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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.
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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.
Easy Pickled Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- ¼ medium red cabbage
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar, 120 mL
- ½ cup water, 120 mL
- 1 Tbsp 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 calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
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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!)
Awesome!! Whole family loves it!! Livens up every dish!! I always wanted to try pickling things – and this recipe and post made it fun, easy to try and super successful!!
Brilliant easy to follow recipe. Had great results. 😉
Sarah, Thank you for your recipe. I’ve made pickled cabbage for years but now making red cabbage. You have given several nice ideas to spice it up a little. Good job!
Thank you so much. Have a great day!
Are you supposed drain the cabbage after it’s been sitting in the brine for 2 hours?
Nope, that’s just the point where you move it from the counter to the fridge. Great question!
Can I reuse the brine after all pickled cabbage eaten after two weeks.?
Just by putting more fresh cabbage in?
Yes!
First time making pickled anything and it came out absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe as described–used apple cider vinegar, water, salt, sugar, garlic and ground pepper, but I can see the potential for variations on this…so easy! I did double the brine to get full coverage with a 1 QT mason jar, otherwise it was perfect! Thanks, Sarah, for a GREAT recipe that I’ll use again and again.
Hi,
Great recipe, thanks!
@ stage 3 are we leaving it @ room temperature for upto 6hrs sealed or unsealed??
Sealed is best to prevent pests from flying in!
Fab, thanks Sarah 🙂
Can I use apple juice and red wine vinegar in the brine
Yes! 😀
I used a small red cabbage about 4″ in diameter and it filled a quart jar. Is the quantity of the other ingredients enough for this quantity of cabbage?
Yep that should be fine! As long as the proportions of the brine stay the same, you can add as much or little veggies as you want!