How to Cut Cabbage Recipe

Learn how to shred cabbage for slaw, stir fries, soup, and more! This step-by-step guide teaches you how to cut it into wedges, shreds, and squares.

Have you ever wondered how to cut cabbage? You are in the right place! Today, I’m breaking down my favorite easy ways to shred cabbage salads, slaws, soupsetc.

This post is part of my mission to get everyone to eat cabbage more often. This humble vegetable is nutritious, delicious, and versatile (not to mention cheap!), but I’ll admit, from the outside, it can be intimidating. Where do you start with a vegetable that looks like a miniature globe?

I hope the step-by-step instructions and tips below make preparing cabbage simple. And if you need an idea of ​​how to use it after you cut it, check out some of my favorites cabbage recipes below this post!

Types of Cabbage

When you head to the produce section of your grocery store, you’ll likely find one or more of these types of cabbage:

• Green cabbage (pictured above) – Its crisp, pale leaves are densely packed into heavy round heads. Left raw, green cabbage is perfect for classic coleslawbut it is also delicious to cook soups and sauté.
• Red cabbage (picture above) – From the outside, it looks like green cabbage, except it’s, well…red. Add it to a slaw o grain bowlo grilled it.
• Napa cabbage – Different varieties of Chinese cabbage have a long, ovular shape. Its leaves have crisp white stems and soft, reddish green edges. I love napa cabbage raw or cooked in dishes like stir fries and sauté.
• Savoy cabbage – A whole Savoy cabbage and a whole green cabbage have a lot in common. Same circle; both green. But Savoy cabbage leaves are more loosely packed, and they have a softer, rufflier texture. Although this cabbage variety comes from the French Alps, its soft texture makes it an excellent sub for napa cabbage in many recipes.

These types of cabbage look different from the outside, but you can learn how to cut any of them with the guide below!

How to Cut Cabbage into Wedges

Cutting the cabbage into wedges can be your end goal OR the first step toward cutting it into a different shape, like shreds or squares. This breaks down a large, unwieldy head of cabbage into more manageable pieces.

1. Start by removing any outer leaves that are tough, wilted, or discolored. Rinse the cabbage and dry it with paper towels or a kitchen towel.
2. Then, find the stem or core. It is at the bottom of the cabbage where the leaves come together.
3. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the cabbage in half lengthwise through the core.
4. Cut the halves in half, again lengthwise through the core, to form four wedges.

Are wedges your go-to? Continue slicing the core cabbage pieces until the wedges are your desired thickness. I think 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick is a good size for searing or grilling.

Do you want to learn how to cut cabbage into thin slices or squares? Continue reading!

How to Cut Shredded Cabbage

First of all: see the section above to learn how to cut a cabbage into wedges.

1. Once you have four wedges, place one wedge cut side down on your cutting board.
2. Cut diagonally along the core to remove it from the wedge.
3. Then, use a sharp chef’s knife to thinly slice the wedge of cabbage horizontally, going down from the pointy end to where you cut the core.
4. Repeat with the remaining wedges!

That’s it! Use shredded cabbage coleslaw, tacosetc.

• Variation 1: For longer cuts, cut the cabbage lengthwise instead of crosswise. Slice it thinly along one of the cut edges of each wedge.
• Variation 2: For very finely shredded cabbage, use a mandoline slicer. Hold a cabbage wedge by the very end and run the end over the mandoline blade to slice it. Be sure to use the safety guard!
• Variation 3: For chopped cabbage, like i use in my cabbage soup, cut each wedge lengthwise into 1-inch even slices. Then, cut 1-inch slices crosswise to form a grid. The leaves will separate into squares.

Favorite Cabbage Recipes

So, you learned how to cut cabbage. How do you cook it? If you need some inspo, try making one of these recipes:

You can find more delicious cabbage recipes in my new cookbook, Love & Lemons Simple Feel Good Food.

In fact, it comes with a 3-day meal plan designed to use an entire head of cabbage! The plan’s recipes—Seared Cabbage Wedges, Loaded Pita Nachos (pictured below), and Chickpea Tacos with Pickled Cabbage (pictured below)—are some of my favorites in the book. Pre-order it now to get a free BONUS e-book!

How to Cut Cabbage

Time allowed to fix: 10 Min

Total Time: 10 Min

Serving 8

Learn how to shred cabbage for slaws, soups, and more! All you need is a sharp knife and a cutting board.

• Remove any outer leaves from the cabbage that are tough, discolored, or wilted. Rinse the cabbage and dry it. Place on a cutting board.

• Look for the stem or core at the bottom of the cabbage where the leaves meet. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the cabbage in half perpendicular to the core. Cut each half in half vertically through the core to form four wedges.

• To cut thinner wedges for roasting or searingcontinue to cut the cabbage wedges perpendicular to the core until they reach your desired thickness.

• To cut shredded cabbage for slaws or sauté, place a wedge of cabbage on the edge of your cutting board. Cut diagonally along the core to remove it from the wedge. Working down from the pointy end to the core end, thinly slice the cabbage crosswise. Repeat with remaining wedges.

• To cut chopped cabbage for a stir fry or soup, cut each wedge into 1-inch slices lengthwise, then cut them into 1-inch slices crosswise to form a grid. The leaves will separate into squares.

• Find recipe suggestions in the post above, or check them out 17 Best Cabbage Recipes.