Recipes & Freezing Cabbage
I am now on a cabbage kick! I have always liked boiled cabbage, corn beef and cabbage and cabbage salad. But after finding a recipe for fried cabbage and bacon, I seem to make a big batch of this every few weeks. Cabbage tastes delicious whether cooked or raw, it’s low in calories, about 20 calories in 1/2 cup cooked cabbage and high in nutrients. Cabbage varies in color from green, purple or red but I usually find the green cabbage more readily available in our grocery stores.
When I make my fried cabbage and bacon, I sometimes add chopped onions and even diced potatoes for a little variety. This is my recipe: http://themarthareview.com/fried-cabbage-with-bacon/
My grandmother made the best cabbage salad and although I don’t have her recipe I make it as best as I can remember. I start with shredded cabbage and carrots (you can use a ready to use bag also) then sprinkle with red wine vinegar plus about a tablespoon of sugar. After everything is mixed together I add a tablespoon of mayonaisse. Depending on how much cabbage, you can add a bit more of each ingredient. The vinegar adds a bit of tang, the sugar adds a bit of sweetness and the mayonaisse holds everything together!
Living in the south, cabbage is very reasonable and since I can get a head for about a dollar I decided to freeze some to have on hand when cabbage season is over. There are two ways to freeze it, one is to blanch it, the other is to soak in cold water, let it drain then put in freezer bags. I opted for the one that isn’t blanched since I will be using it within a few months. It’s recommended to blanch before freezing if keeping it in the freezer longer than a few months.
I pull the outside leaves off the head, cut it down the center than cut each half in thirds. By leaving the hard stem attached to the head, it keeps the leaves on each section intact while it soaks in the cold water. After a few minutes let it drain on paper towels to remove the moisture.
I put the cut pieces in freezer bags and while freezing I rotate the pieces in each bag so they freeze individual. My freezer is filled with cabbage sections and I can take out how ever many I need to prepare the meal.
Another healthy vegetable I like is cauliflower. I love faux mashed potatoes using cauliflower, I’ve made cauliflower breadsticks and are they delicious! I also love riced cauliflower for a quick meal and even add slivered almonds to it often. I also keep a bag a riced cauliflower in the freezer to fry up with a bit of butter or olive oil. Of course I also love raw cauliflower to eat as a snack! This is a blog that has all my cauliflower recipes: http://themarthareview.com/so-many-ways-to-prepare-cauliflower/
Since I started my healthy eating plan in July 2018 to help with my non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, I have been excited to find healthy alternatives to potatoes and both the cabbage and cauliflower are right on target.
Well I want nothing to do with cabbage. but she really enjoys
Well Rich, then I’m not going to share my cabbage or cauliflower with you! LOL But things for visiting my blog!
Oooh, Martha! I love cabbage too! I use it in making homemade slaw and I eat a cabbage salad at least once per week. Of course, fried cabbage and bacon is delicious too! May have to buy some this week and cook it up. I didn’t know you could freeze cabbage, but what a great idea!
I just learned about freezing cabbage Aletha! I’m not sure how it would be if use for salad, maybe to mushy? I’m going to thaw some of what I froze in a week or so and see the results! I love that cabbage is so good but also healthy!
Freezing Cabbage? I would have never done this before. It’s like freezing lettuce to me, which is all water! Result ICE! But then again cabbage is not lettuce!
Well I just found out about cabbage freezing Pamela. I’ve had lettuce freeze in the fridge if I put it in the wrong compartment and it’s icey and slimy after thawing, so it goes in the trash. I’m not sure if froze cabbage could be used in salad or just cooking but I will find out in a week or two when I take some of my frozen cabbage out and do a cooking taste! I’ll be sure to report back!
I used to love stuffed cabbage, but for the past two or three decades, my cabbage ingestion has been in a cole slaw or an apple slaw.
Ohhh, apple slaw, that sounds delicious Roy! Do you have a recipe to share?
I had no idea we could use cabbages with bacon ! I could try making this maybe with chicken. Will that work?
Now you got me ready to try it with chicken Dr.Amrita! With bacon or ham it’s so delicious but I’m thinking it would be the same with chicken, I may even add a bit of shredded cheese with the chicken! I see I have to experiment on a few dishes!
Thank you for the tips!
You are very welcome Akshaya, I love coming up with new ideas and sharing them! Thank you for stopping by.
Wow, a dollar a head! I wouldn’t mind that. I love making kimchi with cabbage. I bet cabbage and pork belly will be good, too. We bought half a pig in the fall. And quite a bit of it is pork belly. Thanks for all the ideas.
Since posting this idea Lily, so many readers are adding suggestions!! Thanks for your idea with pork, yes that would be awesome I’m sure! Thanks for your idea, maybe this is why we can’t sleep, we have food on our minds! LOL
I can’t wait to try this. I love cabbage and my family will eat anything prepared with bacon. Great idea! I got everyone to start eating brussels sprouts by roasting them in the oven with olive oil and bacon.
Ohhh, roasted brussels sprouts with bacon sounds like something I want to try! Yes, bacon goes with everything Minette! Thanks for visiting.
That looks yummy!
I love cabbage and with the bacon it’s so delicious Amanda!
Hmmmm learned something new today!!
I was pleased with the results and taste Terry!
Frozen cabbages would not be usable for slaw wouldn’t it? Surely it would lose the crunch after freezing. I’m assuming it’s fine in cooked recipes?
You are correct Teresa, once cabbage is frozen it’s only good for cooking. I love making fried cabbage with bacon and I pour it in the pan still frozen so it doesn’t get mushy when thawing.