When you cook with napa cabbage, you're making a culinary connection that reaches back to 15th century China.
The leafy vegetable has evolved from a mainstay in Asian cuisine to a veggie appreciated around the world for its mild taste, crunchy texture, and impressive nutritional value.
In this blog post, we’re sharing our top napa cabbage recipes and best tips for preparing napa cabbage.
How to Prepare Napa Cabbage Like a Pro
Napa cabbage is available year-round at local markets or from produce suppliers and distributors.
Use these simple tips to select, store, and prepare napa cabbage for your next healthy meal:
Look for heavy heads of cabbage with bright green leaves and white ribs.
Keep unwashed napa cabbage in a plastic bag in the crisper until you're ready to use it.
Don't store the cabbage next to other vegetables or fruits that produce ethylene.
To prep napa cabbage, cut the head in half lengthwise and then into quarters.
Before consuming, rinse the cabbage under cold water and dry between layers of paper towels.
Soaking cabbage in cold water for 15 to 30 minutes helps take the bitterness out of the vegetable.
12 Napa Cabbage Recipes That Inspire
1. Chicken and Napa Cabbage Toss
This napa cabbage salad recipe can easily serve as a healthy side salad or a quick dinner idea.
The chicken breast adds a punch of protein to this nutritious meal, and the colorful array of veggies offers a diverse range of health benefits.
Prepare a vinaigrette by mixing together sugar, garlic, ginger, salt, and rice vinegar.
Chop up cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, and bell pepper.
Combine cooked and shredded chicken with the chopped vegetables, a can of mandarin oranges, and fried wonton strips.
Recipe Inspiration: Transform the vinaigrette into a creamy dressing by blending in 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.
2. Grilled Radicchio and Napa
Grilled napa cabbage makes a wonderful side dish, but it also stands out as a unique salad ingredient.
The cabbage tames the spicy chicory's flavor and complements its deep color.
This healthy salad is ready to serve in just 20 minutes.
Drizzle quartered napa cabbage and radicchio with olive oil and place directly onto a grill over medium-high heat. Cook until charred on the outside.
After the grilled cabbage cools, chop it into thin slices.
Combine cabbage with a sliced Asian pear and chopped almonds, and toss with balsamic vinegar and seasonings.
Recipe Inspiration: Offset the sharp taste of chicory but adding grilled romaine lettuce to the mix, or simply use it as a slightly sweet substitute for the radicchio.
3. Crunchy Napa Cabbage Slaw
Put extra crunch in traditional coleslaw by combining the crispness of chopped napa cabbage and julienned jicama.
Mix together the slaw made of chopped napa cabbage, bell pepper, jicama, and chives.
Prepare a dressing of rice vinegar, honey, olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the slaw and serve immediately.
Recipe Inspiration: Impress guests at your next backyard cookout by topping burgers with crisp napa cabbage slaw.
4. Napa Cabbage Kimchi
A staple in Korean cooking, kimchi is one of the most popular uses of napa cabbage.
The fermented salad is packed with probiotics, which can boost your gastrointestinal health and strengthen your immune system.
Soak quartered cabbage in a saltwater bath for three to four hours before draining and rinsing.
Mince your vegetables of choice, such as radishes, carrots, garlic, and onion.
Combine the vegetables with seasonings, glutinous rice powder, fish sauce, and fermented shrimp to create the kimchi paste.
Spread the kimchi paste over the cabbage leaves, then transfer the cabbage to an airtight container.
Leave the container in a cool spot for 24 hours before transferring it to the fridge.
Recipe Inspiration: Serve kimchi as a dressing for burgers, rice, noodles, or even hot dogs.
5. Perfect Brunch Frittata
This flavorful napa frittata brings all the warmth of a comfort-food breakfast to your brunch menu.
The eggs and cheese make for a savory, satiating meal while the greens bring the fiber and vitamins.
Combine eggs, creme fraiche, chopped cabbage, onions, garlic, cilantro, and spices.
Pour the egg mixture into a buttered cast-iron pan and cook without stirring for five minutes.
Add crumbled feta before transferring the pan into the oven and baking for 20 minutes.
Recipe Inspiration: Hash browns and sausage or bacon and cheese muffins are just a few examples of guilty-pleasure sides that pair well with low-cal napa cabbage frittata.
6. Napa Shakshouka Skillet
This Mediterranean favorite blends fresh vegetable flavors and textures into a yummy napa cabbage shakshouka.
Also featured in this dish are broccoli and Brussels sprouts, two sulforaphane-rich foods that support your heart, liver, and brain health.
Saute onion in a buttered cast iron pan until it starts to soften, then add garlic, sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli and continue cooking until softened.
Carve out egg-sized indentations in the vegetable mixture, and crack eggs into the prepared spots.
Bake in the oven until the egg whites are set.
Recipe Inspiration: Side hearty napa shakshouka with equally satisfying bread for scooping, such as tender challah, garlic-buttered pita, or soft brioche.
7. Napa Cabbage Pancakes
Why not enjoy a guilt-free brunch that delivers generous servings of essential nutrients?
Napa cabbage pancakes check both boxes.
They're easy on busy kitchen schedules, too, moving from prep to plate in 20 minutes.
Mix together grated cabbage, carrot, and scallions in a large bowl.
Add eggs, water, soy sauce, and sesame oil to a blender and blend until smooth. Add flour and continue blending.
Combine the batter with the vegetables, and pour the batter into a skillet to make the pancakes. Flip when the pancakes are golden brown.
Recipe Inspiration: The recipe calls for green onion, but you can substitute tarragon, thyme, basil, or parsley.
8. Napa Cabbage and Chicken Soup
A comforting pick-me-up on cold or gloomy days, this napa cabbage and chicken soup is inspired by the traditional Chinese hot pot.
With just a few simple and healthy ingredients, the meal comes together quickly and easily.
Boil the chicken in a pot of water, sake, and salt, then skim off the foamy scum that rises to the surface.
Add chopped napa cabbage, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Garnish the soup with scallions and yuzu zest.
Recipe Inspiration: Serve an array of vegetables on the side, such as bok choy, broccoli, or radish, so your diners can customize their perfect meal.
9. Napa Cabbage Egg Drop Soup
This egg drop soup recipe is a delicious homemade approach to the take-out favorite.
Savory broth, tender napa cabbage leaves, and silky egg ribbons create the perfect combination of flavors and textures.
Saute garlic, ginger, and a chopped napa cabbage stem for about a minute.
Add chicken stock and simmer until the stems are soft, then add the cabbage leaves, broth, and seasonings.
Drizzle whisked eggs in a swirling motion to create the egg ribbons.
Recipe Inspiration: Add chili garlic sauce, miso paste, or shiitake mushroom seasoning for an extra kick of flavor.
10. Vegetarian Napa Cabbage Rolls
We recommend elevating these napa cab from appetizer status to bona fide entrees to put healthy eating at your fingertips.
To prepare the cabbage wrappers, trim the stem out of the cabbage leaves, and boil the leaves for one minute before submerging them in ice water.
In a large bowl, combine finely chopped cabbage, carrots, green onion, parsley, sesame oil, lime, salt, and pepper.
To assemble the rolls, lay the cabbage leaves flat and top them with the vegetable filling and cooked rice. Fold the sides over and roll up tightly.
Recipe Inspiration: Fragrant basmati, fluffy indica or sweet jasmine rice are all delicious stuffings for your napa rolls.
11. Sheet Pan Napa Hearts and Sausage
The perfect meal for busy weeknights, this flavorful, savory sheet pan recipe can be prepared in just half an hour.
Arrange chopped shallots and apples on a sheet pan, drizzle with oil, and roast for 10 minutes.
Add uncooked sausages and quartered napa cabbage hearts to the pan, drizzle the pan again with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through.
Recipe Inspiration: Resize the meal for a hungry crowd by adding Brussels sprouts, carrots, baby potatoes, and cauliflower and baking on an extra-large sheet pan.
12. Pork and Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry
This classic Asian stir-fry featuring tender pork, crispy veggies, and delicate rice noodles will have you coming back for seconds.
Saute sliced pork in oil until it starts to brown, then add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
Add sliced napa cabbage, shallots, and celery and cook until the veggies become tender.
Add cooked rice noodles and stir-fry sauce, and cook until the sauce thickens.
Recipe Inspiration: Try rice sticks or rice threads for a new twist on your next rice noodle stir-fry.
Inspiration From Our Fields to Your Tables
We always enjoy sharing healthy recipes and fresh ideas that inspire your creativity in the kitchen.
You can depend on Hitchcock Farms for a steady supply of insider tips, foodservice insights, and great recipes for home cooking and restaurant menu planning.
We're proud to make it all happen every day by growing and shipping the finest premium produce from our fields here in the Salinas Valley to your tables.
FAQ
What is napa cabbage?
Napa cabbage is a leafy green vegetable that dates back to the 15th century China. It's known for its long head, bright green color, and slightly sweet flavor.
What is the best way to eat napa cabbage?
You can enjoy napa cabbage raw, but it's also a delicious vegetable to boil, saute, or grill.
Is napa cabbage as healthy as regular cabbage?
Both cruciferous vegetables are excellent sources of minerals and vitamins.
However, Napa cabbage delivers more iron and copper, and it also contains higher levels of vitamins A and B3.
How is napa cabbage different from regular cabbage?
Napa cabbage heads are oblong, while regular cabbage heads are round.
The flavor of napa cabbage is milder than regular cabbage, and its texture is more tender.
Can napa cabbage be eaten raw?
Yes, napa cabbage is often enjoyed raw, especially in salads and wraps.
The raw cabbage also works well as a substitute for lettuce on burgers and sandwiches, and it adds extra crunch to coleslaw recipes.
