How to Cut and Shred Cabbage

Learning how to cut and shred cabbage is a critical skill that any home cook looking to step away from pre-packaged produce should know. In less than 5 minutes, you can have your cabbage washed, prepped, sliced, and ready to add a healthy crunch to your favorite recipes. From tacos, to stir fry, to homemade coleslaw, this versatile vegetable is definitely one to keep in your corner!

We’ve all been there. Standing in the produce section, staring down at a tiny bag of prepared coleslaw mix and despairing at how yellowed and limp the expensive premade stuff looks, compared to the gorgeous green of the fresh vegetables only a few steps away. 

But it’s so convenient! You rationalize to yourself. It’ll save so much time, surely it isn’t THAT bad!

Thankfully, it turns out that cutting and shredding cabbage yourself is a whole lot easier – and faster! – than most people think. No summer picnic is ever complete without a big bowl of Southern Coleslaw, but the many uses for cabbage prepared by hand extend far beyond your Aunt Patty’s 4th of July party.

From serving it raw in Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls or Thai Zucchini Noodle Salad, to cooking it in your favorite Egg Roll in a Bowl or Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, the uses for this cheap and versatile vegetable far outweigh its bad reputation.

How to Pick Cabbage

Understanding the differences between the main types of cabbage is critical to choosing the right kind for your dish. Worldwide, there are about 400 different varieties, with these being the most popular in the United States:

• Green (Cannonball) Cabbage is the most common type found in stores – it boasts a light, peppery flavor when eaten raw, and mellows out further when cooked into a dish. It’s extremely versatile, working well in everything from coleslaw, to soups and stir-fries, to grilling and braising.
• Red Cabbage, aside from its distinctive red hue, is nearly identical in flavor and use to green cabbage. The color of the cabbage may seep out or change when cooked, however, affecting the final look of the dish.
• Savoy Cabbage has the same round shape as green and red cabbage, but boasts much more leafy greens that aren’t quite as crisp as other varieties. For this reason, it’s recommended that savoy cabbage be used for dishes where it will be cooked.
• Napa Cabbage, or Chinese Cabbage, has a distinct oblong appearance similar to a head of romaine lettuce. The mild, sweet flavor and tender leaves of Napa cabbage make it an excellent choice for raw or cooked dishes, as well.
• Bok Choy is another variety of long, octagonal Chinese cabbage with a crisp texture and mild, almost mustard green-esque flavor. Very popular in Chinese cooking, it’s also highly recommended for dishes where it will be cooked. 
• Brussels Sprouts are actually a miniature form of cabbage, as well, and are packed with loads of nutrients. While some recipes call for raw brussels sprouts, it’s usually recommended to cook them, on account of their bitter flavor and potential digestive issues.

For most dishes involving cabbage, the green or red variety will most likely be used.

Cabbages of any variety should have a firm, tight head and a hefty weight for its size, to guarantee freshness. Softness, brown spots, or any other discoloration are indications that the cabbage is already starting to spoil.

How to Cut and Shred Cabbage

Despite its many layers of tightly packed leaves, the process of preparing cabbage is incredibly easy, requiring only basic knife skills. These are the steps to follow to cut and shred cabbage:

Remove Outer Leaves and Wash

Any soft, discolored, or otherwise damaged leaves should be removed from the outside of the cabbage. Generally, to ensure freshness, it is recommended to remove the tougher outermost layer regardless. 

Before use, the cabbage should then be washed with cool water and patted dry. This removes any lingering dirt, bugs, or pesticides from the surface of the vegetable, prior to cutting.

Cut into Wedges

Place the cabbage stem-side down on a cutting board, and cut it in half lengthwise, top to bottom. Put each half of the cabbage cut side down and cut in half lengthwise once more, going through the stem.

At this stage, if the cabbage is to be braised, roasted, or grilled, the quarter wedges can be left with their cores and stems attached. This helps to hold the leaves together, as they will soften up during the cooking process. 

Remove Stem and Core

If using the cabbage raw, locate the stem at the center of each wedge, and cut it at a slight angle to remove it and the core section at once. This trims away all the lower-center portions of the cabbage, which tend to be tougher, and leaves behind nothing but the crisp, tender outer leaves.

Repeat this step with the remaining wedges. 

Thinly Slice Cabbage

Place the trimmed quarters flat side down on the cutting board, and slice each wedge into thin strips, lengthwise. The slices should come out between ¼- and ⅛-inch thickness, according to preference. 

The slices can then be cut perpendicular, or width-wise, to make for shorter pieces of cabbage, if desired.

One medium-sized head will yield roughly 8 cups of shredded cabbage.

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 longer-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.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Take a “grate” shortcut. While it doesn’t offer as much control as a knife, consider using a mandolin or the large holes of a box grater to get an extra fine, even shred on the cabbage.
• Stabilize the board. If the cutting board likes to slide around, dampen a dish towel or paper towel and place it between the board and countertop to hold it in place.
• Use a sharp knife. Using a sharp chef’s knife makes cooking and avoiding injury easier all around, but it’s especially important for leafy vegetables or herbs, which can bruise at the edges under the pressure of a dull knife.
• Cook seasonally. Cabbage is one of the few vegetables in season from late fall to early spring, so consider working it into your wintertime dishes when it’s at its best.
• Salt your slaw cabbage. Toss shredded cabbage with a tablespoon of salt in a colander, let sit for an hour or two, then rinse and dry completely to draw excess moisture out and make for a mellower, crisper slaw.

More Cabbage Recipes

One of the best things about this leafy green powerhouse is that it can be enjoyed either raw or cooked, in a wide variety of recipes:

• Enjoy cooked cabbage in its most natural state with Sautéed Cabbage or Roasted Cabbage Steaks.
• Experiment with raw shredded cabbage in Fish Taco Slaw and Homemade Southern Coleslaw.
• Make the most of cabbage’s place in Asian cuisine with Thai Zucchini Noodle Salad with Cabbage, Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls, and Egg Roll in a Bowl.
• Or play around with how different preparations and flavors can interact with cabbage, in dishes like Stuffed Cabbage Rolls and Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon.