Pickled pink cabbage provides shade, taste, and crunch to any salad, bowl, wrap, or taco! That is a simple preparation (no sterilization, canning, or fermentation) that can permit you to get pleasure from nutritious pink cabbage in all kinds of the way.
This has been my yr of pickling all of the greens, beginning with cucumber slices, shifting on to carrot ribbons, and never skipping over the basic: pickled pink onions.
Having a jar of pickled veggies within the fridge is just like having a very good do-it-yourself dressing or sauce in that it could actually elevate and rework meals for the entire week.
An in any other case plain grain bowl, taco, or wrap all of the sudden turns into memorable when there’s a tart and tangy vegetable concerned.
A layer of pickles could make your favourite lunch sandwich pop—and fast pickles style brisker than those from a jar.
I’m fast to sing the praises of cabbage and suppose that it’s a typically under-appreciated crucifer. I suppose it was solely a matter of time earlier than I acquired round to creating fast pickled pink cabbage, and now I need to put it in and on every thing!
Fast pickling 101
When you consider making do-it-yourself pickles, your thoughts may flip to the picture of an enormous canning bathtub, tongs, and sterilized jars—principally, a bunch of specialised tools.
That is true for pickles that are supposed to be preserved for a very long time, simply because it’s true for do-it-yourself jam or jelly that’s meant to take a seat within the pantry earlier than opening.
Fast pickles, just like the pickled pink cabbage that I’m sharing at this time, work in another way.
Also called fridge pickles, fast pickles don’t require a water bathtub or correct sterilization. Pickling occurs by means of the straightforward technique of pouring a sizzling or chilly pickling liquid over vegtables, then permitting them to marinate.
The marinating course of is sufficient to give fast pickles tangy, salty taste, however because the identify implies, it’s not a prolonged process.
As a result of fast pickles don’t undergo a water bathtub, they’re not meant to be saved indefinitely. In addition they have to be saved chilly, within the fridge.
However not often do I make a batch of pickled veggies that lasts for an entire two weeks.
They’re so versatile and helpful that it’s laborious to not end a jar inside days.
Is pickled cabbage the identical as sauerkraut?
Pickled cabbage and sauerkraut: they’re comparable, and I really like them each, however they’re not truly the identical.
Sauerkraut, like pickled cabbage, is tangy and salty. What makes it distinctive is that it’s been lacto-fermented: micro organism have transformed among the naturally occurring sugar in cabbage into lactic acid.
Lacto-fermented greens have a sourness and “funky” taste that’s distinctive; fast pickled cabbage is equally tart, nevertheless it’s not as advanced as sauerkraut.
For the report, sauerkraut actually isn’t laborious to make. However I’d argue that this pickled pink cabbage is simpler, sooner, and simply as versatile, if no more so.
Why pink cabbage?
Straightforward: shade! I really like the electrical pink shade of pickled pink cabbage, in the identical approach that I really like the deep purple shade of my braised pink cabbage.
Each inexperienced and pink cabbage are ultra-nutritious, full of Vitamin C, Vitamin Ok, phytosterols, and dietary fiber.
You may learn extra about my love of this vegetable, and the various recipes that I make with it, in my roundup of twenty cabbage dinners and sides.
Pink cabbage is distinctive in that it’s additionally a supply of anthocyanins. These are plant pigments which are present in pink and purple meals (suppose blueberries, beets, grapes, and many others.) and have antioxidant exercise.
There’s some proof {that a} eating regimen wealthy in anthocyanins could have cardioprotective advantages.
You may completely comply with this pickled cabbage recipe utilizing inexperienced cabbage, somewhat than pink. But when it’s simple sufficient to supply pink cabbage, know that its shade is as nutritionally precious as it’s a deal with for the eyes.
The best way to make pickled pink cabbage
Getting ready the pickled cabbage couldn’t be simpler. As proof, I’ve made a giant jar each week since I first began testing a recipe to write down about.
Listed below are the steps.
Step 1: Put together the cabbage
You may slice cabbage for pickling with the shredding attachment of a meals processor, with a meals slicer (I swear by this one), or by hand, utilizing a pointy chef’s knife.
You should definitely core your cabbage earlier than slicing it.
Until you’re making a double or triple batch, you’ll use half a head of a small or medium sized cabbage. In case your pink cabbage is large, it’s possible you’ll solely want to make use of 1 / 4 of the pinnacle.
Ultimately, you must have about 4 flippantly packed cups, or 200 grams, of thinly sliced cabbage to work with.
At this level, you’ll stuff the cabbage right into a vessel for pickling.
I like to make use of a 32-ounce / 950ml / 1 quart mason jar; I truly preserve these round for meals storage in my condominium, so there are at all times a couple of spare ones on the prepared.
When you don’t have bigger mason jars at dwelling, you possibly can use a pair smaller mason jars or some other non-reactive, hermetic container that may be saved within the fridge.
Step 2: Put together the pickling liquid
There are two choices for getting ready your sizzling pickling liquid. In both case, you’ll first stir collectively vinegar and water in a heatproof measuring cup.
You may pour this combination right into a saucepan and convey to a simmer, then stir in sugar and salt—core elements of pickling liquid—till they dissolve.
Alternatively, you possibly can microwave the water and vinegar for 3 minutes, then stir within the sugar and salt till they’re dissolved.
Step 3: Pickle the cabbage
The subsequent step in making your pickled pink cabbage is to pour the new pickling liquid over the cabbage within the jar. A funnel can assist with this, nevertheless it’s not needed.
You should definitely submerge the cabbage utterly, pushing it down with the again of a spoon if you might want to. Loosely cowl the jar (you don’t have to screw the cap on tightly but).
Step 4: Let the cabbage relaxation at room temperature
Don’t switch your cabbage to the fridge simply but. As a substitute, enable it to take a seat at room temperature for an hour. This helps to melt the cabbage.
Step 5: Switch to the fridge and retailer
After an hour, you possibly can shut the lid in your jar (or different container) tightly, then switch the container to your fridge.
The pickled pink cabbage shall be able to eat on the next day, however it can get a bit extra flavorful after sitting for a couple of days. You may retailer it for as much as two weeks.
Why does the pickling liquid must be sizzling?
Good query!
Recipes for fast pickles generally name for heating the pickling liquid, however lots of them don’t.
Technically, it isn’t needed for the pickling liquid to be delivered to a simmer earlier than pouring it over no matter greens are being pickled.
Utilizing a sizzling liquid helps to melt the greens a bit on the very begin of pickling. The warmth isn’t answerable for pickling; actually, it’s the acid and salt within the pickling liquid which are to thank for the flavour of fast pickles.
However the warmth is useful in relation to tenderizing.
This turns into particularly essential within the case of cabbage, which is a fairly robust vegetable to start with.
I don’t suppose that it’s completely important to warmth the liquid for, say, fast pickled cucumber slices, as they’re so skinny and comfortable already.
Once I examined the short pickled pink cabbage with and with out heating the pickling liquid, nevertheless, I did see a distinction. The jar that I ready with sizzling liquid became a extra tender pickled cabbage.
The pure “fridge pickle” model—the one which I used chilly pickling liquid for—ended up with a texture that was a bit robust and type of squeaky to eat.
When you pickle your cabbage with out heating the liquid, I don’t suppose that the completed product shall be ruined by any stretch. However I’d recommend that you just may like the feel a bit extra if you happen to pickle with sizzling brine.
An ideal taco topper
After getting a chilly jar of pickled pink cabbage ready for you within the fridge, there are such a lot of tasty makes use of for it.
One factor I love to do is to make use of it as a crunchy part for comfortable tacos.
These tacos don’t must be in any respect difficult.
One very easy, but nonetheless tasty and filling, mixture is cooked rice, black beans, avocado slices, and the pickled pink cabbage. A garnish of cilantro is a pleasant contact.
When you’d like one thing a bit extra developed, you possibly can attempt the pickled cabbage on:
Or, you possibly can use any mixture of smoky, refried beans, a easy vegan protein (tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans), avocado or guacamole, and the cabbage.
Different concepts for utilizing fast pickled pink cabbage
Strive layering the pickled cabbage into your subsequent wrap. I simply posted about buffalo soy curl “rooster” wraps, and I believe that the cabbage could be a fantastic addition to that recipe.
It might even be nice with my lentil tahini wraps, that are a longtime lunchtime go-to.
And naturally, pickled issues are at all times a pleasant addition to your subsequent vegan lunch bowl. You select the opposite elements, however if you happen to really feel supported by working from a recipe, a couple of choices:
If none of that fits your fancy, you possibly can attempt utilizing the pickled cabbage as a topping for a batch of tofu scramble. Or a scrumptious topper for avocado toast.
As is the case with most pickled veggies, you’ll most likely provide you with tons of makes use of when you make the short pickled pink cabbage. So with out additional ado, right here’s that recipe.
Yields: 4 cups
- 1/2 head pink cabbage (or one quarter head of an additional massive pink cabbage)
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar, distilled white vinegar, or unseasoned rice vinegar (180ml)
- 3/4 cup water (180ml)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon nice salt
- Non-compulsory add-ins: 1 clove garlic, finely minced, 2 teaspoons mustard seeds, 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, pinch pink pepper flakes
-
Utilizing a vegetable slicer, a meals processor fitted with the shredding attachment, or a pointy chef’s knife, thinly slice or shred the cabbage. You must have about 4 flippantly packed cups (200g) after preparation. Stuff the cabbage right into a 32-ounce / 950ml / 1 quart mason jar or one other non-reactive storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
-
Stir collectively the vinegar and water in a heatproof measuring cup. Pour this combination right into a saucepan and convey to a simmer, then stir within the sugar and salt till they dissolve. Alternatively, microwave the water and vinegar for 3 minutes, then stir within the sugar and salt till they’re dissolved.
-
Pour the new pickling liquid over the cabbage within the jar. You should definitely submerge the cabbage utterly. Loosely cowl the jar (you need not screw the cap on tightly but).
-
Permit the cabbage to take a seat at room temperature for 1 hour. Then, seal the jar tightly and switch it to the fridge for as much as 2 weeks. Benefit from the cabbage in tacos, sandwiches, salads, or bowls.
In different information, it’s very like me to go a couple of weeks with out posting any recipes, then put up two in three days. One among as of late I’ll get a deal with on consistency 😉
Within the meantime, thanks for bearing with me by means of the pauses and returns. And I’ll be again with a candy deal with later this week!
xo
