Have some cabbage that you need to shred? Here's a great tutorial on 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.
Pretty soon you'll be making kimchi coleslaw, beef and cabbage soup and cabbage rolls before you know it!
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Ingredients
- red or green cabbage
Equipment
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. Wash the cabbage and remove the outer leaves.
Step #2. Place the cabbage on a cutting board and cut the bottom off.
Step #3. Make sure the cabbage is sturdy and flat against the cutting board and cut it in half.
Step #4. Cut out the white solid core by carefully making 2 diagonal cuts towards the center.
Chef's Note: 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.
Step #5. Cut the cabbage in half again, making quarters.
Option 1. Use a Knife
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.
Once you have followed the steps above to prep the cabbage into quarters, continue here:
Step #1. Make sure the cabbage quarter is flat and steady on the cutting surface. Begin slicing it into thin strips with a chef's knife.
Step #2. Once it becomes hard to grasp, turn it so that it is flat against the cutting board and finish slicing.
Step #3. 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. Use a Box Grater
A box grater is going to give you a very fine, minced result that is perfect for slaw.
Once you have followed the steps above to prep the cabbage into quarters, continue here.
Step #1. 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. Repeat.
Chef's Note: This will produce a very fine shred. Carefully keep your fingers away from the grater holes and stop before you get to the end of the cabbage.
Step #2. Your shredded cabbage is ready to use.
Option 3. Use a Mandolin
A mandolin can be adjusted to different thicknesses and is great for very thin, uniform slices of cabbage. This is probably the most common way I shred cabbage, especially if I'm making my halibut tacos with mango salsa and slaw.
Once you have followed the steps above to prep the cabbage into quarters, continue here:
Step #1. Set the mandolin to desired thickness. Place the cabbage flat against the mandolin and place the guard over top of the cabbage.
Step #2. Carefully shred the cabbage with the mandolin by moving it up and down over the blade, using the guard to protect your fingers. You can also use a cut-resistant glove.
Joss' Tips
- Vegetables shred best when they are cold so keep the cabbage in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- After washing the cabbage, make sure to dry it well with a clean kitchen towel so that it shreds properly.
- When using a knife, make sure your fingers are holding the cabbage in a ‘claw’ position so that you protect them (curl fingertips inward).
Ways to Use Shredded 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.
- Make this ground beef stir fry with rainbow veggies.
- 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.
Storage
- In the Fridge: Once you've shredded your cabbage, you can store it raw in a tightly sealed container or bag in the refrigerator crisper, but only for 2 to 3 days. It will start to brown on the areas that have been cut if you store it any longer.
- In the Freezer: 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.
Cabbage Shredding FAQs
It depends on the what you are using the cabbage for, but I think it's easiest to use a mandolin to shred cabbage. It's quick, easy and makes consistent, thin cuts.
Yes, you can use the shredding disc attachment that usually comes with the food processor.
To keep the shredded cabbage fresh and crispy, you can store it in a bowl of water in the fridge, but be sure to drain and dry it really well before using.
If you tried this recipe tutorial for How to Shred Cabbage 3 Ways or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
How to Shred Cabbage (3 Ways)
Ingredients
- 1 head cabbage - red or green
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. (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.)
- Cut the cabbage in half again, making quarters.
Option #1: With a Knife
- Make sure the cabbage is flat and steady on the cutting surface. Begin slicing it into thin strips with a chef's knife.
- 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: 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 and stop before you get to the end of the cabbage.
Option #3: 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 by moving it up and down over the blade, using the guard to protect your fingers. You can also use a cut-resistant glove.
- Your cabbage is now ready to use!
Equipment
Notes
- These methods work with multiple types of cabbage, and can also be used to shred Brussels sprouts.
- 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 that is perfect for slaw.
- A mandolin can be adjusted to different thicknesses and is great for very thin, uniform slices of cabbage.
- Vegetables shred best when they are cold so keep the cabbage in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- After washing the cabbage, make sure to dry it well with a clean kitchen towel so that it shreds properly.
- When using a knife, make sure your fingers are holding the cabbage in a ‘claw’ position so that you protect them (curl fingertips inward).
- You can store shredded cabbage in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days. It will start to brown on the areas that have been cut if you store it any longer. Make sure it is in an airtight container or bag in the crisper or coldest part of your fridge.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Christina says
This helped me a lot. Thank you.
Joss D says
Thanks for letting me know Christina. I'm happy to help.