Quick Pickled Red Cabbage is a fantastic condiment and it's so easy to make. It's so good you'll want to put your pickled cabbage on all your favorite dishes!
This post was originally published on June 1, 2016 and has been updated to include better photos and more information.
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About Red Cabbage
Red Cabbage, is really purple (in colour) cabbage. The cabbage is purple when raw, but it turns red in the pickling brine.
Purple cabbage is a PH indicator. It turns red in acidic conditions as with the vinegar in this recipe. And it stays purple in neutral conditions and green or yellow in alkaline conditions. Check it out here on ThoughtCo.
What Are Quick Process Pickles?
Quick pickles are also called refrigerator pickles. The vegetables are pickled in vinegar, salt and/or sugar, water and various spices, like the caraway seed in this quick pickled cabbage recipe.
The "quick" part of quick pickling is that there is no canning involved. They are simply refrigerated. This pickling process is perfect when you only need or want a jar or two.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick pickled cabbage is super easy to make.
- The pickled shredded, cabbage retains a nice crunch, and has a delicious sweet and sour flavor.
- It also adds a beautiful pop of color and tangy flavor to salads, burgers, hot dogs, tacos or just about anything.
- This easy pickled red cabbage is a versatile recipe! You can easily change the ingredients to suit your flavor cravings. (see suggestions later in this post)
- Pickled red cabbage is a delicious side dish for tempering the heat of spicy foods, like this Blackened Cod and brightening up rich dishes like these Air Fryer Country Style Ribs.
- This is a budget-friendly recipe because cabbage is cheap!
Here's What You Need
- Red Cabbage Use a small head of red cabbage or half of a large one. You can shred the cabbage using a mandolin, food processor, or with a sharp knife and a cutting board.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Water
- Sugar
- Salt
- Caraway Seed
How To Quick Pickle Cabbage
It's so easy, just a few simple steps! (full recipe & instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post).
- Shred the cabbage and place it in a heat proof bowl.
- In a saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and caraway seeds. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the cabbage and stir.
- Cover, and let it sit for one hour.
Finally, allow the cabbage pickle to cool completely before transferring to one or more glass jars with lids. Store in the fridge.
Variations & Notes
This recipe is a German quick pickled red cabbage, but you can try any of these combos too.
- Japanese pickled red cabbage Omit the caraway seed. Swap the vinegar for rice vinegar, add soy sauce and ginger slices.
- Mediterranean pickled red cabbage Omit the caraway seed. Swap the vinegar for red wine vinegar. Add bay leaves, peeled garlic clove, and a sprig of rosemary.
- Mexican pickled red cabbage Replace the caraway seed with red pepper flakes or sliced jalapeno pepper. Add a couple of tablespoons of lime juice and some black peppercorns.
- Indian pickled red cabbage Use white vinegar and replace the caraway with coriander seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Add thinly sliced red onions to any of the variations.
- Store pickled cabbage in a mason jar or glass container with a lid.
- Keep purple cabbage pickle for up to a month in the fridge.
- When you fill the jar, pack the cabbage in first and then pour in the brine.
- Make sure the cabbage is submerged in the pickling liquid.
- Allow the cabbage to sit in the fridge for a day or two so that the flavor develops before using.
Frequently Asked
Red cabbage is very nutritious. It's rich in antioxidants, high in fibre, and low in calories. It's also high in vitamins, especially Vitamin K (1 cup of red cabbage provides 85% of the daily value).
No sauerkraut is fermented, usually green cabbage. Quick pickles are not fermented.
Pickled cabbage will keep, covered and refrigerated for up to a month. Just be sure to have all of the cabbage submerged in the pickling solution.
Serving Suggestions
This crunchy condiment is a perfect topping for shrimp or fish tacos, rice bowls, lettuce wraps, or burrito bowls. Use it to add a tangy crunch to salads, burgers, hot dogs, pizza or just about anything.
And if you have leftover cabbage, you can make Red Cabbage Soup, Braised Red Cabbage with Apples, or Cabbage Slaw.
Recipe
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Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- ½ large head purple or red cabbage shredded or thinly sliced
- 2 cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 3 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon caraway seeds
Instructions
- Put shredded cabbage into a large bowl.
- Put remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour over cabbage, stir, and cover.
- Allow the cabbage to stand for about an hour.
- Transfer the cabbage into glass jars along with the liquid, attach lids, and refrigerate for up to a month.
Devan
I LOVE pickled cabbage and your recipe is making me hungry! Love how you added caraway seeds to this recipe and I'll have to try this out.
Silvia
Love it! The caraway seeds give a great flavor to the cabbage. The acidity is perfect. I served it on tacos and they were the amazing!
Colleen
My favorite way to enjoy this pickled cabbage is on tacos, too. Thanks so much for your comment, Silvia!
Emily Flint
I love pickled cabbage! I had no idea it was so easy to make. Thanks for this easy recipe.
Colleen
You're welcome Emily!
Beth
What a beautiful recipe! Love the color and how easy this is to make! I'm excited to try your Mexican pickled red cabbage next!
Colleen
Hi Beth, You'll love the Mexican pickled cabbage, too!
Rachel
Never realized how easy it was to pickle cabbage! Love how much flavor it adds!
Colleen
So glad you love it, Rachel!
Keri
I love to make pickles, so this recipe was perfect. Absolutely delicious addition to salads!
Colleen
Hi Keri, So happy the pickled cabbage turned out well!
Nathan
I love how easy this recipe is, and you don't have to wait long for results either! Will definitely be using this anytime I need some quick pickled cabbage.
Colleen
Enjoy, Nathan!
Mary Kay
Would it be just as good if you replaced the sugar with another kind of sweetener? My husband is diabetic. If not Splenda, maybe honey or minced dates?
Colleen
Hi Mary Kay, I personally haven't tried to make these without sugar. Because this is kept in the fridge, it wouldn't hurt to give it a try though. I would love to hear how it turns out!
Margaret@Kitchen Frau
What a fantastic condiment to have on hand for summer! I can see it topping so many different dishes, especially the burgers and tacos you mention. Thanks for the handy recipe.
Colleen
Thanks Margaret! This really is a fantastic condiment that compliments almost anything. We love it and hope you do, too!
Jackie Runyan
a serving size of 2 g.? 2 grams is about 1/2 teaspoon. Did you mean 2 ounces?
Jackie Runyan
Colleen
Hi Jackie, Thank you for contacting me about this. My nutrition calculator has a problem with things that are condiments. I have just changed the serving size to be 1 side serving of 6 servings. Although it was intended to be 2 tbsp, because that's what you would normally put on a burger or taco, etc. I'm sorry if this caused any confusion, and I really appreciate your helpful feedback, thanks again!
Brittany at I Love Vegan
Okay, this seems too easy! The cabbage is so beautiful, I need to make some to make some pretty summer sandwiches. Thanks for the recipe!
admin
Hi Brittany! Yes, it is so easy 🙂
Markus Mueller
The color is just awesome in this cabbage! I may use this in an upcoming recipe for which I need pickled cabbage!!
admin
Thanks, Markus, glad I could help 🙂
MDIVADOMESTICA
I think there is room in the fridge for one more condiment! If not I will make room for this. Thanks for sharing!
admin
It's amazing how we can always make room for more, isn't it? 🙂
admin
Thanks, Dina! Enjoy! i make tacos often, too, and this recipe was inspired by tacos! I love them ♥
Dina
Colleen, great recipe, thank you for sharing. It will go great with tacos (I make them often) and great with a lot of the vegetarian foods that we eat. Love the colour too and interesting to read the explanation of the colour changes.