9 Recipes with Napa Cabbage (2024)

FAQs

What dishes can be made from napa cabbage? ›

1 cup of cooked Napa cabbage is a good source of folate, copper, and manganese. Folate helps to prevent birth defects and assists in red blood cell formation and protein metabolism. Copper is an antioxidant which supports nervous system function, iron metabolism, and energy production.

You can eat it raw, shredding it and adding it to tacos, salads or power bowls. Feel free to swap it in for any recipe that calls for green cabbage; its sweet flavor makes it particularly delicious in coleslaw recipes. You can also add it to salads or sandwiches to add crunch and depth of flavor.

Do you eat napa cabbage raw or cooked? You can enjoy crunchy napa cabbage raw in salads, as a sandwich topping and as healthy wraps. The leafy vegetable is also a mainstay in stir-fries, soups, stews and casseroles. Napa is a great choice for pickling too.

You can store the head of the Napa cabbage wrapped in an airtight container or plastic in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can use it raw, like you would with lettuce or cabbage. Or you can use it in cooked dishes like you would green cabbage.

Blanched cabbage can be frozen for up to nine months, while unblanched cabbage will only keep for one to two months. And blanching is easy: Simply bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the cabbage and briefly cook it—leaves and strips need just 90 seconds; wedges need about 3 minutes.

Both work well in salads and slaws, but it's not a good idea to substitute one for the other in cooked dishes. For example, napa's texture and flavor make it an ideal choice for quick stir-fries. Regular cabbage isn't as delicate as napa, so it's a better choice for slow-cooked recipes.

Before using, discard any damaged or wilted outer leaves. Looser varieties, such as napa and bok choy, should also be rinsed to get rid of any dirt between leaves.

Consuming cabbage in excess can result in abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea and flatulence. It can also result in ingesting toxic chemicals like goitrin, thiocyanates and benzyl cyanide.

Raw cabbage contains compounds that can lead to increased gas production during digestion. For those prone to flatulence or with sensitive digestive systems, consuming raw cabbage may exacerbate these issues. Cooking cabbage can help break down these compounds, reducing the likelihood of excessive gas.

Is napa cabbage as healthy as regular cabbage? ›

Napa and regular cabbage are both low-fat, low-calorie and low-carb, but the nutritious profile of napa cabbage offers higher levels of vitamins C, K and folate than green cabbage. It also delivers higher levels of essential minerals.

A significant reason for the rising price of cabbage is drought which makes it hard to grow the crop.

Napa cabbage offers a wide range of health benefits:

Antioxidants can help neutralize free radicals and may protect against diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Folates: Napa cabbage is an excellent source of folic acid, one of the essential components of DNA.

Keep the white and the green parts separated. Cook the white part first before adding the greens, for the perfect cooked texture. (Optional) You can further slice or dice the white or green parts into smaller pieces, for example, long thin strips for making salad and coleslaw, or a small dice for dumpling filling.