Fitness / August 28, 2024

Jamaican Cabbage

Made with carrot, bell pepper, onion, and thyme—Jamaican Cabbage isn’t your ordinary serving of cabbage!

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Cabbage is truly one of the most underrated vegetables in the world. It can be prepared in so many different ways, making it one of the more versatile vegetables. Unless you’ve visited this island nation or have family from there, you may not have ever had a chance to taste Jamaican cabbage. But with this recipe, you can. Who knows, it could become your new favorite way of cooking cabbage.

Jamaican cabbage contains a lot more than just cabbage. It is joined in the pot by carrots, bell peppers, garlic, and a few spices. It’s something of a melting pot of flavors, although the cabbage remains the star of the show. It takes on a tangy sweetness that makes it stand out from other ways of preparing cabbage. Equally important, the colors of Jamaican cabbage make it just as enjoyable to look at as it is to eat.

As for other methods of preparing cabbage, there are several great options. We’ll start with a simple cabbage salad and a hearty cabbage soup. There is also a slightly more intricate shredded cabbage salad with apples. For something that combines meat and vegetables, cook up a pot of cabbage soup with sausage. If you want to spread your culinary wings a little, we recommend keto cabbage rolls.

Is Jamaican Cabbage Healthy?

Jamaican cabbage is nutritious AND delicious. Cabbage is naturally high in vitamins C, A, and K, calcium, magnesium, and fiber, helping with both heart health and digestive health. The entire dish has fewer than 120 calories and just 13 grams of carbs, helping to make it part of a balanced diet. It is suitable for vegan, vegetarian, and Mediterranean diets. It can also be a part of whole30, paleo, and gluten-free diets, provided the seasoning complies—so be sure to check that label!

The Jamaican Way

To make the perfect Jamaican cabbage dish, shred the cabbage before you start to cook anything else. To shred it properly, cut the head into quarters. From there, remove the inner stalk, which should make it easier to shred. Once the cabbage is in the pot, make sure it doesn’t dry out. If this becomes a problem, you can add a little more water.

You also have some leeway for how you want to cook some of the other ingredients. With the carrot and bell pepper, add them to the pot after you’ve added the cabbage if you prefer them to be crunchy. By adding them later in the process, they will have less time to cook and get soft. On the other hand, if you want your carrots to be soft, feel free to add them early in the process, at the same time as the onion.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded
1 large carrot, julienned
1/2 bell pepper, any color, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Sauté

Cook onion, garlic, and thyme.

Combine

Add cabbage, carrot, and bell pepper.

Season

Add water and spices, then steam.

Serve

Adjust your taste and enjoy.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How do I store Jamaican cabbage?

Any Jamaican cabbage leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you wish to keep leftovers a little longer, they will be good for up to a month if stored in the freezer. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Is cabbage really popular in Jamaica?

Yes, in fact, some people in Jamaica believe that tea from boiled cabbage can help fight off the flu and the common cold.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re going to cook Jamaican cabbage as a side dish, you might as well cook a Caribbean main course as well. If that’s your thinking, jerk chicken is the most common option. You can prepare slow cooker jerk chicken curry or perhaps try an easy jerk chicken recipe with pineapple. If that strikes your fancy, you should also try Caribbean chicken bowls with grilled plantains. Don’t worry, chicken isn’t your only option for an authentic Caribbean meal. You can also prepare jerk shrimp stew with cauliflower rice. For the vegans, there is also a Caribbean cold lentil salad that should pair well with your Jamaican cabbage.

Jamaican Cabbage

Made with carrot, bell pepper, onion, and thyme, Jamaican Cabbage isn’t your ordinary serving of cabbage!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine jamaican

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 118kcal

Author Anneliese Duprey

Ingredients

1/2 head green cabbage shredded
1 large carrot julienned
1/2 bell pepper any color, thinly sliced
1 small onion thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onion, garlic, and thyme until onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Add shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, and sliced bell pepper to the skillet, stirring to combine with the sautéed onion mixture.
Pour in water, then season with all-purpose seasoning, black pepper, and salt. Stir well.
Cover the skillet, reduce heat to low, and let the cabbage steam until tender but still slightly crisp, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat, discard thyme sprigs, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve warm.