How to Steam Cabbage in the Microwave in Under 15 Minutes (2024)

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Cooking for Two
Side Dishes for Two

Kevin D. Weeks.

Kevin D. Weeks is a personal chef, cooking instructor, and food writer.

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Updated on 02/22/24

Tested by

Noah Velush-Rogers

Tested byNoah Velush-Rogers

Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers.He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group.He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes.Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

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How to Steam Cabbage in the Microwave in Under 15 Minutes (2)

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 8 mins

Total: 13 mins

Servings: 2 servings

216 ratings

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Whether you use the stove or the microwave, steamed cabbage is a fantastic and healthy dish. It is a quick and easy side that works great with beef, pork, ham, and sausage.

Surprisingly, cabbage is one of the few things that actually cooks well in the microwave. If you don't have a stovetop steamer or steamer basket, use the microwave. No microwave or steamer? Not a problem. All you need is a large pot (stockpots work well here) with a lid and a metal colander to steam on your stovetop.

Steaming any vegetable is a breeze no matter what tools are at your disposal. You'll find that steaming is one of the best ways to enjoy many of your favorite veggies. You get to enjoy their natural flavor and nutrition, yet it's enhanced with this simple cooking method and a little seasoning. This recipe shows you how to steam cabbage such as a classic green cabbage, you can use any member of the cabbage family, including red, napa, savoy, or even bok choy. Cooking times may need to be adjusted, depending on what you use—experiment and see what works best for you.

For steamed cabbage, you can keep it very simple—the addition of butter and salt lets that delicious cabbage flavor shine. If you like, add freshly chopped dill with 2 tablespoons of sour creaminstead of the butter. Or just add a few of your favorite dried herbs to the butter and salt.

What You'll Need to Make This Steamed Cabbage Recipe

A Sharp Chef's Knife

A Microwave-Safe Casserole Dish

A Great Colander

“Never forget how easy it is to whip up some tasty vegetables for any meal. Cabbage is multipurpose but can easily stand on its own merit like this, I recommend serving it with a pork dish.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

How to Steam Cabbage in the Microwave in Under 15 Minutes (6)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1/4 small cabbage, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
See Also
Cabbage Rolls - Doobydobap
Kosher salt, to taste

Steps to Make It

Steam Cabbage in the Microwave

Gather the ingredients.
Place the sliced cabbage in a small microwave-safe casserole dish.
Add 1/4-inch of water.
Cover and microwave on high for 8 minutes. If your microwave doesn't have a turntable, rotate the dish 1/4 turn halfway through cooking.
Drain the water from the dish.
Add the butter and salt. Serve and enjoy.

Steam Cabbage on the Stove

Fill a large pot with water and set a steam basket or metal colander on top of the pot. The water in the pot should be just below the basket.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the sliced cabbage to the basket.
Cover the basket with a lid and steam until the cabbage is tender and crisp. Most cabbage takes about 5 to 8 minutes. Some varieties like napa, bok choy, and savoy cabbage may only take 3 to 5 minutes. If using a colander, be sure that you leave a little space so the steam can escape. Tilting the lid works quite well.
Remove the cabbage from the basket, add butter and salt, and serve.

Tips

This recipe serves two people but you can easily increase the number of servings. Begin with more cabbage and use 2 tablespoons butter for every 1/4 of a cabbage head.
If your mesh colander is too big for your pot you just need to cover the gap. Simply tear off a piece of foil that reaches halfway around the pot, then tear that in half lengthwise. Wrap these two pieces of foil around each side of the pot and colander to help seal the steam inside. If you fold the edge of the foil over the top of the colander, it will stay in place.

How to Store

If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, but it will lose its crispness the longer it's in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave on low or in a small pot with a bit of water, just until it's warm. Or repurpose the cabbage in other dishes such as colcannon or soup.

Is Steamed Cabbage Healthy?

Cabbage is a healthy low calorie, low-carb vegetable and steaming is an excellent way to cook it while preserving the nutrients. Cabbage is high in fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Do You Need To Wash Cabbage?

Before cooking cabbage, it's best to give it a good wash and pat dry. Remove the outer leaves since they are tough and are more likely to carry residual pesticides. Now the cabbage is ready to use in your favorite recipe and can be quartered, chopped, or sliced.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
138	Calories
12g	Fat
9g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	138
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 7g	36%
Cholesterol 31mg	10%
Sodium 171mg	7%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 3g	11%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 59mg	296%
Calcium 79mg	6%
Iron 0mg	2%
Potassium 313mg	7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

cabbage
steamed cabbage
side dish
eastern european

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