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Cabbage might be a humble ingredient, but it is incredibly versatile and used in all sorts of different traditional cuisines. But it is important to know that not all cabbage is created equal! There are hundreds of different types of cabbage, and it can be hard to sort out which variety to use when.
Next time you’re at the farmers market, you’ll know the best way to treat each of these different cabbages.
Golden Acre Cabbage
Golden Acre cabbage is a common type of white cabbage. The leaves are smooth and have almost a leathery texture. When shopping at the farmers market, look for heads with leaves that are tightly packed together and feel heavy. These heads can last for up to two weeks in the refrigerator if left unwashed.
Alison Roman’s Dilly Bean Stew is an excellent example of how cabbage and a few other humble ingredients can come together and make for an amazing meal.
Because Golden Acre cabbage is a more tender type of cabbage, it would be a great choice for Sara Tane’s Caramelized Cabbage Butter Pasta, as it will melt right into the “sauce.”
Red Acre Cabbage
Red Acre cabbage is a common variety of hard red cabbage. Red cabbage gets its color from anthocyanins, which can act as a pH indicator; cabbage grown in a more acidic soil is more red and pink, whereas a basic soil results in a more bluish purple cabbage. In addition to causing red cabbage’s beautiful color, anthocyanin is an antioxidant, so it is healthy as well.
Red Acre Cabbage is incredibly tender when cooked. Try roasting large rounds of this cabbage to make Olive Magazine’s Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Hazelnut Dressing. Omit the maple syrup and this would be a great Whole30 side dish.
I make no secret about how much I love sour foods, and sauerkraut is a condiment (or side dish, really), that I love. Gina from Running to the Kitchen has an excellent beginners guide on how to make sauerkraut.
Savoy Cabbage
Savoy cabbage is characterized by its large, highly textured leaves that are loosely packed together to form a head. This cabbage has a very similar flavor to the standard hard, green cabbage, but it is not as crunchy in texture. It will last for about a week in the refrigerator if stored dry (unwashed) because the leaves are not as tightly packed as hard cabbage varieties.
Savoy cabbage variety is likely the most versatile of all; it can be eaten raw, roasted, braised, stuffed, steamed, and stir fried. Savoy can likely be substituted in just about any recipe calling for cabbage.
Savoy cabbage’s thin central rib makes it an excellent choice for stuffed cabbage rolls. A Family Feast has a great Whole30 recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls.
Olivia Mack McCool’s Chou Farci (stuffed cabbage) is visually stunning when made with Savoy cabbage leaves.
January King Cabbage
January King cabbage is a savoy hybrid with leaves that vary in color from jade green to a deep purple. It has a similar flavor to Savoy and a texture somewhere between Savoy and hard green cabbage. Its leaves are packed a little more tightly than the average Savoy cabbage, so it will store longer when dry in the refrigerator.
St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, and it’s the perfect occasion for Irish colcannon. January King cabbage can be used in place of the Savoy cabbage in Bon Appetit’s recipe.
Another classic Irish recipe is Corned Beef and Cabbage. Here’s an easy recipe from The Wooden Skillet.
Napa Cabbage
When I was a kid, I thought napa cabbage was named after Napa, California. In my head, it kinda made sense because Napa is somewhat agricultural (more famous for its wine, of course, but other stuff grows there too). In reality, however, the name for this cabbage originates from colloquial Japanese, where nappa is a term used for large leafed vegetables. In Chinese, the name for this vegetable literally translates to “large white vegetable.” If you’re curious as to the origin of Napa county’s name, the most likely explanation is that it is a Patwin word meaning “house.”
Napa cabbage leaves have a large central rib surrounded by thin, ruffled greens. The leaves are not as tightly packed as the headed varieties (like the Golden Acre I talked about earlier), so it won’t last as long in the refrigerator; it is important to store napa cabbage unwashed so that it stays as dry as possible while being stored. It has a very mild flavor with a juicy crunch.
Use shredded napa cabbage in place of the kohlrabi in my Crispy Kohlrabi Hash Browns, since both kohlrabi and cabbage are varietals of brassicas. The cabbage can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio for the kohlrabi.
Napa cabbage is a key ingredient in kimchi. I Heart Umami has a great guide on how to make Whole30 compliant kimchi at home.
Red Napa Cabbage
This might be the prettiest type of cabbage out there! Red napa cabbage tends to be even more mild than its green counterpart, and has a more pronounced sweetness. I prefer using it in raw applications so that the color can remain unchanged.
Similar to the more common green napa cabbage, this red varietal has loosely packed leaves, so it won’t last too long in the refrigerator. Be sure to store it unwashed so that the leaves remain as dry as possible.
This red variety of napa cabbage would be an excellent choice for use in The Crooked Carrot’s Thai Larb Bowls. Napa cabbage leaves are more tender than the standard headed varieties, so they are an excellent choice in raw applications.
Red napa cabbage would make a picture-perfect version of Spicy Mango Cabbage Slaw by Nom Nom Paleo.
Traditional Bok Choy
I’ll bet you didn’t know bok choy is actually a type of cabbage! While it might taste more like some other dark leafy greens, bok choy is a part of the brassica family. Traditional bok choy has large, stark white stems with dark green leaves. It has a slightly mineral flavor to it, and it holds up well in high heat applications, like stir fries.
If you can find the baby version of traditional bok choy, try Jean Choi’s Sheet Pan Salmon and Bok Choy. Traditional bok choy can handle the high roasting temperatures without developing an undesirable texture.
Shanghai Bok Choy
This vegetable is probably what you think of when you hear “bok choy,” and is much more commonly sold in the US than traditional bok choy. An easy way to tell the difference between the Shanghai and traditional versions is that Shanghai bok choy has light green, spoon-shaped stems, whereas traditional bok choy has white stems with dark green, ruffled leaves.
Shanghai bok choy is milder in flavor, but can be slimy if overcooked. Due to these properties, I recommend using Shanghai bok choy in gentler cooking applications, and saving the hot and fast stir fries for traditional bok choy.
Wonton soup has always been a favorite of mine when getting Chinese take out. Use baby Shanghai bok choy in this Whole30 compliant recipe from Feasting at Home.
Braised Baby Bok Choy from Serious Eats is a perfect example of an “ugly delicious” dish. Slowly cooking the Shanghai bok choy in a braising liquid will tenderize the greens into a melt-in-your-mouth vegetable side dish.
