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Cruciferous vegetables are a family of healthy veggies that includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale. Here are recipes for how to eat more of them!
Looking to eat more cruciferous vegetables? These healthy veggies are part of a plant family that includes heavy hitters like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale. They’ve gained popularity recently because of their potential cancer-fighting properties. Chock full of nutrients, the best part is: they’re totally delicious! Here’s a bit of info on cruciferous vegetables and all the recipes you need to make them part of your diet.
Looking for more about veggies? Here are the 20 Best Vegetables to Eat Today.
Cruciferous vegetables list
What are cruciferous vegetables? The name of this plant family is really Brassicaceae, so you may also hear them referred to as brassicas. The nickname crucifer comes from the Latin word for “cross-bearing”, because the plants have flowers with four petals that look like a cross. What are the veggies in this family? Here’s a list of cruciferous vegetables (click here or scroll down for recipes!):
- Arugula
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Collard greens
- Daikon
- Horseradish
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Mustard seeds and greens
- Radish
- Rutabaga
- Turnip
- Watercress
Cruciferous vegetables nutrition
Before we get to all the recipes: why eat more cruciferous vegetables? Here are a few things about these tasty veggies that make them especially nutritious:
- High in fiber (important for weight loss because it keeps you fuller longer)
- High in vitamins C, E, A and K
- Low in calories
- Contain phytonutrients and glucosinolates, which may have anti-cancer effects (but are still unproven — Source)
And now…the best recipes for eating cruciferous vegetables!
How to cook it: Cabbage is perfect raw in salads and coleslaw, and sauteed as a side dish or in stir fries. Look for different types outside of red and green: Napa cabbage has a fluffy texture and mild flavor.
How to cut it: How to Cut Cabbage
Best ways to eat cabbage
Cruciferous Coleslaw
How to Make Sauerkraut
Peanut Noodles with Napa Cabbage
Sauteed Red Cabbage
Savoy Cabbage Salad
How to cook it: Cauliflower is the cruciferous vegetable of the moment, and for good reason! It's super versatile: try it in soups, as a side dish, in tacos, grilled, roasted, or in sandwiches. When it's blended, it makes lovely sauces like creamy cauliflower sauce or vegan alfredo.
How to cut it: How to Cut Cauliflower
Best ways to eat cauliflower
Perfect Roasted Cauliflower
Lemon Herb Steamed Cauliflower
Cauliflower Tacos with Yum Yum Sauce
BBQ Grilled Cauliflower
Crispy Breaded Cauliflower
Golden Cauliflower Soup
Buffalo Cauliflower (or Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich)
Creamy Cavatappi with Cauliflower Sauce
How to cook it: Broccoli has a great texture that's perfect as steamed as a side dish, sauteed in grain bowls, in soups, or in casseroles.
Best ways to eat broccoli
Roasted Broccoli (Best Ever!)
Ways to Cook Broccoli (Sauteed, Steamed, Instant Pot, Frozen, and Boiled)
Perfect Roasted Broccolini
Broccoli Stir Fry
Cheesy Broccoli Casserole (or Wild Rice Casserole)
Yellow Rice Bowls with Broccoli
Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
How to cook it: Leafy green kale is totally versatile! Eat it raw by marinating it with vinaigrette or massaging it for a salad. Or throw handfuls into soups and stews. Baby kale also works as salad greens.
How to cut it: How to Cut Kale
Best ways to eat kale
Best Ever Sauteed Kale
Roasted Kale
The BEST Kale Salad
Tuscan Lentil Stew with Kale
Baked Kale Chips
Kale Caesar Salad
How to cook it: The best way to cook Brussels sprouts? Roast them until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Or, try them raw shaved into thin slices: they have a mild flavor that's perfect for salads.
How to cut it: How to Shred Brussels Sprouts
Best ways to eat Brussels sprouts
Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels Sprouts (or Instant Pot)
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate
Farro & Brussels Sprouts Soup
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Tahini Dressing
Brussels Sprout & Sweet Potato Salad
How to cook it: Arugula is great raw in salads: look for baby arugula, which has a more mild flavor. You can also use it similarly to kale: wilt it into soups and pastas. It's also great mixed with a little olive oil and salt as a topping for pizza.
Best ways to eat arugula
Easy Arugula Salad
Lemon Arugula Rigatoni Pasta
Burrata Salad with Arugula and Tomatoes
Lentil Salad with Arugula
Healthy Pizza with Arugula
How to cook it: Radishes are usually eaten raw, and there are many uses for them! The French eat them with butter and salt! Thinly slice them and eat them on toast, make them into salsa, or throw them into all sorts of salads. Or course, they're great on a veggie tray too!
Best ways to eat radishes
Radish Chopped Salad
Quick Pickled Radishes
Roasted Radishes
Radish Toasts
Radishes with Butter and Salt
Veggie tray with Ranch Dip or Healthy Ranch Dressing
How to cook it: Bok choy is well suited for stir fries and fried rice: it's often used in Asian cuisine. It also works as an easy side dish. Also look for baby bok choy, which is smaller with a milder flavor.
Best ways to eat bok choy
Vegan Mushroom Ramen
Easy Vegetable Fried Rice
Easy Vegetarian Ramen
Garlicky Bok Choy
How to cook it: Kohlrabi has a mild, lightly sweet flavor that tastes almost like eating a broccoli stem. It's great eaten raw as "kohlrabi sticks" with a dip, or sliced in salads. It also works shredded and fried into kohlrabi fritters!
Best ways to eat kohlrabi
Kohlrabi Carrot Fritters with Avocado Cream Sauce
Creamy Beet Hummus or Classic Hummus with Kohlrabi Sticks
Kale, Beet & Kohlrabi Salad
How to cook it: Horseradish is extremely spicy, and is used in small quantities to flavor sauces and dressings. It often comes in a jar, but you can buy a fresh horseradish root and shave it. Use it more as a flavoring than eating a big quantity of cruciferous vegetables!
Best ways to eat horseradish
Shrimp Cocktail
Bloody Mary
Kale Caesar Salad
More resources for eating veggies
We love to help you eat more veggies! Here are some resources you might enjoy:
- Plant Based Diet for Beginners Want to eat more plant based diet meals? Here’s everything you need to know, including plant based protein ideas and recipes for every meal of the day!
- Whole Food Plant Based Diet Guide A whole food plant based (WFPB) diet includes lots of vegetables and non-processed foods. Here are all the recipes you need!
- 28 Day Meal Plans: These meal plans show you how to eat more vegetables on a regular basis. Choose from: Plant Based Diet Meal Plan, Vegan Meal Plan, & Vegetarian Meal Plan.
Cruciferous Coleslaw
This easy coleslaw is a great way to eat cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and Brussels sprouts! It’s totally irresistible.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 head green cabbage, enough for 4 cups shredded*
- 1/2 head red cabbage, enough for 4 cups shredded
- 8 Brussels sprouts (optional)
- 1 carrot, enough for 1 cup shredded
- ½ cup mayonnaise (or vegan mayo)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Shred the cabbage. If using, shred the Brussels sprouts.
- Shred the carrot, using a grater or a handheld julienne shredder.
- Make the coleslaw dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dill, chili powder, and salt. Keep whisking after the mayo gets lumpy, until the mixture comes to a creamy consistency.
- Mix the cabbage, carrots and coleslaw dressing together and serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving. (The coleslaw is best fresh, but can be stored refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
