Cabbage Curry: A Simple, Fragrant Dish with Coconut Milk and Spices

This aromatic cabbage curry is bursting with flavor! Simmered in coconut milk with peas, carrots, onions, garlic, and spices, this is a delicious and fragrant way to eat your veggies!

If you ever thought cabbage was boring, this simple, one-pot recipe just might change your mind! In addition, this dish packs a ton of fiber, plus some nice plant-based protein from the peas.

This cabbage curry is naturally vegan and gluten-free. If you follow a no oil added diet, you can also remove the oil and substitute 1/4-1/3 cup water or vegetable broth to start simmering the onions in so nothing burns.

If you love Indian food but aren’t a fan of how heavy some restaurant dishes can be, I think you’ll really enjoy this healthful meal!

The super simple way to make this cabbage curry

I used a head of cabbage for economical reasons, but on busy nights, you can always make this with a bag or two of pre-shredded coleslaw to save a little time and effort!

In addition, I added a ton of spices because it’s fun, delicious, and I already have a lot of spices handy. However, curry powder is already a blend of many of the spices I used, so you could just use 2 Tbsp of curry powder and skip all the individual spices.

If you are on a time crunch and need to serve this quickly, you may want to only use 1/2 a head of cabbage so everything cooks faster. Alternatively, if you happen to have a giant wok with lots of surface area, use that.

I figured if I was going to cook, I may as well make a lot and use the whole head of cabbage all at once!

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Serving Suggestions

While this cabbage curry is great on its own, it can become a heartier meal when served with rice, naan, chapatis, or roti (or your preferred grain or flatbread of choice – whole wheat tortillas work just fine in a pinch).

Try it over noodles for a fun twist!

If you have pickled red onion available, that would also be a tasty garnish for this dish!

Variations on this cabbage curry recipe

In order to make a heartier dish, try adding potatoes.

I think tomatoes go well in just about everything, so feel free to add some in.

In addition, if you like cilantro, I think it would be delicious in this dish, although I know that many people don’t care for cilantro (the leaves of the coriander plant). Maybe try it as a garnish first to make sure you like it.

Jalapeño or other hot chiles would be great in place of the garlic chili sauce, as would fresh ginger in place of the powdered ginger.

Of course, feel free to add additional spices and seasonings such as asafetida, curry leaves (no relation to curry powder), fenugreek, coriander, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.

Fresh thyme would also be a lovely addition (if you like thyme, of course).

Can I use red/purple cabbage?

Absolutely! It will look a little different, but will still taste delicious!

Storage and Reheating

This cabbage curry stores nicely in the fridge in an airtight container for several days. You can just scoop out a serving and microwave it for 90 seconds or so when you are ready to eat.

Can I freeze leftovers?

Since the vegetables are pretty soft to begin with, I imagine they would come out reasonable well after thawing – perhaps just a little mushier.

If you don’t mind that, go for it! I’d rather have healthy, home cooked leftovers – even slightly mushy – than not, especially after a long day.

Health Benefits of Cabbage

Cabbage is in the same genus as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, and depending on where you shop, it can sometimes be a more budget-friendly option.

It is very low in calories and still packs a ton of nutrients, including, among others:

Lots of –

• Vitamin K
• Vitamin C

As well as some –

• Folate
• Manganese
• Vitamin B6

Cabbage, along with other cruciferous vegetables, provides multiple kinds of antioxidants, including polyphenols and sulforaphane, which can help reduce chronic inflammation.

Furthermore, cabbage contains lots of both soluble and insoluble fiber. This makes it very helpful for digestion and healthy gut flora.

For full details, you can check out healthline’s article on the health benefits of cabbage (which also talks about the heart-healthy pros of eating red cabbage).

Related cabbage/curry recipes and a side

You may also enjoy:

• Tikil gomen (Ethiopian cabbage with potatoes and carrots)
• Instant pot cabbage
• Cholay (curried chickpeas – a regional variation of chana masala)
• Vegan roti recipe

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Cabbage Curry Ingredients

Before you begin, you will need:

Edible Ingredients

• 1 head of green cabbage
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cups frozen peas
• One 13.5-ounce can of coconut milk
• 3 green onions
• 3 carrots (or more, if you have extra)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, to taste
• 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil (or other high heat frying oil – try coconut oil to amp up the coconut flavor)
• 1 Tbsp chili garlic paste
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional – I like them, but they do add a pronounced flavor to this dish, so try one first to make sure you like them)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• To garnish – cilantro, parsley, green onions, or chives

Tools and Equipment

• Large dutch oven or skillet (you may need to only make a half batch if you are using a small skillet)
• Can opener
• Stirring utensil
• Spatula
• Knife and cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons

How to Make Cabbage Curry

1. First, wash and chop the cabbage and green onions. If desired, save some of the dark green onion tops for a garnish. Then, scrub and chop the carrots. After that, peel the onion and garlic, and chop the onion and mince the garlic.
2. Then, heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once it’s hot, add the onions and simmer until translucent. Then, add in the carrots, garlic, and spices, and cook another minute or so until fragrant.
3. After that, stir in the coconut milk and the frozen peas. Once it returns to a simmer, stir in the chili garlic sauce and the cabbage. Depending on how big your pan is and how big your cabbage is, you may need to let some of the cabbage cook down a little to fit the rest in.
4. Once all the cabbage is in the pot and the dish has returned to a simmer, stir in the green onions (minus a few for garnishing) and cover the pot. Cook for about 20-30 minutes, stirring at least every five minutes so nothing sticks. Your exact cook time will depend on your stove heat and how soft you like your cabbage, so try it at 20 minutes and see what you think. For me, at 20 minutes the cabbage still had some nice crunch, at 25 minutes half was soft and half still had a bit of crunch, and at 30 minutes it was all soft. Feel free to cook even longer if you want it super tender.
5. Once it is done to your satisfaction, garnish with green onions, cilantro, chives, parsley, or similar, serve plain or with rice or naan, and enjoy!

Important:

This post is for informational and educational purposes only. This post should not be taken as medical or nutritional advice or used as a substitute for such. You should always speak to your own doctor or nutritionist before implementing this information on your own. Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed this savory cabbage curry recipe!