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Cory Fernandez
Cory FernandezAssociate Food Editor
Cory is a New York City–based associate editor at The Kitchn, who covers food trends, lifestyle, wine, liquor, spirits, food-related travel, and food features. Before working at The Kitchn, he worked as an editor at Food Network Magazine and was a contributor to The Pioneer Woman Magazine. Cory also occasionally develops recipes, tests products, and contributes SEO content for The Kitchn.
published Mar 8, 2023
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If you love stocking up on plenty of cabbage for slaws, salads, soups, and more, but don’t always know what to do with it right away, you’ll need a way to make sure it stays fresh for a while. The answer is to freeze it once you get home from the store — yep, you can freeze cabbage!
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The important thing to remember, however, is that although it’s easy to do, freezing cabbage isn’t just a matter of sticking the whole head in a bag and stuffing it in the back of the freezer. Here’s how to freeze cabbage to make sure it lasts for months.
Can You Freeze Cabbage?
Yes, you can definitely freeze cabbage. In fact, if you freeze cabbage the right way, you can make sure it lasts for at least a few months. In order to properly freeze cabbage, however, there are just a couple simple steps to follow. This way, you can have a bountiful supply of cabbage that’ll be just as fresh and tasty as the day you first bought it!
What You’ll Need to Freeze Cabbage
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Tongs or slotted spoon
- Ice
- Large zip-top freezer bags
How to Freeze Cabbage
To freeze cabbage, cut the cabbage into quarters on a cutting board. Blanch the cabbage for around a minute and then “shock” it by adding it to a bowl of ice water. Then, add the cooled and dried cabbage to large, zip-top freezer bags. Here’s how to do it.
- If you’re using green or red cabbage, place it on the cutting board, stem-side down. Slice the cabbage in half from top to bottom. Place each cabbage half cut-side down on the cutting board and slice into quarters.
- Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with water about halfway. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl about halfway with ice water. Set aside.
- Carefully place the cabbage quarters into the boiling water. Let the cabbage boil for about 60 seconds but no more than 90 seconds. Transfer the cabbage quarters to the bowl of ice water with the tongs or slotted spoon for at least a minute to stop the cooking process.
- Remove the cabbage quarters from the ice water and transfer to a cutting board or plate. Pat dry with paper towels. (At this point, you can also remove the stem and core and shred the cabbage with a mandoline or cut it into small slices, if desired.)
- Place the cooled and dried cabbage quarters in the zip-top freezer bags and remove excess air. Place in the freezer and keep stored for up to nine months.
Can I Freeze Cabbage Raw?
Although you can technically freeze cabbage raw, it’s best to blanch it first before freezing it. In other words, you should boil the cabbage in hot water for a very short amount of time (around one minute) before placing it in the freezer. This is not meant to cook the cabbage, but to prevent the growth of any bacteria that may be on the cabbage when you first purchase it. Ultimately, this step will make sure your cabbage stays fresh for as long as possible in the freezer.
How to Freeze Cabbage
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 head
green or red cabbage
Ice water
Equipment
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Large pot or Dutch oven
Tongs or slotted spoon
Large zip-top freezer bags
Instructions
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If you’re using green or red cabbage, place it on the cutting board, stem-side down. Slice the cabbage in half from top to bottom.
Place each cabbage half cut-side down on the cutting board and slice into quarters.
Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with water about halfway. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl about halfway with ice water. Set aside. Carefully place the cabbage quarters into the boiling water. Let the cabbage boil for about 60 seconds but no more than 90 seconds.
Transfer the cabbage quarters to the bowl of ice water with the tongs or slotted spoon for at least a minute to stop the cooking process.
Remove the cabbage quarters from the ice water and transfer to a cutting board or plate. Pat dry with paper towels. (At this point, you can also remove the stem and core and shred the cabbage with a mandoline or cut it into small slices, if desired.) Place the cooled and dried cabbage quarters in the zip-top freezer bags and remove excess air. Place in the freezer and keep stored for up to nine months.
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Vegetables
Meal Plan
Ingredient
