Ultimate Guide to Cabbages
Grilled green cabbage ftw
Cabbages are a v underrated vegetable in my opinion. They have a neutral flavor and satisfying crunch and develop a smooth, buttery texture when cooked. In this post, I’ll explain the similarities and differences among my favorite cabbage varieties.
Green Cabbage
Green cabbage (aka white cabbage) is probably the cabbage you know best. It's pale green and round and has tightly packed leaves. This cabbage is also extremely versatile — perfect for sauerkraut, in salads, soups and slaws, or sauteed for stir fry or a quick side dish. Just cut out the tough core and cook away.
Purple Cabbage
Purple cabbages are similar in size, shape and flavor to green cabbages, so the two can be used almost interchangeably. The only difference between these puppies is the deep reddish, purple color of purple cabbage. Beware: when cooked, this gorgeous color can leach into your other ingredients and will turn a strange bluish color unless you add some form of acid (e.g., lemon juice) to the dish.
Savoy Cabbage
Savoy cabbage is similar to green cabbage in shape, size and color, but savoys have uber ruffled — almost curly — leaves. Savoys are also more tender than green or purple cabbages, making them perfect tortilla substitutes for wraps or tacos. Like green and red cabbages, they also taste great steamed or lightly sauteed or roasted. If you’re subbing savoy cabbages for green or red, just turn the heat down a few clicks to account for their tender nature.
Pointed Cabbage
Pointed cabbage looks a lot like green cabbage, except it’s shaped like an ice cream cone. The leaves are tender and sweet, similar to savoy cabbage, but are flatter and not as tightly packed as the other “head cabbages” above. They can be used in all the same ways as green, red or savoy cabbage but will yield a more tender result.
Jaroma Cabbage
Jaroma cabbage has the same coloring as green cabbage but is larger and flatter, resembling a deflated basketball. Like pointed cabbage, Jaroma cabbage has very tender leaves that don't take long to cook. However, Jaroma cabbage stands out from the pack because it doesn't develop the same unpleasant, "cabbage-y" smell as other cabbages.
Napa Cabbage
Unlike head cabbages, napa cabbages are more oblong in shape — almost like celery. They have a crunchy, tightly packed base with looser, more tender pale green leaves on top. This type of cabbage appears a lot in East Asian cuisine like kimchi, dumplings and hot pots.
Bok Choy
Bok choy is similar in shape to napa cabbage but is much less tightly packed and has deeper green, more tender tips. It tastes amazing stirfried or sauteed and is often used in Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking. I like using bok choy to make smaller servings of stirfry because bok choy is much more petite than the other types of cabbage.