An Expert Explains the Difference

Cabbage gets a bad rap. Unfairly associated with goopy coleslaws or the odor it emits when boiled to oblivion, this sturdy brassica never seems to capture the limelight. Even cabbage-lover Abra Berens, a farmer-turned-chef, author, and culinary director at Granor Farm in Three Oaks, Michigan, remembers dubious feelings toward this ill-fated vegetable. 

“When I was in my early twenties and went on a European backpacking trip, I stayed in this hotel in Nice that wreaked of boiled cabbage, and I thought, This isn’t what France is supposed to be like!” she recalls, jokingly. 

Berens has since changed her tune—truly appreciating cabbage for all its unsung glory. Granor Farm grows multiple kinds of cabbage, and she’s written multiple cabbage recipes for her cookbooks, which included Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables, “Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes,” and “Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit.”

Her love for cabbage is infectious. Spend two minutes talking to the chef about cabbage and you’ll immediately want to join Berens in championing this underrated hustler of a vegetable. I spoke to her on the phone recently to ask about the basics of cooking, buying, and storing two common cabbage varieties: green and red. I left the conversation wondering how I could fit cabbage into my dinner plan that night and how many cabbage recipes I could try out in the coming days without raising too many eyebrows among my family.

What Is the Difference Between Green and Red Cabbage? 

Green cabbage and red cabbage are two common cabbage varieties you’ll see in grocery stores and farmers markets. They can grow similar in size, almost up to the size of a bowling bowl, and they’re both sturdy and dense.

They taste similar, too, with green cabbage tasting milder than red. But in a blind taste test, Berens suspects she’d have a hard time tasting the difference. Distinctions in size, density, and taste arise depending on how and where they’re grown, not so much between the two varieties. 

The most dramatic difference between these two varieties is their color, as well as any nutritional differences associated with that. With its deep hues, red cabbage contains more Vitamin E, C, and beta carotene than green cabbage.

Berens favors red for its vibrant color, as well as for the nutrients. “I do firmly believe the science that the more colorful your diet is, the more nutritious it is,” she says. (She notes how red cabbage can even turn a dark shade of blue with a little bit of baking soda—a fun trick for Halloween!)

What Are the Best Uses for Green Cabbage vs. Red Cabbage?

Because they taste similar, Berens first considers what color she wants on her plate or menu when choosing between green or red cabbage.

Next, she’ll consider how she’s using it. If she’s cooking the cabbage, she’ll go with green cabbage, which takes on a silky color, whereas red cabbage might look a little bruised when cooked. Also, if you’re worried about the color of red cabbage bleeding into a dish, stick with green.  

If you’re looking for a softer, fluffier texture, Berens recommends trying Napa or Savoy cabbage, which are more tender and less dense. 

How To Pick the Best Cabbage

Berens points out that the bigger the cabbage, the longer it will last. You can slice it, use half or a quarter of it for one recipe, and keep the unused portion in the refrigerator for weeks, so picking a large head is a good idea.

If you find a big head with a few wilted leaves on the outside, if you’re braising, the wilted leaves won’t matter since they’ll soften anyway in the cooking. If you’re making a raw slaw, however, you won’t want to choose a head with a bunch of wilted leaves because you’ll want only sturdy leaves for your dish.

You should also feel the cabbage for density. If it’s heavy, it contains a lot of water, which is good, and the leaves are also tightly packed, which means they’ll stay crisper longer.

Finally, you can look at the underside, where the cabbage was cut, to determine its age. If you see any black veining, it means the cabbage is already pretty old. “Cabbage is a storage crop, so being old isn’t inherently a disqualifier, but it’s just information to have,” she adds.

The Best Way To Store Cabbage

Store cabbage in as whole of a piece as possible, Berens says. In other words, slice only what you intend to use, and then wrap what’s left in plastic wrap. It will last in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, or even a couple of months. 

“Cabbage will be there whenever you need it,” Berens says. “It’s the most resilient.”