Cabbage is one of those vegetables that has a hard time making it into the usual dishes for most people. There are so many flavors that it can occupy, depending on how you prepare it. Our favorite way to consume cabbage is to make it into sauerkraut. Learn how you can incorporate this nutrient dense food into your family’s diet.

Benefits of eating Cabbage

There are many benefits to eating cabbage. I will just name a few of those benefits today. Cabbage can prevent harmful elements and diseases from affecting our bodies. Preventing cancer and protecting against radiation are two of the most impressive benefits. Improved digestion and high nutrient count, especially Vitamin C, are enough reason for me to decide to incorporate cabbage into my family’s diet. Though I did not grow up eating cabbage often, I knew it was something that needed to regularly be in our diet as I learned more.

Cabbage leaves can also be used as a sort of medicine by relieving symptoms of Mastitis in nursing mothers. However, using the cabbage leaves for a prolonged period can decrease milk supply.

5 Cabbage recipes to try:

Homemade Sauerkraut
Cabbage Soup
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Cole Slaw
Sautéed Cabbage and Onions

What is Sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut is a fancy word for fermented cabbage. The process of fermentation adds beneficial bacteria to the cabbage. It is great for improved digestion and strengthening the immune system by keeping the gut healthy. Most of our immune system health lies in the gut, so that is where we start repairing when a symptom arises.

Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe

Equipment needed:

Food processor, this is the one we have and use daily
Cutting board
Knife
Large bowl
Quart Mason jar
Fermenting lid or regular mason jar lid
Fermentation weights or a rock in a Ziploc bag

Ingredient list:

Medium head of green Cabbage
1 Tbsp. Sea Salt

Homemade Sauerkraut Instructions

Begin slicing the head of Cabbage into chunks and place into the food processor. Discard the core of the Cabbage. Reserve a Cabbage leaf for the last step.

Pulse until the Cabbage is shredded to the desired size. Remove from food processor and place into a large bowl.

Sprinkle salt over the shredded cabbage and massage with your hands. Once the Cabbage starts to sweat and release a decent amount of liquid, transfer the cabbage ,and the the brine it created, to mason jar.

Place reserved Cabbage leaf over the shredded Cabbage in the jar and press down. The shredded cabbage should be submerged completely below the brine.

Place a fermentation weight, or rack in a Ziploc bag, on top of the cabbage leaf to keep the cabbage submerged below the brine during fermentation. If using a fermenting lid, place it over the jar and secure with ring. If not using a fermenting lid, place a mason jar lid on with a ring loosely over the jar.

A rock in a Ziploc bag in a jar of sauerkraut to keep the cabbage submerged below the brine

Allow to ferment on a plate on the counter until it has reached desired sourness. I usually check mine after about 5 days and end up leaving it for a few more days. Watch the ferment carefully to be sure mold is not growing. Be sure the cabbage stays submerged below the brine for the entire duration of fermentation.

Some of my favorite ways to eat Sauerkraut

Once your family gets used the sour taste of sauerkraut, they will want it with every meal. My toddler has surprised me in this way. Because I introduced sauerkraut to him as an infant, he now loves the taste and never complains about eating it. In fact, he usually asks for seconds.

We use it to add a veggie to any dish that is missing one. A lot of times I’ll fix up a meat and potato meal and need some kind of green veggie to go with it. In this way, sauerkraut saves the day every time!

We often eat this probiotic rich food at least twice a day. It makes it’s way on our plate with fried eggs and hash browns for breakfast, or over a bowl of chili for dinner. I love how versatile it is and how easy it is to prepare.

Sauerkraut will also keep for a long time in the fridge, I’ve had a jar in the fridge for up to 6 months and it was still so good. Often times it won’t last longer than a month, especially if you eat it like we do. I suggest making it in bulk, once your family starts regularly consuming sauerkraut to save time.

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it 5 stars!

More healthy recipes from My abiding home:

Shredded cabbage and brine in a mason jar to ferment for sauerkraut

The Best Way To Eat Cabbage

Cabbage can occupy an array or dishes and is packed with nutrients, especially when fermented for sauerkraut!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 8

Total Time 8

Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Servings 1 Quart

Equipment

Food processor
Large bowl
Cutting board
Knife
Quart size mason jar
Fermentation weight or rock in a Ziploc bag
Fermentation lid or regular mason jar lid and ring

Ingredients

1 Medium head of cabbage
1 Tbsp. Salt High quality Sea Salt

Instructions

Cut up your cabbage into chunks. Discard the core. Reserve a leaf for later step.
Add cabbage to food processor. Pulse until cabbage reaches the desired size.
Dump cabbage into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt over top.
Massage the salt into the cabbage until a brine is created.
Fill a quart sized mason jar with the chopped cabbage and the brine.
Place cabbage leaf on top and then either a fermentation weight or rock in a Ziploc bag. This will keep the cabbage submerged below the brine during fermentation.
Top the jar with either a fermentation lid or regular mason jar lid and ring, loosely.
Allow to ferment on the counter for 7-14 days, whenever it reaches desired taste.

Notes

I recommend using Organic cabbage
Place a plate under the jar during fermentation to catch any liquid coming from the jar, the cabbage will “sweat” as it ferments.
Check the jar every few days to be sure the cabbage is still submerged below the brine.

Keyword Gut healthy