Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
A bright, tangy topping that keeps in the fridge and lifts bowls and wraps.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 8
- Ingredients
- 7
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) Red cabbage, core removed, very thinly sliced
- 240 ml (1 cup) Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 240 ml (1 cup) Water
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black peppercorns, optional
- 1 Garlic clove, lightly crushed, optional
You’ll need: Small saucepan, Clean heatproof jar
Method
Pack the jar. Pack the cabbage into a clean heatproof jar or container that holds about 1 litre (1 quart), pressing it down gently. Add the peppercorns and garlic if using.
Make the brine. Heat the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small pan over medium heat, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Do not let it boil hard.
Pour and cool. Pour the hot brine over the cabbage so it is fully covered, pushing the cabbage under the liquid with a spoon. Leave to cool for about 30 minutes, uncovered.
Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before eating. The colour deepens to a vivid pink and the flavour improves over the first day.
Storage
Keep covered in the fridge, with the cabbage submerged in the brine, for up to 2 weeks. This is a refrigerator pickle, not a canning recipe; do not store it at room temperature.