This post contains affiliate links.
Pickled red cabbage is ready to eat in as little as 30 minutes, though it gets better with time. Toss shredded cabbage with a vinegar brine, pack it into a jar, and enjoy!
When I lived in Europe, pickled red cabbage was everywhere: piled onto sandwiches, tucked into vegan döner kebabs, served alongside meals. Back home, I started making it myself and haven’t stopped. It takes almost no effort and makes every meal it touches more interesting.
Skip boiling! This guide shows you how to bring delicious, tangy crunch to your meals with extra-easy quick-pickled red cabbage. It’s a total back-pocket recipe that feels like a cheat code: zero cooking, just big color and bigger flavor.
Serve it on these cauliflower tacos or these tofu shawarma wraps, or make a pickled appetizer spread with more pickled veggies!
save this recipe!I’ve tested this recipe dozens of times. We’ve tried salting, simmering, shredding different ways…you name it. But the magic combo for fast flavor and vibrant crunch? A no-boil, vinegar-heavy brine and thinly shredded cabbage.
Toss it on chickpea tacos, layer it in veggie wraps, or pile it high on black bean burgers. It’s the kind of bold, briny crunch that makes your whole plate pop.
Reader rating
Why You’ll Love This Pickled Red Cabbage Recipe
After testing this recipe more times than I can count, here’s why it’s earned a permanent spot in my fridge:
- Just a handful of pantry ingredients (and no special equipment required)
- Keeps for weeks in the fridge, so one batch goes a long way
- The color is stunning! That deep purple-pink is all from the cabbage reacting with the vinegar, no dye needed
Pickled Cabbage Recipe Ingredients
Jump to the recipe card for measurements and printable instructions!
- Red cabbage: We tested mandolin vs knife and found both worked, but a mandolin slicer gives those satisfyingly delicate ribbons.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can sub red wine vinegar, but you’ll lose a little sweetness.
- Seasonings: I use sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper, but feel free to throw in your favorite dried herbs or spices!
- Water
How to Use Pickled Red Cabbage
Pickled red cabbage is one of those condiments that quietly makes everything better. Here are some of the best ways to use it:
- On tacos. The acidity cuts right through the richness of taco fillings. Try it on mushroom carnitas tacos, air fryer eggplant tacos, or kimchi tacos.
- On burgers and sandwiches. It adds crunch and brightness that lettuce can’t match. Layer it onto veggie burgers, halloumi burgers, or vegan carrot hot dogs.
- On grain bowls and salads. A spoonful of pickled cabbage does what a dressing can’t. It adds acid, crunch, and color all at once.
- As a side. Serve it alongside anything rich or smoky as a palate cleanser. It’s especially good next to BBQ dishes like sticky BBQ chickpeas!
How to Store Pickled Cabbage
Store pickled red cabbage in a clean, airtight glass jar in the fridge. A standard mason jar works perfectly and keeps the brine from absorbing any off-flavors from plastic.
It keeps for up to 2 to 4 weeks refrigerated, and the flavor actually improves over the first few days as the cabbage continues to absorb the brine. Make sure the cabbage stays submerged — if it starts to poke above the liquid, press it back down or top off with a small amount of extra brine.
It does not need to be processed or canned. This is a quick pickle, meaning it lives in the fridge rather than on a shelf.
Pickled Red Cabbage FAQs
About 3 to 4 weeks in a sealed jar. The color and crunch actually improve after the first day or two as the cabbage absorbs the brine.
Easy Pickled Red Cabbage (Super Crunchy)
Ingredients
- ¼ medium red cabbage
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar, 120 mL
- ½ cup water, 120 mL
- 1 Tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut: Remove the core from the cabbage then shred with a mandolin slicer or knife.
- Assemble: Add cabbage to a large glass jar or bowl, along with all other ingredients. Seal jar and shake, or simply stir bowl and cover.
- Pickle: Set on the counter for at least 2 hours (up to 6), shaking/stirring occasionally. Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. Serve over salads, wraps, tacos, or burgers!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist, and should be taken as an estimate. For the most accurate nutritional information, calculate it using the actual ingredients in your recipe.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
More Favorites from Live Eat Learn
Love Pickles?
Be sure to try our other pickling recipes! Similar to this pickled cabbage recipe, these are all quick pickle recipes (meaning they’re ready in just a few hours instead of a few weeks!)
Thank you ! So easy to make . Wanted to use up left over half a cabbage and this was just great . 2 medium sized kilner jars sterilised and now full in the fridge 😀
How long does red cabbage stay good in fridge
Should stay good for many weeks if you keep it dry!
Just made this, but I adjusted the amount of ingredients for a head of red cabbage. The only change I made was to use one part white vinegar and one part apple cider vinegar. I tasted the brine and it was delicious. I taste-tested the cabbage after it was mixed with the brine, which was also delicious. I anticipate the pickled cabbage is going to taste amazingly after it marinates. What I would change next time is to quickly blanch the red cabbage before mixing it with the brine. This is a great recipe-I will make again. Thank you, Sarah, for sharing. 🙂
The photo looks like white vinegar yet the recipe calls for apple cider or red wine vinegar… those would both discolor the cabbage wouldn’t they? How do you have a clear jar?
I used apple cider vin here! 😀
Should the cabbage be completely covered? Should I double the brine if there’s a bunch of cabbage not under the brine level?
Yes it should be covered! And yes, you can add some brine if it needs help being totally submerged.
Can it be frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing this recipe. I think you would lose a lot of that nice crunch if frozen!
If the goal is for the cabbage to be covered the measurements are completely off. I followed the recipe for a half cabbage and split between 3 stuffed jars, the liquid only came up to 1/5 of the jar. I then made the liquid using 2 cups of apple cider vinegar and following the ratios for the rest and it was barely enough for my half head of cabbage.
Did you simmer the brine ingredients, cool, then poor over cabbage?
Nope! You can certainly simmer to dissolve the salt and sugar more quickly, but it’s not necessary.
The longer you leave it before open the jar will it taste better ?
The longer it sits in the vinegar, the stronger the flavor will be!
What is the shelf life before the pickle spoils .
Stores for 2 to 3 weeks tightly sealed in the refrigerator!
My daughter can’t have sugar. Could I use honey instead.
Honey can act funky in fermentation situations, so I would avoid it. Maple syrup, agave, or Stevia would work well!
Honey, maple syrup etc all have sugar in
Do you recommend pickling salt or is regular table salt okay?
I would recommend non iodized salt!
No – just find another recipe.
Sarah, your easy pickled red cabbage recipe is delicious. I seriously want to eat it with everything! I have also just finished your easy refrigerator pickles… I look forward to the end result…keep you posted 🙂