Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
Tangy, salty and slightly crunchy, this Quick Pickled Red Cabbage is the perfect addition to your sandwiches, wraps and even tacos! With just 15 minutes and a few ingredients, you'll be able to whip up this delicious and versatile condiment, that you can put to use for up to a week, if not longer.
The last time I made my quick pickled radish and pickled shallots, they were huge hits. This time, I decided to put my favorite red cabbage to use!
Pickling foods is a great way to extend its shelf life. But it's not just that. The salt, sugar, brine and spices together adds such a beautiful layer of flavor as well.
If you're exploring quick pickling for the first time, this one is a great recipe to start with. If you have slightly evolved taste buds and love experimenting, try my pickled rhubarb and pickled cherries too!
Quick Look: Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
- 🔪 Prep time: 5 minutes.
- ⏲️ Cook time: 10 minutes.
- 👪 Servings: 6.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Red cabbage, apple cider vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns, carom seeds, brown sugar.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Shred → simmer the brine → pour over the cabbage → refrigerate until pickled.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Very easy.
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Add to tacos, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, copycat KFC chicken bowl, salads, or serve alongside grilled meats and BBQ dishes.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- This quick pickled red cabbage is such a wonderful condiment to have at hand. The crunch and tang from this condiment can jazz up any simple dish, and take it to the next level.
- Best of all, it barely takes any time to make. Just like my green chili pickle, it gets ready in a jiffy.
Recipe Ingredients
Red cabbage: I used a whole head of red cabbage. When picking one, make sure it's firm and unblemished, and doesn't have any soft spots.
Garlic: For a bit of extra savory flavor. I used it for my ginger carrot pickle too!
Vinegar: The base for the brine. I used apple cider vinegar here for that fruity tang, but you can make do with regular white vinegar or spicy pepper vinegar too.
Carom seeds: This one's optional, but great to use if you can find. They have a beautiful aroma and flavor that works wonderfully with the pickled cabbage.
Black peppercorns: For a bit of heat.
Bay leaves: For that earthy flavor. This one's again, optional, but I highly recommend using it.
Brown sugar: For that deep sweetness and to help preserve the cabbage.
Sea salt: I used sea salt, but regular table salt can work just fine.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can also add other veggies to this red cabbage pickle. I love adding radish juliennes (I used them in my shredded carrot pickle too).
- Green chilies can also be a fantastic addition to consider, especially if you love spicy food. I used them in my pickled turmeric and it was such a treat.
How to Make Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
Step 1: In a saucepan over medium heat, add the vinegar, bay leaves, carom seeds, peppercorns and sugar. Bring this to a boil and then turn down the heat. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Pack the shredded cabbage into a clean mason jar. Pour the hot brine over it and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Use a clean spoon to pack the red cabbage in. Cover and refrigerate.
💭Top Tip
Make sure there is enough pickling liquid to cover the red cabbage completely. This helps prevent spoilage.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Make sure you pat dry the cabbage and remove all moisture from its surface before you use it to make the quick pickle.
- Use a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer to shred the cabbage. The thinner the cabbage, the quicker it will pickle.
- Allow the cabbage to rest in the pickling liquid for at least a few hours, ideally overnight to soak up all the flavors and soften a bit. I did the same when I made my Persian Torshi and curry pickled cauliflower.
How to Serve Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
You can use the pickled red cabbage as a topping over your breakfast eggs, avocado toast or Tajin shrimp tacos. I love using it as a stuffing in my homemade sandwiches and wraps along with some of my spicy pickled garlic.
It can also be an excellent condiment to jazz up your chicken egg roll in a bowl or homemade burgers.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Store the pickled red cabbage in a glass jar or an airtight container for up to 8 days in the refrigerator. Make sure you keep it covered at all times, and use a dry spoon to spoon it out whenever you're using it- it will help prevent spoilage.
If you notice any cloudy liquid or discoloration or an off-putting smell from the jar, the cabbage has probably spoiled, and it is best to discard it.
You absolutely can! You may also want to add a pinch of turmeric to the green cabbage pickle to lend it a nice pop of color.
More Food Preserves
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this quick pickled red cabbage or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 red cabbage
- 2-3 garlic
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the vinegar, bay leaves, carom seeds, peppercorns and sugar.
- Bring this to a boil and then turn down the heat. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pack the shredded cabbage into a clean mason jar.
- Pour the hot brine over it and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Use a clean spoon to pack the red cabbage in.
- Cover and refrigerate.
Notes
- Make sure you pat dry the cabbage and remove all moisture from its surface before you use it to make the quick pickle.
- Use a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer to shred the cabbage. The thinner the cabbage, the quicker it will pickle.
- Allow the cabbage to rest in the pickling liquid for at least a few hours, ideally overnight to soak up all the flavors and soften a bit. I did the same when I made my Persian Torshi and curry pickled cauliflower.
- Make sure there is enough pickling liquid to cover the red cabbage completely. This helps prevent spoilage.
