For Tender, Flavorful Cabbage, Try This Cooking Method

If you're trying to eat more greens, cabbage is a great place to start. It's full of nutrients and offers tons of health benefits, making it the perfect accompaniment to any healthy meal. There are lots of ways to cook cabbage, but one might just be the best method possible: braising.

Braising cabbage (or any other food) involves quickly cooking it over high heat before letting it simmer in liquid over a longer period of time. With this, you get the best of both worlds between a short and a slow cooking process; the quick sear helps break down the cabbage and makes it more tender, but following it up with a simmer in liquid keeps it from getting dry and ensures it's still pleasantly juicy. Since cabbage can naturally be pretty tough, braising is a particularly great method for ensuring you get a nice, tender bite without sacrificing any flavor.

Braising cabbage is simple; just prepare the vegetable like normal, cook it in a pan on higher heat for a few minutes (adding other ingredients like butter and onions can help with this step), then add liquid and any additional ingredients you want before letting it simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes.

There are lots of different versions of braised cabbage you can make, encompassing lots of different flavors. For one, there are multiple variations of cabbage you can braise, though some are better suited than others. In an exclusive interview with Daily Meal, vegan cookbook author Remy Park suggested that tougher varieties of cabbage, such as red and green, are better for roasting; though roasting and braising are different cooking methods, the same rule applies here. Softer cabbages might not hold up as well to the heat.

You can also get creative when adding other vegetables to your braised cabbage. Common vegetables to add include onions and carrots, but any vegetable that can withstand the braising process could be a good addition here. For instance, artichokes have a nice earthy flavor that complements cabbage well, and you can easily use canned artichokes to make your recipe both tastier and simpler. For a bit of a sweeter taste, you can braise cabbage alongside broccoli; adapting this braised soy sauce broccoli recipe to include cabbage would give you a delicious and nutritious dinner sure to wow your family.

For a spicier kick, try making braised cabbage with jalapeños, a recipe that comes from celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli. This dish is both juicy and spicy, making it perfect for nights when you're craving a bit of heat. The flavor combinations are endless, and with the braising method, your cabbage will come out perfectly cooked and moist.