of red cabbage I was feeling uninspired about. This is a great and gorgeous idea. Thanks.
Chop it up and pickle it! You can ue it for anything!!
I’ve always wanted to try a homemade pickle!
It’s easier than you think!
This pickled red cabbage looks like the perfect side to any fall dish; loving the color too!!
Thanks so much! Definitely going to try this with my turkey this year!
Beautiful! Not to mention delicious – love pickled cabbage!
Thanks Debra!
This pickled red cabbage looks like the perfect side to any fall dish; loving the color too!!
This pickled red cabbage looks like the perfect side to any fall dish; loving the color too!!
It’s so pretty! I bet it would be great on tacos!
Thanks Lauren! I love putting mine on eggs too!
I’m a cabbage fan, too, and like to keep some in the fridge at all times. It lasts so long and add such great color to salads or even some shreds as a bed for a piece of fish or chicken breast. I also have a recipe for braised short ribs with cabbage and star anise that’s so fall-y and delicious. But I like your idea of pickling some, too–similar color pop to the plate, but also a flavor pop. Nice. 🙂
I love short ribs so I will have to hop on over to your blog and check out that recipe!