Since we discovered this quick pickled cabbage recipe, we’ve made it a half a dozen times and still aren’t tired of it!
Use it to make tasty Chinese stir-fries with a tangy sour flavor, add it to noodle soups, or use it as a homemade substitute in some of our recipes that call for harder-to-find store-bought pickled vegetables. All you need is a regular green cabbage, ginger, and white vinegar.
A Simple Overnight Pickled Cabbage
This tasty sour cabbage pickles in under 24 hours, and you only need 3 ingredients, plus some boiling water. A simple green cabbage from any grocery store works great here.
Scrolling through WeChat, I saw someone make it and it looked so easy, I decided to give it a try myself. I was so surprised by how easy it was to make, and how tasty it was when I stir-fried it with some pork, garlic, and scallions. (I’ll be posting that stir-fry recipe in a couple days.)
It’s so crunchy, pleasantly sour, and begging to be balanced by other savory flavors! I think of this recipe as a quick version of Bill’s grandma’s pickled mustard greens, but without the boiling and cooling process, and that’s why this recipe is a great alternative. You can prepare it in a few minutes, anytime you want.
How to Use Pickled Cabbage In Your Cooking
Pickled vegetables are very versatile. We have used them in many different recipes. You can use this homemade pickled cabbage as a substitute in recipes like:
- Northern Sour Cabbage Stew with Glass Noodles
- Yunnan Rice Noodle Soup, as the sour element
- Chinese Pickled Long Bean Stir-fry, to replace the pickled long beans
- Chinese Pickled Long Bean Noodle Soup, to replace the pickled long beans
- Chinese Chicken, (or Beef), (or Squid) with Pickled Mustard Greens
- Taiwanese Pork Chop Plate, at the sour element
We’ve mostly just been stir-frying it with sliced pork, which goes great with sour cabbage. Recipe to come in a couple days!
Recipe Instructions
You’ll need:
- 1¼ pounds cabbage (1/2 of a cabbage) – 560g
- 3 slices large ginger pieces (1×2 inches, ⅛-inch thick / 2.5x5cm, 3mm thick)
- 1 cup white vinegar – 235 ml
- 3½ cups boiling water – 830 ml
Take half a head of cabbage, and cut it into three equal wedges. Green cabbage layers are very tight, and cutting them into smaller wedges will help the vinegar and hot water penetrate. Don’t wash the cabbage at this point; you can wash it after it’s pickled.
In a deep heat-proof bowl that’s just slightly larger than the cabbage, add the cabbage wedges and ginger slices. Pour the boiling water over it, making sure to cover all areas (this process lightly cooks the cabbage). Next, pour in the vinegar.
Weigh the cabbage down with a plate, making sure the wedges are submerged in the liquid. Cover with a large lid or plate, and leave it on the counter overnight.
In the morning, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it. Use within 3-4 days.
Pickled Cabbage (3 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds cabbage (1/2 of a cabbage)
- 3 slices large ginger pieces (1×2 inches, ⅛-inch thick / 2.5x5cm, 3mm thick)
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 3½ cups boiling water
Instructions
- Take half a head of cabbage, and cut it into three equal wedges. Green cabbage layers are very tight, and cutting them into smaller wedges will help the vinegar and hot water penetrate. Don’t wash the cabbage at this point; you can wash it after it’s pickled.
- In a deep heat-proof bowl that’s just slightly larger than the cabbage, add the cabbage wedges and ginger slices. Pour the boiling water over it, making sure to cover all areas (this process lightly cooks the cabbage). Next, pour in the vinegar.
- Weigh the cabbage down with a plate, making sure the wedges are submerged in the liquid. Cover with a large lid or plate, and leave it on the counter overnight. In the morning, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it. Use within 3-4 days.
