Can You Freeze Cooked Cabbage? Easy Guide to Freeze Cooked Cabbage

Name: Can You Freeze Cooked Cabbage? Easy Guide to Freeze Cooked Cabbage
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: Please check the end of the post for recipe ingredients.; If you don't find any, let me know in comments.

Ayub KhanandRehmat DietitianMarch 16, 2023Last Updated: April 12, 2023

8 minutes read

In this article, you will know the answer to the query “Can You Freeze Cooked Cabbage? Easy Guide to Freeze Cooked Cabbage“.

Both delicious and nutritious, cabbage is great food. This vegetable can be used in many different ways, and it is affordable as well.

Though stockpiling cabbage is a great idea, it cannot be easy to keep it fresh in the refrigerator.

The cabbage must be cooked first before it can be frozen.

Raw cabbage is not suited for freezing because it is a leafy vegetable with fibrous membranes and high water content.

When raw cabbage is frozen and then thawed, it becomes mushy and soggy.

Even if it has been cooked before it has been frozen, the cabbage will retain its taste and texture.

If you don’t want to fully cook the cabbage before freezing it, you can blanch it beforehand.

This will increase its resistance to cold temperatures.

Which Types of Cabbage that You Can Freeze

When freezing cabbage, it is important to choose the right type. This will have an impact on taste and quality.

Make sure you buy fresh cabbages if you plan to freeze them. They should have solid, dense heads and green leaves.

You should not freeze cabbages with yellowed or wilted foliage. Be sure to check the expiration date on the packaging before freezing.

Cabbage can be picked at its peak of freshness and stored in a warehouse before transportation.

If you want to make sure the cabbage is fresh, you can buy it at a local farmer’s market.

Gardeners should pick cabbages early in the morning to avoid overheating.

You should wait until the frost is almost over before harvesting cabbages from your garden to ensure maximum freshness.

Among the types of cabbage, you can freeze are white cabbage, savoy cabbage, and red cabbage.

1. White Cabbage

Most supermarkets sell white cabbage. White cabbage is slightly sweet when eaten raw.

Slaws and stir-fries can be made with it.

Garnishes or accompaniments can be prepared using this herb.

The texture of white cabbage is crunchy when it is sliced thinly. There is a mild, mellow taste to it.

As white cabbages are quite affordable, you can enjoy the benefits of freezing them for later use.

2. Savoy Cabbage

Savoy cabbages are characterized by their crinkled leaves with blue-green veins. Their tender, flavorful leaves are distinguished by their crinkled appearance.

Raw, it has a very pleasing flavor that is slightly sweet.

The leaves of Savoy cabbage can be kept for a long period of time without losing their crispness or wilting.

If you would like to use this vegetable in your home-cooked meals, you can cook it briefly since its flavor develops when it is cooked.

By doing so, you will also prevent it from becoming soggy after it has been frozen and thawed.

3. Red Cabbage

In addition to being cooked, red cabbage can also be frozen raw for later use.

The leaf surface is highly colored with a bold crimson hue. Red cabbage’s leaves are crunchy and the flavor is strong.

Make sure you blanch the red cabbage for no longer than 30 seconds in boiling water before draining and patting it dry with kitchen towels.

Soggy food will not taste good after thawing and freezing.

How to Prepare Cabbage for Freezing

To prepare cabbage for freezing, you can use a variety of methods.

Depending on your schedule or the texture you like most, you can choose the method that works best for you.

1. Choose a Type of Cabbage and Cut It into Slice or Shreds

Choose the type of cabbage you wish to freeze.

If you want to stir-fry or steam it after it thaws, cut it into thick slices.

As an alternative, if you plan on making coleslaw after thawing the cabbage, you can shred it.

Remove the outer leaves of the head of the cabbage before cutting it. Also, cut off the stem to make it easier to handle.

If you want to prepare coleslaw after thawing, you can cut the head into thick slices or shred it.

When freezing cabbage, you can also shred it using a food processor if you want to skip this step.

2. Cook the Cabbage

The cabbage can be cooked using a variety of freezing methods.

The vegetable can be blanched or steamed, then cooled and placed in freezer bags.

It is easier and faster to reheat the frozen cabbage using this method since most of the preparation work has been done.

3. Freeze It Raw

It is also possible to freeze raw cabbage if you wish. It can be shredded or sliced and then transferred to airtight plastic freezer bags or containers.

This way, you won’t have to spend time cooking the cabbage before freezing it, so you can use that time for other things.

You must be careful when reheating cabbage since it will need more time than when it is blanched or steamed.

How to Freeze Cooked Cabbage?

You can freeze cooked cabbage after it has been cooked according to your preferred method.

As with freezing raw cabbage, you should still follow the same steps.

In the first place, place the cooked cabbage on an oven sheet or baking pan and place it in the freezer for about 4 hours.

Having the cabbage chill will allow it to keep its taste when thawed.

As soon as the cabbage has chilled, it can be transferred to freezer bags or containers.

Label them with the cooking date so that they can be easily identified later.

If you store cooked cabbage properly in your freezer at 0°F (-18°C), you can keep it frozen for three months.

You will need to thaw the cabbage in the refrigerator before using it again.

Before eating the cabbage, thaw it and cook it according to your preference.

The cabbage you have used for other meals can be frozen. You do not need to blanch and freeze the cabbage beforehand.

Additionally, there are other ingredients. We’ve compiled some of the most popular cabbage dishes and how to freeze them.

Freezing Cabbage Casserole

Once you have cooked cabbage casserole, you can store it in the refrigerator for later use.

Meals like these don’t need to be divided into servings because there are no individual portions.

Using a permanent marker, you can label and date your containers so that you can easily identify them when you’re looking for specific contents.

Freezing Coleslaw

The coleslaw can also be frozen and used on days when you have limited ingredients as a new side dish.

After cooking, your meals will be more interesting because of the variety in textures and flavors.

The cabbage can be blanched before serving to freeze coleslaw.

After blanching, place the cabbage in ice water to make it tender again and allow it to cool.

In addition, it will help remove any chlorine that remains.

Then, you can transfer the coleslaw into freezer bags or containers and freeze it for later use.

You can learn when your containers were frozen by labeling them with the date.

Frozen coleslaw can be reheated by thawing it in the refrigerator and then cooking it.

Freezing Cream of Cabbage Soup

Additionally, you can freeze cream of cabbage soup or any other soup you have made with cabbages as one of the main ingredients.

Making this dish is a great way to make use of leftover cabbage or other ingredients that you don’t want to throw away.

Make sure all the ingredients are chopped or shredded before storing them in your freezer since reheating the soup doesn’t require chopping.

All you need to do is transfer everything into a pot and reheat it.

How to Thaw Frozen Cabbage?

If you want to avoid contamination with bacteria, be sure to thaw the frozen cabbage correctly.

As cabbages contain a lot of vitamin C, freezing them properly prevents bacteria from growing.

It is easy to thaw frozen cabbage, but it will take some time. You can do it in two different ways.

To thaw the frozen cabbage, place it in your refrigerator and wait for it to thaw naturally.

You can place the container in a special area of the fridge where there is no other food to avoid having it come into contact with anything else.

It is the safest way to thaw frozen cabbage because it will not contaminate other items in your refrigerator.

You can also thaw the frozen cabbage by soaking it in cold water until it is completely thawed.

You should change the water every 30 minutes to prevent bacteria from growing on the surface of the thawing cabbage.

After you’ve learned how to thaw frozen cabbage, why not try some of the recipes listed above? This meal contains all the health benefits of cabbage for your body, so you can’t go wrong.

How to Tell if Cabbage is Bad?

Usually prepared as a side dish, cabbage is a kind of cruciferous vegetable.

Cabbage can be kept for several months without needing to be refrigerated if kept in the right conditions.

You should watch out for these signs if you’re wondering if cabbage is bad.

It’s best to toss cabbage straight away if any of the following signs are present:

1. A Bad Odor

One of the most obvious signs that your cabbage is bad is when it has a rotten taste.

You’ll know if there is an odor coming from the cabbage when you open the bag or container and take a whiff.

You should remove it immediately if there is one.

2. Discoloration

You might not be able to eat your cabbage anymore if you notice this symptom.

As with cruciferous vegetables, cabbages are highly susceptible to discoloration when exposed to air and light during storage.

It is easy for them to decompose if they are not stored in the right conditions or are subjected to heat during transport.

Because of bacterial growth, discolored cabbage usually looks slimy and smells bad.

3. Leaves Are Loose or Falling Off

If you discover that the leaves can no longer be tightly bundled, throw them away immediately.

It may be an indication that the center of your cabbage is rotting.

4. Spongy or Mushy Texture

Check for a spongy texture on your cabbage to see if it’s gone bad.

The vegetable should be thrown away immediately if it is soft and sticky, as this can mean it has bacterial growths.

Conclusion

Furthermore, cabbage contains fiber, vitamin C, and a number of other health benefits not found in any other food.

As a bonus, cabbage freezes well since it tastes great whether it’s cooked or frozen raw.

When freezing cabbage, make sure all ingredients are chopped before storing them in the freezer. This will prevent contamination with bacteria during the thawing process.

By using cold water to thaw the cabbage, you can also defrost it quickly, but be sure to change the water frequently to prevent bacterial growth.