Have some cabbage that you need to shred? Here’s how to shred cabbage no matter what tools you have. You can use a box grater, a mandolin or even just a knife.
Use a box grater if you need smaller pieces, a mandolin if you want your shreds to stay long and thin, or a knife if you want more control over the size of your cabbage pieces.
These methods work with multiple types of cabbage, and can also be used to shred Brussels sprouts.
What You Will Need: Tools & Equipment
- Red or green cabbage
Your Pick of Cutting Tools:
Chef’s Knife & Cutting Board
Box Grater
Mandolin
Prepare Cabbage
No matter what method you choose to shred your cabbage, follow these prepping steps first.
Step #1. Clean the Cabbage
Wash the cabbage and remove the outer leaves.
COOKING TIP: When using a knife, make sure your fingers are holding the cabbage in a ‘claw’ position so that you protect them (curl fingertips inward).
Step #2. Remove the Stem
Place the cabbage on a cutting board and cut the bottom off.
Step #3. Cut the Cabbage in Half
Make sure the cabbage is sturdy and flat against the cutting board and cut it in half.
Step #4. Remove the Inner Hard Core
Cut out the white solid core by carefully making 2 diagonal cuts towards the center.
Step #5. Cut the Cabbage into Quarters
Cut the cabbage in half again, making quarters. (Sometimes it is easier to remove the core with a diagonal cut after it has been cut into quarters. Do what works best for you.)
Option #1: How to Shred Cabbage with a Knife
Once you have followed the steps above to prep the cabbage into quarters, continue here:
Step #1. Slice the Cabbage with the Knife
Make sure the cabbage is flat and steady on the cutting surface. Begin slicing it into thin strips.
Step #2. Turn the Cabbage and Continue Shredding
Once it becomes hard to grasp, turn it so that it is flat against the cutting board and finish slicing.
If you want to shred the pieces further, cut them in half horizontally and then continue cutting vertically until they are as fine as needed.
Option #2: How to Shred Cabbage with a Box Grater
Once you have followed the steps above to prep the cabbage into quarters, continue here:
Step #1. Shred the Cabbage Quarters with a Box Grater
Shred the cabbage with a box grater on the side with large holes, by placing the cabbage quarter flat against the holes with your hand and using a forceful downward sliding motion. This will produce a very fine shred. Carefully keep your fingers away from the grater holes.
Option #3: How to Shred Cabbage with a Mandolin
Once you have followed the steps above to prep the cabbage into quarters, continue here:
Step #1. Set Mandolin Thickness
Set the mandolin to desired thickness. Place the cabbage flat against the mandolin and place the guard over top of the cabbage.
Step #2. Shred the Cabbage with the Mandolin
Carefully shred the cabbage with the mandolin, using the guard to protect your fingers. You can also use a cut-resistant glove.
Ready to Use
A knife will give you more control over the thickness, but might take more time to achieve the desired results than some of the other tools. You may find it more difficult to get very fine slices with a knife.
A box grater is going to give you a very fine, minced result. A mandolin can be adjusted to different thicknesses and is great for very thin slices of cabbage.
Now that you have your shredded cabbage, there are a lot of great ways you can use it. For soup, adding shredded cabbage is a good way to sneak in some more servings of vegetables, as well as being absolutely delicious.
Need a cool and creamy side for dinner? Shred some cabbage finely and throw together a quick coleslaw.
If you have some more time on your hands, homemade sauerkraut is amazing and incredibly nutritious. Feeling adventurous? Shred up some napa cabbage and make kimchi, the spicy Korean version of sauerkraut.
Once you’ve shredded your cabbage, you can store it raw in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator crisper, but only for a few days. If you want to freeze your shredded cabbage, blanch it before cooling it in ice water.
Pat your cabbage dry, put it in freezer bags (making sure to squeeze out all the air before sealing the bags) and pop the bags into the freezer. Of course, only use your frozen cabbage in recipes that don’t call for raw cabbage.
Do you have any cabbage-shredding tips? Feel free to share in the comments below!
How to Shred Cabbage: 3 Ways
Materials
- 1 head cabbage
Instructions
Prep the Cabbage: Do this Step Before Any Cutting Method
- Wash the cabbage and remove the outer leaves.
- Place the cabbage on a cutting board and cut the bottom off.
- Make sure the cabbage is sturdy and flat against the cutting board and cut it in half.
- Cut out the white solid core by carefully making 2 diagonal cuts towards the center.
- Cut the cabbage in half again, making quarters. (Sometimes it is easier to remove the core with a diagonal cut after it has been cut into quarters. Do what works best for you.)
Option #1: How to Shred Cabbage with a Knife
- Make sure the cabbage is flat and steady on the cutting surface. Begin slicing it into thin strips.
- Once it becomes hard to grasp, turn it so that it is flat against the cutting board and finish slicing.
- If you want to shred the pieces further, cut them in half horizontally and then continue cutting vertically until they are as fine as needed.
Option #2: How to Shred Cabbage with a Box Grater
- Shred the cabbage with a box grater on the side with large holes, by placing the cabbage quarter flat against the holes with your hand and using a forceful downward sliding motion. This will produce a very fine shred. Carefully keep your fingers away from the grater holes.
Option #3: How to Shred Cabbage with a Mandolin
- Set the mandolin to desired thickness. Place the cabbage flat against the mandolin and place the guard over top of the cabbage.
- Carefully shred the cabbage with the mandolin, using the guard to protect your fingers. You can also use a cut-resistant glove.
Looking to further enhance your cooking skills? Check out…How to Make Fruit-Infused Water
This helped me a lot. Thank you.
Thanks for letting me know Christina. I’m happy to help.