In the gourmet world, cabbage has become the it-leaf, and chefs everywhere are on the hunt for the perfect cabbage recipe. Though it’s often mistakenly lumped into the same category as lettuce because of their similar appearance, it’s actually a cruciferous vegetable. Cruciferous vegetables (like kale and broccoli) are recognized for being nutritional powerhouses. Cabbage is loaded with vitamin C, which boosts the immune system, amino acid glutamine, which helps reduce inflammation, as well as several cancer fighting properties, which may help inhibit tumor growth. And when you compare cabbage to lettuce, it offers more fiber per serving and serves as a good source of vitamin C, when lettuce does not.
Whether it’s green, red or purple in color or its leaves are smooth or crinkled it’s always an earthy and somewhat more exotic salad-eating experience than lettuce is. What we also like about cabbage it that it can keep longer in the fridge since it retains its crispness well. “What I love about shredded cabbage salads is how well they hold up after being tossed with dressing,” said Megan Gilmore, Holistic Health Counselor, on her Dextoxnista.com blog. “This salad makes the perfect packed lunch for school or work, and will actually get better as it marinates.” Convinced now you must add cabbage to your weekly menu? Here are 10 cabbage recipes that prove it’s the new lettuce in town.
1. Napa Cabbage Salad
With its crisp stems and frilly yellow-green leaves, we think Napa cabbage’s flavor is sweeter and softer than green cabbage. This Asian-inspired recipe that includes baked almonds, with a dressing made of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and scallions is rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants.
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2. Red Cabbage Slaw
If you’re tired of the basic mayo kind of slaw, this is one of the best cabbage recipe options out there. The wonderful citrus salad is not too sweet and goes well with pork, shrimp tacos or piled on top of your burger. Grab a head of red cabbage, finely shred it, add lemon juice, orange juice, red onion, cilantro, honey, and basil leaves.
3. Peach Jalapeno Slaw
Knock your friends and family out with this unforgettably colorful, tangy and spicy cabbage recipe. You’ll need shredded cabbage, a peach, a jalapeno, limejuice, Greek yogurt, and cayenne pepper. Serve with fish tacos and don’t forget cilantro.
4. Shredded Green Cabbage Salad
While red cabbage’s taste is earthier and deeper, this is made with the old king of classic cabbage, the green kind. Light and tangy, this shredded green cabbage salad tossed with lemon, garlic, olive oil and salt is heavenly with fish or Mediterranean beef dishes.
5. Apple Bok Choy Salad
Bok choy’s crisp stems and tender green leaves remind us of baby spinach or Swiss chard. For this sweet and filling salad chock full of vitamins you’ll need apples, carrots, raisins, unsweetened soy or almond milk, raw cashew butter, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard.
6. Savoy Cabbage Shrimp Salad
Savoy cabbage has deep green and crinkled leaves that are mild and tender tasting. What makes this light, seafood salad so special is the way the olive oil, sesame oil, celery, scallions and jalapeño add an incredibly rich and satisfying flavor to it. Add some black sesame seeds!
7. Sweet Sesame Lime Cabbage Salad
What gives this Asian- inspired salad its punch is the sesame oil. You’ll need cabbage, carrots, cilantro, red onion, raw honey, raw cider, ginger, and fresh limejuice. Make a big batch and let it sit in your fridge for a day or two and you’ll see that the lettuce is still crisp and oh so tasty.
8. Asian Style Slaw
Slaw is great for entertaining outdoors since it won’t wilt. Grab some pre-shredded coleslaw (or mix your own red and green shredded cabbage) and create this Asian dressing with lemon juice, soy sauce, white vinegar, sesame seeds, brown sugar, ginger, red onions and scallions tonight!
9. Red Cabbage Salad with Blue Cheese & Maple-Glazed Walnuts
Do you add cheese to just about anything? Well, Blue cheese and red cabbage are heaven together! This scrumptious salad requires red wine vinegar, olive oil, butter, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and walnuts. The perfect accompaniment to roast pork or chicken dishes.
10. Ramen Cabbage Salad
For this noodle-licious salad, just toast sesame seeds and almonds on a cookie sheet in the oven, then combine the white vinegar, vegetable oil dressing with sugar and add the green onions and crushed ramen noodles last over the shredded cabbage. Your family will demand more!
Photos 2 & 8 courtesy of Food Network.com
