Easy Steamed Cabbage

This steamed cabbage recipe is surprisingly delicious! This simple side dish is easy to make and versatile for serving with many meals.

Cabbage isn’t the most glamorous of all vegetables, and steaming isn’t the most sophisticated cooking technique on the block. But when you combine them for Steamed Cabbage, you get a surprisingly delicious side dish! The buttery, crunchy texture is pleasantly salty with an almost sweet undertone. Though this veggie is underrated, we’re big fans of it over here. Here we’ll show you how to make steamed cabbage that everyone will love.

The type of cabbage to use

The best type of cabbage to use for steamed cabbage? A large head of green cabbage. This method works with red cabbage too, but we prefer it with the sweeter flavor of the green variety. Save other types of cabbage like Savoy and Napa cabbage for eating raw in salads (like this one).

How to shred cabbage

The only part of steamed cabbage that takes any technique? Shredding the cabbage! A large head of cabbage can be tricky to wrangle into submission. But we’ve got a trick that makes quick work of it. Here’s how to cut cabbage:

1. Slice off the root: Remove any outer layers of the cabbage that seem tough or are not fresh, and discard them. With a large chef’s knife, slice off the root of the cabbage.
2. Quarter it: Slice the cabbage in half through the stem. Then cut it into quarters.
3. Slice out the root: Remove the root by cutting it out with two diagonal slices.
4. Slice crosswise: Thinly slice the cabbage in the short direction, using a circular motion with the knife. Once you’ve made it through the entire head, you’re ready for steaming.

Tips for how to make steamed cabbage

Steamed cabbage is quick and simple to whip up! You’ll need a large pot and a steamer basket. Here’s what to do:

• Shred the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. 
• Place 1 inch of water in a large pot with a steamer basket. Add the cabbage and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, cover and steam for 7 to 10 minutes until tender.
• Place the cabbage in a large bowl and allow it to cool for 2 minutes to allow the steam to dissipate. 
• Mix the cabbage with the butter, kosher salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper.

Ways to serve it

Believe it or not, steamed cabbage is extremely versatile as a side dish! You might expect to see it as a side for sausage or roast, similar to sauerkraut. But there are many other options. Here are a few ways to serve steamed cabbage:

• Fish: Try it with Blackened Salmon, Blackened Tilapia, Baked Trout or Pistachio Crusted Salmon
• Shellfish: Add it to BBQ Shrimp or Marinated Shrimp
• Tofu: Add as a side for BBQ Tofu or Baked Tofu

More cabbage recipes

There are lots of other ways to prepare cabbage: in fact, we love it both sauteed and boiled. And of course, who can resist sauerkraut? Here are a few cabbage recipes to try:

• Go for Perfect Sauteed Cabbage
• Try Perfect Boiled Cabbage
• Mix up an Easy Cabbage Salad or Best Coleslaw Recipe
• Grab Grilled Cabbage Wedges
• Learn How to Make Sauerkraut

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Perfect Sauteed Cabbage

02

Perfect Boiled Cabbage

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Easy Cabbage Salad

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How to Make Sauerkraut

This steamed cabbage recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, substitute olive oil for butter.

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