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This steamed cabbage recipe is surprisingly delicious, with an irresistible buttery, savory flavor! It’s a easy side dish that’s versatile for serving with many types of meals.
Cabbage isn’t the most glamorous of all vegetables, and steaming isn’t the most sophisticated cooking technique. But turns out, when you combine them to make steamed cabbage, you get a surprisingly delicious side dish! We were pleasantly surprised the first time we tried it, and this recipe has gone on to become a family favorite.
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.
Best type of cabbage to use
The best type of cabbage to use for steamed cabbage is 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 Savoy cabbage salad).
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.
The easy way to shred cabbage
A large head of cabbage can be tricky to wrangle, but we’ve got a trick that makes quick work of it—without getting cabbage shreds all over the floor. Here’s how to cut cabbage:
- 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.
- Quarter it: Slice the cabbage in half through the stem. Then cut it into quarters.
- Slice out the root: Remove the root by cutting it out with two diagonal slices.
- 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.
Serving suggestions
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:
- Chicken: Serve it alongside chicken cutlets, pan fried chicken thighs, French onion chicken, or chicken paillard.
- 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.
Dietary notes
This steamed cabbage recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, substitute olive oil for butter.
Easy Steamed Cabbage
This steamed cabbage recipe is surprisingly delicious, with an irresistible buttery, savory flavor! It’s a easy side dish that’s versatile for serving with many types of meals.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Steamed
- Cuisine: Vegetable
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 ½ pounds)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (or olive oil)
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove any tough or brown leaves from the cabbage, then shred the cabbage.
- 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. Remove from the heat. 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. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
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 sauteed cabbage or boiled cabbage.
- Mix up cabbage salad or a great coleslaw recipe
- Fire up the grill for grilled cabbage wedges or learn how to make sauerkraut.
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