Quick-Pickled Red Cabbage
Thinly sliced cabbage, a quick vinegar brine, an hour of patience – crunchy, tangy, marvelously magenta. Use it anywhere you'd use sauerkraut, like tacos or sandwiches.
Ingredients
- ½ small head red cabbage thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 garlic clove thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Slice the cabbage: Thinly slice the cabbage. Pack it fairly tightly into a clean quart-size jar or heatproof container.
- Make the brine: Add the vinegars, water, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, and bay leaf to a small saucepan.
- Heat: Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Turn off the heat.
- Pour over cabbage: Carefully pour the hot brine over the cabbage. Press the cabbage down so it's submerged as much as possible.
- Cool: Let it sit uncovered at room temperature for about an hour, pressing the cabbage down if needed to fully submerge in the brine.
Notes
- Slice thin – if you have a mandoline, now is the time to use it. If not, slice as thinly as possible with a sharp knife.
- Mustard, coriander and black peppercorns are simply my suggestions. Experiment and play to make it your own spice-adventure situation.
- Store in the fridge, with the cabbage submerged in the brine, for up to 2-3 weeks.
- Serve on anything you’d serve with sauerkraut – sandwiches, tacos, sausages, grain bowls, and more.