Name: Pickled Cabbage
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 20 Servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 0.5 red cabbage; 1.667 cups apple cider vinegar; 3 cups boiling water; 3 tablespoons sugar; 2.5 teaspoons salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 2 cloves garlic

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Pickled Cabbage

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Pickled Cabbage

½ red cabbageabout 1 ½ pounds

1 ⅔ cups apple cider vinegarYou can also use red wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar

3 cups boiling water

3 tablespoons sugar

2 ½ teaspoons salt

½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground

2 cloves garlicthinly sliced or minced

Instructions

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Instructions

Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, thinly slice the cabbage and pack it into 2 32-oz (4 cup) mason jars. You might have to really pack it in there to get it all to fit but it shrinks up quite a bit as it pickles.

In a large measuring cup, mix together the boiling water with apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix to combine until all of the sugar and salt is dissolved.

Divide the vinegar mixture evenly between the 2 mason jars. The jar should be filled up to the neck but if it’s not, you can add in a little extra water. Seal tightly and give it a little shake to make sure everything is combined.

Let sit for at least 2 hours to pickle, but you get best results after 24 hours. This lasts great in the fridge for about 2 weeks! ENJOY!

Notes

Cabbage weight: this weight fits nicely into 2 (4-cup) mason jars.

Recipe variations

Can add in ½ jalapeño sliced into rounds

Can swap out some of the cabbage for thinly sliced red onion and/or sliced/julienned carrots

Can add in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a few pieces of sliced ginger

You could also swap out some or all of the purple cabbage for regular cabbage

Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Slice Cabbage Uniformly 🔪
Use a mandoline slicer or sharp knife to cut cabbage into consistent thin ribbons so each piece pickles evenly and achieves the same tender texture throughout.
Toast Your Spices First 🌶️
Briefly toast the black peppercorns and crushed garlic in the dry pan before adding vinegar to bloom their flavors and intensify the pickle's complexity.
Balance Sweet and Sour 🧂
Taste the brine while still hot and adjust sugar-to-vinegar ratio to your preference—less sugar for tangier pickles, more for subtle sweetness that complements savory dishes.
Chill Immediately for Crunch 🧊
Pour the hot brine over cabbage and allow it to cool to room temperature before refrigerating; this helps the cabbage retain its crisp texture while absorbing flavor.
Extended Flavor Development ⏱️
While ready in 10 minutes, let pickled cabbage sit overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavor penetration and a more complex, developed taste profile.