Cabbage is popular green vegetable which is used across to world to make tasty dishes easily. it has neutral taste profile and comes is easy to buy at nearby grocery store. if you cant find cabbage in market then you can make use of substitute for cabbage to make tasty flavorful dishes which are liked by everyone.
here i have shared some of the popular alternatives to cabbage to use in various dishes like stir fries, soups, sandwiches, salads etc. to make them full of flavor. their are many types of cabbages in market but mostly green cabbage and purple cabbage which have little spicy taste is used by people. some people also make sauerkraut with cabbage also.
cabbage substitutes and alternatives
Bok choy
boy choy is popular green vegetable used in Chinese cuisine and other recipes from across the world. it taste like normal cabbage and can work as a great replacement for different recipes. leaves of the bok choy may possess little bit bitter taste so you can avoid adding them in your recipes to get only sweet and pleasant taste from boy choy in your recipes.
some people also call it Pak choy so don’t get confused if the you hear pay choy in market but not boy choy from sellers.
choy sum
Choy sum is another alternative for cabbage which can be substituted easily in various recipes. it taste matches with cabbage. you can add it to stir fry dishes or roast it with chicken or other vegetables like zucchini, banana peppers to enjoy with meal. it contains vitamin c, potassium, iron in it.
many people also like to make many kinds of pickles out of it as they come out to be tasty and delicious to be served with variety of main course recipes. Choy sum also comes vitamin b6 and folates which makes it good for whole body working. it also has beta carotene which makes it good source of anti oxidant which helps to make whole body unwanted free radical free. studies have also found little quantities of iron and calcium along with fiber in it.
savoy cabbage
savoy cabbage can also be used as cabbage substitute. it gives good flavor to soups, stews made in pressure cookers and similar recipes. many people all use it in stuffing for rolls, subway sandwiches, burgers, casseroles etc. you can try it in your dishes to see if it works as cabbage alternative. it is not crispy as cabbage so it may not work in some recipes where crunch is necessary
kohlrabi
kohlrabi comes in green and purple color and is quite tasty to eat. it works as a substitute for cabbage. it is less popular among masses as it has little sweetness in taste. you may be not able to buy it in every store due to less demand but some big super market in non native towns and cities will have kohlrabi to use as alternative of cabbage in stews, curries and many other dishes.
kale
kale is a leafy green and can be used as an replacement for cabbage due to its neutral and blended taste profile. it originated from Brassica oleracea family which is similar to cabbage. it can be used in all kinds of recipes but work great when served in salad bowls, coleslaws etc. in absence of cabbage. taste is also fine and adapted by people easily. you can buy baby kale or normal kale to use in your favorite dishes like sandwich dressings etc.
brussels sprouts
Brussel sprouts can be used as cabbage alternative because they can be paired with many recipes and are easy to cook. you can find them in super markets or grocery stores. the taste profile is also same as cabbage because they both belong to same family. it works great as a Substitute for Chinese Cabbage in many Chinese dishes like noodles, wontons etc.
It appearance is similar to baby cabbage and are filled with useful nutrients. since they contain lot of fibers you will find them useful for proper working of your digestive system. it has also been found useful in good working of heart and preventing unwanted diseases like cancer, diabetes etc. by some researchers.
You can roast them and add some spice mix to have it as a side snack with various dishes of your choice. you can also stir fry them in pan with some oil and herbs then eat for a great tasting sprouts. it also works great with hummus salad of various types with sour cream, cream cheese and other food items across the world.
Celery
celery is a very well know and popular green vegetable which can substitute cabbage very well in all kinds of dishes. you can consume it raw also. It can be cooked same as cabbage in same time. you can add some seasoning to celery to enhance its taste and enjoy it in your flavorful celery meal. you can also use it in place of what’s called by some Chinese cabbage due to its crispy texture. some people also add it to dumplings to get good flavor with some spices in absence of cabbage.
Napa cabbage
It resembles to kimchi and is popular in china region but recently people across the world has started using it in their recipe preparations also due to its pleasant taste which is sweeter and milder when compared to normal cabbage. it has light green and yellowish leaves with white stems and veins.
It has oval shape. you can add it in your salad platters, vegetable stir fries, fried fritter salads, baked pies etc. some people also like to add its bits in variety of soups and use it as wraps for grilled chicken rolls, cottage cheese rolls, stuffed veggies rolls and many other tasty recipes.
If you have bought little extra cabbage then you can keep it in fridge in a plastic bag to prevent from destruction and unwanted wilting. while shopping for napa cabbage you may find some small size black spots on it which are fine and wont cause any issue, so you can ignore them and buy your cabbage without any second thoughts.
Iceberg lettuce
iceberg lettuce has crispy texture like cabbage and feels good to eat raw and cooked to get nutrition and fiber from this leafy green. you will find it in many salad bowls across the world besides being added to sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and other fast food items to make them look good besides adding some nutritious value to them. you can use it in yogurt veggies cold salads also.
it does not give good taste when cooked in recipes so use something else if you plan is cooking on heat as it will lose its crunchiness.
endives
endives is less popular alternative to cabbage. it works great both ways by cooking in recipes and serving raw in salads to enjoy with dips, sauces or spices and herbs. they have strong taste when compared to normal cabbage so add in limited quantity and check taste of recipe to see it does not overpower the whole dish with its flavor.
they can be added to dim sums, wontons and other similar food items also to work as Cabbage Substitute in Dumplings to give similar taste and feeling after being cooked via steam.
Frequently asked questions
can i use green beans to replace cabbage?
yes green beans is unknown alternative for cabbage used by some people in place of cabbage because it has neutral taste profile and works in paring with all kinds of food items. you can add some seasoning in them to make the flavor as per your liking and taste preferences.
it is easy to cook as you can bake them, boil, them soak them them for salads, add in pies, add in stir fry platter etc. to get perfect recipes with green beans when you don’t have cabbage with you in your kitchen fridge.
what are cabbage substitutes to use in soups?
cabbage is a common siting in soups in countries in Asian region, japan etc. but sometimes you dot have cabbage to add in soups then you can make use of chopped celery stems and roots to add in soups, green beans also works wonder in soups. some people also add Brussel sprouts in soups in place of cabbage as it resembles in taste and are small in size. you can try different green leafy veggies to see what works best for your taste preferences in your soup recipes.
what are Cabbage Substitute to use in coleslaws?
cabbage is widely used in making of coleslaw but if you don’t have cabbage you can still make your coleslaw with the help of celery or green beans as both have good flavor and crunchy texture. you can chop the celery easily to add in dishes. so try these alternatives to make yummy coleslaws easily.
can i use spinach as a substitute for cabbage?
Yes spinach can also be used as a substitute for cabbage as its milder in taste without any bitter after tones. It is filled with nutrition and people like to make many recipes out of it like soups, curries, and many other dishes of their choice to make a great meal for everyone in the family when cabbage is not an option.
How to add red purple color to your vegetables like cabbage?
we all know some cabbages come in purple color but its substitute wont give purple color so it can be added artificially by dipping your substitute for cabbage in beet juice. its juice comes with little sweetness and earthy tones which can add a decent flavor to your cabbage . a essential piece of advice while doing this is do it with light green color leafy green vegetables to get great color and taste but not with dark green color veggies as it will turn them in dark brown color which is not good to look at aesthetically, so avoid it.
Conclusion
Hope you like my collection of cabbage substitutes which are easy to find and taste great in all kinds of recipes making them versatile for use in dishes of your choices. let me know which one you like the best and what all dishes you make with cabbage and its alternatives in comments below to share with our readers.
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