Napa cabbage is a beloved vegetable extensively utilized in East Asian cuisines for its versatility. From gyoza to scorching pot to simple stir-fries, we’ve gathered quite a lot of scrumptious Napa cabbage recipes so that you can strive!

Assist! What can I make with a large head of Napa cabbage? Apart from utilizing it as a tasty filling for dumplings, there are various extra inventive methods to make use of it. Right here, we’re going to be taught extra about Napa cabbage and how one can incorporate it in infinite recipes.

What’s Napa Cabbage?

Just a few fast details:

• Napa cabbage, often known as Chinese language cabbage or hakusai in Japanese, belongs to the huge Brassica household (like broccoli and Brussels sprouts). Nevertheless, it’s extra carefully associated to bok choy, as they’re from the identical plant species.
• The identify “napa cabbage” got here from the Japanese phrase “nappa” (菜っ葉), which suggests leafy inexperienced, nevertheless it has no connection to the California locale.
• You possibly can simply distinguish napa cabbage from common cabbage by its distinctive rectangular form and ruffled leaves with thick white ribs. The leaves are tightly packed and vary in coloration from mild inexperienced to pale yellow.
• It’s extremely proof against chilly climate, making it one of the vital fashionable winter greens in Japanese and different East Asian cuisines.
• Napa cabbage is a nice supply of dietary fiber, important for digestion. It’s additionally low in energy and filled with vitamins corresponding to folate and Vitamin B.
• You’ll find napa cabbage at Asian markets, and a few main grocery shops carry it as properly. Keep away from napa cabbages with limp stems or wilted free leaves.

Napa Cabbage vs Common Cabbage

Uncooked Napa cabbage has a milder, extra delicate taste than common cabbages, and as soon as cooked, it develops an outstandingly candy style. Whereas the leaves are lighter in texture, the white stems are crisp and juicy.

In comparison with different cabbages, Napa cabbage is the tenderest selection and cooks rather more shortly. This makes it a wonderful selection for including pure sweetness to dishes like soups, stews, braises, and scorching pots.

How one can Prepare dinner with Napa Cabbage

There are various attention-grabbing methods to prepare dinner with Napa cabbage! You possibly can eat it each uncooked or cooked. Like different cabbages, napa is nice for bulking up a dish.

Earlier than cooking, it’s necessary to separate the leaves from the thick stalks and add them individually, because the leaves wilt shortly.

To take pleasure in it uncooked, finely shred it and add it to slaws, salads, or use it as a noodle topping. Additionally it is wonderful for pickling. You probably have just a few leftover leaves after making a recipe, toss them into stir-fries or soups.

In East Asian cuisines, this leafy inexperienced is a should for warm pots and stews due to its candy and tender nature. Now, let’s check out our greatest Napa cabbage recipes!

12 Straightforward Napa Cabbage Recipes You’ll Love

1. Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry

This stir-fry will simply burn up a complete head of Napa cabbage! It solely requires a fast prepare dinner in a scorching pan, completed with a seasoning of soy sauce and freshly floor black pepper. Smoked bacon provides plenty of taste, however be at liberty to go away it out for a vegetarian model.

“This made an incredible heat lunch on a chilly November day. Served it with brown rice & a bowl of miso soup with seaweed. I solely had dried mushrooms, so after soaking them, used the water for my soup. Actually scrumptious & satisfying!” — Onsen

2. Mille-Feuille Nabe

Mille-feuille nabe is an easy Japanese scorching pot made with Napa cabbage and pork stomach slices, cooked in a savory dashi broth. It’s simply one of the vital fashionable scorching pot recipes loved in Japanese houses.

“I acquired my every day JOC electronic mail and determined to make it for dinner. It turned out incredible! Such a young taste and the ponzu dip/inexperienced onion/ togarashi provides it a pleasant kick. I served it with ume natto, ahi sashimi, shredded daikon, and rice.” — Gina

3. Creamy Napa Cabbage and Bacon Pasta

Candy, tender Napa cabbage nestled in penne pasta with a creamy sauce—it’s all the pieces you want for a comforting, scrumptious meal. The marginally charred panko topping provides an additional layer of taste!

“What a easy dish to make! I at all times battle to make use of up leftover cabbage so I used to be nice having with this, by no means thought cabbage would accomplish that properly as consolation meals.” — Julia vB

4. Fast Korean Contemporary Kimchi

It’s a no brainer to make use of Napa cabbage to make kimchi, however in case you’re on the lookout for one thing faster, do this Korean recent kimchi. All you want are garlic, inexperienced onions, fish sauce, gochugaru, and apricot jam to create the incredible, punchy paste. There’s no fermentation concerned, making it fast and simple.

“It is a GREAT fast kimchi recipe. Tremendous tasty. Our household cherished it, thanks!” — Corinna

5. Pickled Napa Cabbage

This pickled napa cabbage is a welcoming facet dish to go together with steamed rice or any Japanese or Asian meal. It’s tremendous simple and fast to make! You possibly can taste it with sesame oil and sesame seeds, or with kombu and rice vinegar.

“Straightforward and scrumptious salad!! I used to be do the sesame taste and added some bean sprouts and a few pickled daikon and eat it for lunch. Was style actually good and refreshing.” — Marco

6. Japanese Sizzling Pot (Yosenabe)

A wintertime favourite, yosenabe is a real “something goes” scorching pot. It’s the right meal for utilizing up leftover Napa cabbage, greens, and meat.

“I made this recipe throughout the current US chilly snap and it actually hit the spot and stored us heat! I appreciated going again to fundamentals with the broth on this one–I’ve been doing plenty of experimenting with totally different seasonings for it, and I cherished the return to easy magnificence.” — John H

7. Napa Cabbage Gyoza

These Napa cabbage gyoza are crispy, juicy, and bursting with taste! You’ll take pleasure in them much more with the miso dipping sauce.

“This recipe was nice!! I made the gyoza wrappers by hand for the primary time and together with your recipe they turned out very well. The gyoza itself was incredible.” — Yelissa

8. Asian Coleslaw

Wearing a tangy and candy sesame dressing, this wholesome slaw is filled with taste. It enhances BBQ meats, tacos, ahi tuna steak, and different Asian dishes. I used common inexperienced cabbage, however you possibly can simply swap it with any leftover Napa cabbage you’ve within the fridge.

“Okay WOW!! This recipe for the slaw is so rattling good!! I served it with Ahi and added just a few issues, edamame, mango, and sliced jalapeños. For the dressing, I added somewhat little bit of peanut butter. It was so good!!!! 100.%%!! Finest Recipe!!” — Kimberly

9. Stir-Fried Greens

This savory Japanese stir-fried greens is a successful template for utilizing up leftover cabbage (Napa or common) and different greens within the fridge. I added sliced pork for protein, however you possibly can simply swap it with different proteins like hen, seafood, or tofu. The greens’ naturally crispy texture provides to the dish.

“As soon as all the pieces was chopped, it solely took quarter-hour. I used a small meat tenderizer to make the pork even thinner. This recipe will certainly be added to the rotation of weeknight dinners!” — Stephanie

10. Sizzling Pot for One

Tender pork stomach cooked in a scrumptious and savory katsuo dashi with napa cabbage and enoki mushrooms. It is a fast but fancy lunch for stay-at-home mothers and dads, in addition to individuals working from residence.

“Thanks for this recipe and for opening the door to the world of Donabe cooking for me. I acquired mine every week in the past and coked this dish tonight. It was all the pieces that I hoped for: easy, wholesome, recent, clear.” — Xavier

11. Steamed Greens with Miso Sesame Sauce

Wholesome and filled with taste, this steamed vegetable recipe is the quickest option to get veggies in your plate. Served with an umami-packed dipping sauce, you’ll wish to return for an additional serving!

“We love this sauce, and the recommendations on steaming the veggies are so helpful (though I’ve been steaming veggies for many years)!” — Virginia

12. Chukadon (Chinese language-Model Rice Bowl)

When you’ve just a few leaves of Napa cabbage sitting within the fridge, strive making this Chinese language-style rice bowl dish. Cooked in a soy-infused sauce, it captures all of the flavors of your favourite takeout!

“Wow! One other superb recipe. And really easy. Love the gravy taste. We’re gluten-free and we’re capable of finding GF oyster sauce.” — Lauren

What’s your favourite method to make use of Napa cabbage? In case you benefit from the recipes above, I’d love to listen to from you within the feedback under!