There are over 400 different types of cabbage, but only a handful of these find their way into our local grocery store. This article covers the five most common types of cabbage with a description of each type and the best ways to prepare and serve each of them.
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Cabbage is one of those foods that you can do almost anything with. Its flavor is neutral enough to go with a wide variety of flavors and it lends itself to almost any food preparation method.
Use it raw to make crunchy salads and slaws. Shred it using a chef's knife or a grater and sauté or stir-fry it for both main and side dishes. Or ferment it in its own juices or in a spicy sauce for homemade sauerkraut or kimchi. There are few vegetables this versatile.
❤️ Why We Love Cabbage
- Easy meal prep. It's easy to prep. All you need is a sharp chef's knife or grater and a cutting board.
- Versatile. Use it raw or cooked. It's compatible with almost any preparation method including grilling and even shines with a simple drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Health benefits. It's a delicious low-carb dinner side dish that is low in calories. It's considered a superfood since it's also packed with nutrition benefits such as vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, and antioxidants.
- Budget-friendly. Cabbage is inexpensive and fits into almost any budget.
- Stores well. Kept in the refrigerator, this vegetable keeps for a very long time even when shredded.
👩🍳 What Is Cabbage?
Cabbage is one of the most common cruciferous plants we consume, along with broccoli and cauliflower. Other members of this family include kale, Brussels sprouts, chard, watercress, and the lesser known kohlrabi.
It grows above the ground, typically in the shape of a head and has been cultivated from a wild form in Europe since the Middle Ages. Napa cabbage, technically considered a cousin to head cabbages, and bok choy have been cultivated in China for over 1500 years. (No, Napa cabbage isn't from Napa, California.)
Cabbage comes in a variety of shades of green as well as white, red, and purple and the leaves can be wrinkled, frilly, or smooth.
Although there are literally hundreds of types of cabbage grown around the world, the five major types we see in grocery stores in The United States are green cabbage, red or purple cabbage, savoy cabbage, napa cabbage, and bok choy. Each of them has its own texture and subtle flavor.
🛒 How to Select The Best Cabbage
Peak season for harvesting most types of cabbage is from November to April. Therefore, when shopping for either cabbage heads or leafy cabbage in the summer months, it's important to keep the following tips in mind.
- Always choose brightly colored cabbage.
- Look for cabbage heads in your market that are firm, compact, and heavy for their size. Compare the heads by lifting them.
- If the outer leaves on cabbage heads are slightly wilted or damaged, don't worry. Just remove the outer leaves and discard them. You will still have plenty of cabbage to use.
- For leafy cabbage such as Napa cabbage and bok choy, be sure the leaves aren't starting to separate from the stems. This is generally a sign of age.
- Avoid leafy cabbage that exhibits an abundance of damaged, wilted, or torn leaves.
🥬 Five Main Types of Cabbage
There are many different varieties of cabbage that are available around the world. The following are 5 common types of cabbage seen in the States.
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Green cabbage
Description:
Green cabbage, the most common cabbage variety in the States, is a type of head cabbage with leaves that fit tightly into a compact ball. The leaves are light green on the outer surface and become lighter in the inner layers.
It has a slight peppery flavor when eaten raw that disappears when cooked.
Its texture is crisp and crunchy.
Best preparation methods and uses:
- This type of cabbage works very well when shredded and eaten raw in coleslaws as well as in a wide variety of cooking methods.
- Its crunchy texture holds up well to sautéing and stir frying when shredded.
- Garlic rubbed cabbage wedges are a great choice for roasting, air frying, and grilling.
- Or boil the cabbage head and use entire leaves to make stuffed cabbage rolls.
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Red or Purple cabbage
Description:
Like green cabbage, red cabbage is a type of head cabbage with leaves that fit tightly into a compact ball. The crisp leaves are a purple-red color on the outer surface and all the way to its core.
Its flavor is sweeter than green cabbage.
The texture is crisp and crunchy, similar to green cabbage.
Best preparation methods and uses:
- Like green cabbage, this cabbage is a good choice for adding to raw coleslaws for extra color for side dishes, tacos, or tostadas. But be aware the the color leeches out noticeably when mixed in a mayonnaise cole slaw.
- Or braise shredded red cabbage with onion in butter, vinegar, and sugar for a traditional dish in northern France.
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Savoy cabbage
Description:
Savoy cabbage, originally grown in the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps, is a head cabbage with large, dark green leaves. The leaves are distinctively frilly with the outside edges flipping dramatically over itself. This frilly texture creates a much less compact cabbage head.
The flavor is slightly peppery and nutty in its raw form.
The texture is a little stretchy with some crispness making it a great candidate for cabbage rolls.
Best preparation methods and uses:
- Tear the raw leaves for raw salads or slice it up to add to soups.
- It can be used interchangeably with Napa cabbage in many sautéed, stir-fried, and braised cabbage recipes like in this sautéed dish.
- Boil the leaves for stuffed cabbage recipes in place of green cabbage.
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Napa cabbage
Description:
Napa cabbage, a type of Chinese cabbage, is a leafy green and looks very different from head cabbages, and although "cabbage" is part of its name, it is technically not considered a cabbage.
It has an oblong shape of tightly layered light green leaves, looking as if a head of green cabbage has been stretched out from its top. The leaves have an abundance of white veins, and spread out from wide, white stalks that connect at the base, similar to celery. The veins create a wrinkled appearance.
It has a mild and faintly sweet flavor.
Napa cabbage is more tender than green or red cabbage, but retains some crispness.
Best preparation methods and uses:
- This is a popular type of cabbage for Asian recipes since Napa cabbage originated in China and is a close relative of bok choy.
- Use this cabbage when preparing fermented recipes such as kimchi and homemade sauerkraut.
- It's also great in braised dishes, such as this French braised cabbage recipe.
- Or use it raw in salads and slaws.
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Bok Choy
Description:
Bok choy is a type of green leafy vegetable, and is a type of Chinese white cabbage popular in Asian cuisine. The plant has oblong, dark green, tender leaves that fan up from wide, white stalks.The stalks cluster together and connect at the base of the plant, resembling celery.
The leaves have a fresh, grassy, and mild peppery flavor when eaten raw.
The stalks have a crisp texture and the leaves are tender with a very slight crispness.
Best preparation methods and uses:
- Like Napa cabbage, this vegetable is very popular in Asian dishes.
- It's perfect raw in salads. The entire leaf and stalk are edible and delicious.
- Use it in quick sautés and stir fries.
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🤷♀️ FAQ
What's the best way to store cabbage?
Stored properly in the refrigerator, cabbage can last from 3 weeks to 2 months. Remove any damaged leaves, wrap in a damp paper towel, and tightly wrap in plastic or tuck into a zipped plastic bag. Do not wash the cabbage first.
Which is the healthiest cabbage to eat?
Cabbage provides a wide range of nutrients we need, including fiber and Vitamins C and K. But red cabbage may have the edge thanks to its higher levels of antioxidants. And when comparing Napa cabbage and bok choy, bok choy packs a stronger nutritional punch.
Are Brussels sprouts a type of cabbage?
Brussels sprouts look like small cabbage heads attached to a stalk, but they're not actually cabbages. However, they are in the same family, Brassica, along with kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and collard greens.
Author: Susan Pridmore
Owner, The Wimpy Vegetarian
Professional Recipe Developer
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