Can you freeze cabbage to make it last longer? This is a question that many home cooks may find themselves asking. Whether you found a good deal on this cruciferous vegetable and have extra cabbages to spare or you are simply hoping to get ahead on some meal prep, freezing cabbage can be a great way of extending the vegetable’s shelf life.
Freezing cabbage is also an excellent way to ensure you always have some vegetables on hand, and frozen cabbage can be used in dishes like soups, casseroles and more for a quick health boost. To learn more about freezing cabbage, this guide tells you everything you need to know about the types of cabbage that can be frozen and the easiest methods for blanching and freezing. So keep reading to answer the culinary question: “Can you freeze cabbage?”
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- Can Cabbage Be Frozen?
- How To Freeze Cabbage
- How To Use Frozen Cabbage
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Can Cabbage Be Frozen?
Cabbage can certainly be frozen. There are a few important things to keep in mind before you pop a full head of cabbage in the freezer, though. Take into account key details like how soon you’ll need to use the frozen cabbage, how much space you have in your freezer and how you plan to use the cabbage once it has been thawed. In many cases, it’s best to chop the cabbage before freezing to make better use of freezer space and reduce the defrosting time.
Can You Freeze Cooked Cabbage?
Yes, you can freeze cabbage even if it’s been cooked. Freezing cooked cabbage is a great way to lock in the texture and flavor of your cabbage dish. It’s also perfect if you have leftovers or if you want to meal prep a cabbage dish for future consumption.
Can You Freeze Raw Cabbage?
If you do not have time to cook your cabbage before you freeze it, you can certainly freeze it while it is still raw. One key consideration before freezing raw cabbage is making sure you clean it well. It’s probably best to soak the raw cabbage for a while, rather than simply rinsing it in the sink. This will ensure that you clean between all of the leafy layers of the vegetable and don’t end up freezing your cabbage with mud still on the leaves.
Can You Freeze Shredded Cabbage?
Freezing shredded cabbage is definitely possible. Freezing cabbage once shredded is also a great way to save space in your freezer. Even when you have a full, halved or quartered cabbage, shredding it and blanching before freezing is highly recommended to preserve the flavor and texture of the cabbage, on top of saving freezer space.
Can You Freeze Red Cabbage?
Having answered the general question of “can you freeze cabbage?” you may be interested to know about freezing certain types, such as red cabbage. Conveniently, you can freeze red cabbage, again, with shredding and blanching before freezing generally being the best method to use. The only thing to consider is that red cabbage can stain, so cover your workstation and wear gloves while chopping to avoid making a mess.
Can You Freeze Cabbage Soup?
Like most soups, cabbage soup freezes well and lasts a long time. To freeze cabbage soup, transfer your soup into pre-portioned containers or even freezer bags if you want the soup to lay flat in the bottom of your freezer. You can freeze cabbage soup for around three months without it losing flavor.
Can You Freeze Stuffed Cabbage?
You can freeze stuffed cabbage in order to keep the dish around longer. When doing so, be sure to chill the dish in the fridge overnight before moving it to an airtight container and placing in the freezer. This step will help maintain the structure of the cabbage so that it doesn’t fall apart when defrosted and reheated.
Can You Freeze Cabbage Rolls?
Like with similar stuffed cabbage, cabbage rolls do freeze well and can last a long time in the freezer. Follow similar methods for cabbage rolls as you would for stuffed cabbage. Cool the dish completely first before transferring it to freezer-safe containers to maintain the dish's structure when you thaw and reheat the cabbage rolls.
How To Freeze Cabbage
For raw cabbage, a flash-freezing method works really well. You can freeze cabbage heads whole, but remember that they’ll take up quite a bit of space in your freezer. For best results, cut the heads into halves or quarters, then put them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Freeze solid for one to two hours before transferring the cabbage into the bags or containers you want to store it in. If you don’t need the cabbage in halves or quarters, shredding it and then freezing is the most optimal method.
How to Blanch Cabbage for Freezing
Blanching your cabbage before freezing it will help the frozen vegetable last longer. Most experts agree that blanched cabbage can last up to 10 months in the freezer.To blanch cabbage, bring a pot of water up to a boil and submerge the cabbage for three minutes. You do not want to fully boil the cabbage, just heat it up to that perfectly blanched stage.
Once it has been in the boiling water for three minutes, remove the cabbage and immediately place it in a bowl of ice water. This will stop it from cooking further. You can then shred the blanched cabbage or freeze it whichever way you choose.
Can You Freeze Shredded Cabbage Without Blanching It?
If you do not have time to blanch your shredded cabbage before freezing it, that’s ok. You can still freeze shredded cabbage by simply placing it in airtight containers or bags and putting it in the freezer.Just keep in mind that blanching preserves the vegetable for longer. Unblanched cabbage will only last about a month in the freezer. However, avoiding blanching can be a time-saving method if you plan to use your frozen cabbage in the near future.
How Long Can You Freeze Cabbage?
Wondering how long you can freeze cooked cabbage or even how long you can freeze raw cabbage? As mentioned above, different preparation and freezing methods result in changes in how long you can freeze cabbage before it goes bad.
If you freeze raw cabbage, you will need to use it within about one or two months after freezing. Any longer and it may start to lose texture and flavor. If you have taken the time to blanch it, you can freeze cabbage for much longer — from eight to 10 months without issue. As with any frozen food, be sure to carefully date your containers with the date you froze the cabbage to avoid leaving it in the freezer too long.
Why Does Frozen Cabbage Turn Brown?
Cabbage has high levels of sulfur, which escapes when the cells break down during the freezing process. If your cabbage has started to brown, it could be a sign that it is going bad and has been in the freezer too long. To avoid this, blanch and freeze your cabbage as soon as you can to lock in as much of the freshness as possible.
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One of the easiest ways to thaw frozen cabbage is to simply move it to the refrigerator the night before you need it. Doing this allows the cabbage to thaw completely without going bad on the counter overnight.
How To Use Frozen Cabbage
While you might need to thaw your frozen cabbage for use in a recipe, there are also plenty of ways to use your frozen cabbage right out of the freezer. You can add frozen shredded cabbage into soups and casseroles without needing to thaw it out overnight. You can also thaw for use in other recipes that generally use fresh cabbage, like cabbage rolls.
How To Cook Frozen Cabbage
You can cook frozen cabbage without thawing it if you are making a soup or stew and the cabbage was shredded before freezing. Simply add the frozen cabbage to your hot stew or soup and let it defrost. If the cabbage wasn’t shredded before freezing, you will need to let it defrost in the fridge to be able to chop it and add it to dishes. If using frozen cabbage in dishes like stuffed cabbage or fried cabbage, you will need to fully defrost the cabbage and drain excess moisture before continuing with your recipe.
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Having read this guide, you should now be able to confidently answer the question: “Can you freeze cabbage?” You will also understand how best to freeze it and how to defrost and use frozen cabbage in recipes. Whether you want to store extra cabbage from your backyard garden or farmers market or simply what to get ahead on meal prep, knowing that you can freeze cabbage will make the process much easier.
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