It’s cabbage season! Are you excited? Because we sure are. Woohoo! … Alright, we’ll admit that cabbage certainly isn’t the reigning champ of fall produce that pumpkin is. In fact, it often seems like cabbage gets pushed to the sidelines while other veggies hog the spotlight. Sauerkraut and slaws are awesome, but there is way more to cabbage than just those things — and we should be eating more of it. Because not only is cabbage delicious, it’s good for you! Cabbage is full of nutrients, like potassium, vitamin B6, folate, riboflavin, and more. It is also a staple in many global cuisines.
So, let’s get cooking! From sandwiches to stuffed cabbage, we’ve got 15 recipes for you to try that’ll make cabbage a staple in your household this fall.
1. Braised Red Cabbage With Apples and Pecans
Fall is a time when even the side dishes are rich and comforting, like this Braised Red Cabbage With Apples and Pecans. In this dish, red cabbage is cooked in apple cider and balsamic vinegar, and red wine with a touch of coconut sugar for added sweetness. Those notes of sweetness are rounded out by tart Granny Smith apples and toasted pecans for savoriness and crunch. This would be amazing served with a hearty veggie roast.
2. Golabki: Polish Stuffed Cabbage
Not only can you make all kinds of salads with cabbage, you can stuff it, too, like in these Golabki. This traditional Polish dish is made by stuffing minced pork or beef into a boiled cabbage leaf, baking it in a casserole dish, and then covering it with creamy tomato sauce. This meat-free version is stuffed with vegan beef crumbles and is paired with a delicious cashew tomato cream sauce, so it has all the flavors you love!
3. Cheesy Savoy Cabbage Chips
These garlicky Cheesy Savoy Cabbage Chipsare a great budget-friendly alternative for kale chips. They’re the loveliest crispy, savory, delicious, and very healthy snack. Also quick and easy to make, perfect for movie nights or as an afternoon pick-me-up. Forget plain and boring veggie chips, these leaves here are covered with a thick and filling cheesy cashew layer. So satisfying!
4. Crunchy Salad With Sweet Potato Salsa and Creamy Turmeric Dressing
This vibrant Crunchy Salad With Sweet Potato Salsa includes three recipes that work together in perfect harmony — a crunchy slaw, a salsa, and a creamy dressing. The slaw is made from fresh carrots, red cabbage, snap peas, dried sliced figs, and fresh orange juice. It’s mixed with a roasted sweet potato salsa and a drizzle of a creamy turmeric dressing. Enjoy this crunchy and nutritious slaw for lunch!
5. Polish Cabbage and Potatoes
This Polish Cabbage and Potatoes is simple and delicious! Seasoned generously with coconut oil, fresh dill, pepper, and thyme, this dish is a breeze to make but packs a tremendous amount of flavor. To balance out the warm flavors of the potatoes and cabbage, we suggest pairing this Polish dish with some fresh shredded vegetables like carrots or beets!
6. How to Make Your Own Kimchi
Kimchi, the national dish of Korea, is a spicy pickled cabbage that adds a tangy, robust punch of flavor to any dish, While kimchi sometimes contains shrimp paste or fish sauce, the kimchi in this recipe is completely vegan and because tamarind is used instead of soy sauce to recreate the saltiness, it is gluten-free too! Add this kimchi to any dish you feel could use a burst of umami. Yum!
7. Vegetables Manchurian
Vegetables Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish made from vegetable meatballs dipped in cornflour and then deep-fried and served in gravy. In this recipe, they are made from a combination of cabbage, carrots, and green beans, then fried, rather than deep-fried with a thick, flavorful gravy spiced with ginger, garlic, and chilis. Serve this favorite dish with a side of fried rice.
8. Roasted Purple Cabbage With Green Goddess Dressing
Who knew cabbage with a drizzle of dressing could be so flavorful and elegant? In this Roasted Purple Cabbage With Green Goddess Dressing, purple cabbage is roasted gently in the oven, dressed with a refreshing mixture of tahini and basil, and then topped with crunchy, smoky hazelnuts. This dish is delightfully textured, vibrant, and best of all, good for you!
9. 10-Minute Veggie Stir-Fry
This quick and easy 10-Minute Veggie Stir-Fry is the best side to make when you want a vegetable dish that’s big on vegetables without the wait time. The mushrooms are meaty and savory, the cabbage retains just the right amount of crunch. Serve this over grains with a drizzle of your favorite sauce for a meal with more substance, and then roll up any leftovers in a wrap for lunch the next day.
10. Spicy Cabbage Hotpot
Composed of cabbage, carrots, onion, and navy beans, this Spicy Cabbage Hotpot is a medley of delicious flavors! It is fragrant and lightly spiced with caraway, fennel, mustard seeds, cumin, and smoked paprika. Serve on a bed of garlicky mashed potatoes.
11. Red Cabbage and Zucchini Chana Dal
Need a quick, easy whole foods-based dish that’s delicious and packed with protein? Try this Red Cabbage and Zucchini Chana Dal. It’s spicy and hot, with complex layers of flavors from spice blends, dry chilis, and fresh herbs. This dish uses chana dal, dried brown chickpeas that have been split. They’re similar to lentils in taste, but when cooked, they always retain their shape rather than becoming mushy. Serve it with rice or your favorite flatbread.
12. Homemade Sauerkraut
Adding fermented foods like sauerkraut into your diet is an easy way to improve digestion. This Homemade Sauerkraut is super easy to make, and after the initial preparation of the cabbage, it simply needs to be left alone to ferment and acquire flavor. Use this sauerkraut in your favorite vegan Reuben, a veggie hot dog, or in a sauerkraut slaw.
13. Mayim Bialik’s Reuben Sandwich
It can be hard to give up your favorite sandwich when you decide to eat more plant-based foods … That is, until you learn that you can make everything you’ve ever dreamed of, like this Reuben Sandwich! It recreatesthe flavor of a classic deli reuben with ingredients and spices that mimic the original to a T. It’s packed with veggie bacon, sauerkraut, and deliciously spiced onions. Grilling the rye bread makes all the difference, so don’t skip that step!
14. Sweet Potato and Cabbage Dogs
Believe it or not, two unlikely veggies (along with some spices) give a wonderful texture and flavor to the best veggie dogs you’ll ever make: these Sweet Potato and Cabbage Dogs. A crispy outer layer and a softness inside served on a toasted bun with ketchup, mustard, and sliced vegetables or relish, like a classic hot dog. The best part is that these homemade veggie dogs are the easiest thing to make ever and they taste awesome.
15. Kale, Purple Cabbage, and Carrot Slaw With Tangy Shallot Vinaigrette
This super nutrient-dense Kale, Purple Cabbage, and Carrot Slaw is full of vibrant colors and textures! Earthy raw vegetables are softened by a tangy, light, and zesty shallow vinaigrette. Add this slaw to any dish! Whether you eat it as a side or use it as a burger topping, you can’t go wrong.
Bet you thought you could never make veggie meatballs or dogs with cabbage. There’s more to this veggie than meets the eye!
Lead image source: Roasted Purple Cabbage With Green Goddess Dressing
