My Pickled Cabbage is quick, crunchy, tangy, and made with finely shredded red cabbage, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and a little sugar. It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, needs no cooking, and is ready to eat in about 2 hours.
It is perfect when you want a sharp, colorful topping for Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab, Lebanese Shawarma, Chicken Doner Kebab - Tavuk Doner, tacos, sandwiches, or salads.
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This is the style of Turkish pickled red cabbage I like to keep in the refrigerator for easy meals. The cabbage softens slightly as it sits in the brine, but still keeps a lovely bite and the bright pink color. It is cheap to make, keeps well, and you only need a handful of everyday ingredients.
Why This Recipe Works
- It is a true quick pickle, so you do not need canning equipment, boiling brine, or any special jars.
- The vinegar and lemon juice give the cabbage a clean, sharp flavor that works really well with rich grilled meats, wraps, baked potatoes, and mezze dishes.
- Finely shredding the cabbage helps it soften faster and absorb the brine more evenly.
- It is a great fridge condiment for quick lunches, leftovers, meal prep bowls, and grilled dinners.
- A little sugar rounds off the sharpness without making the cabbage sweet.
- It is ready to eat after 2 hours, but the flavor gets better after a day in the refrigerator.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Red Cabbage - Use a firm, fresh head of red cabbage with crisp leaves and a heavy feel. Red cabbage is best for this recipe because it gives you that bright pink purple color and a nice crunch. Shred it finely with a sharp knife or mandoline, so it pickles quickly.
- Vinegar - I usually use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. White wine vinegar gives a cleaner, sharper taste, while apple cider vinegar has a slightly fruitier flavor. Distilled white vinegar also works, but it can taste stronger.
- Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice adds a brighter, fresher sharpness to the brine. It also works beautifully with Turkish and Middle Eastern-style dishes.
- Salt - It seasons the cabbage and helps draw out some of its moisture. Fine salt dissolves easily in the brine.
- Sugar - You only need a small amount. It balances the acidity and makes the brine taste rounder. The cabbage will not taste sweet.
How to Make Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
Finely shred the red cabbage using a sharp knife, mandoline, or food processor slicing attachment. Try to keep the slices fairly thin so the cabbage softens faster in the brine. Thicker slices still work, but they will stay crunchier and need a little more time.
Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl filled with cold water. Gently squeeze it with your hands for about a minute, then drain it well in a colander. This quick wash helps remove any loose bits and slightly softens the cabbage before it goes into the jar.
In a separate bowl or measuring jug, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, room temperature water, salt, and sugar. Stir well until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Taste the brine before adding it to the cabbage. It should be sharp, salty, and lightly rounded, not sweet.
Pack the drained cabbage into a clean glass jar, pressing it down firmly as you go. Pour the brine over the cabbage, then press it down again with the back of a spoon so the liquid reaches as much cabbage as possible. The cabbage may not be fully covered at first, and that is normal. It will soften and release more liquid as it sits. If you prefer the cabbage fully submerged straight away, make an extra half batch of brine and pour in just enough to cover it.
Seal the jar tightly and place it in the refrigerator. The pickled cabbage is ready to eat after about 2 hours, but it tastes even better the next day.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Shred the cabbage finely for the best texture. Thin slices pickle faster and are easier to use in wraps, kebabs, sandwiches, and salads.
- Use a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid. A 1 quart jar works well, or you can divide the cabbage between two smaller jars.
- Press the cabbage down firmly before and after adding the brine. This helps remove air pockets and allows the brine to reach the cabbage more evenly.
- Do not worry if the cabbage is not fully submerged at first. It will soften and release liquid as it sits in the refrigerator.
- For a softer texture, massage the shredded cabbage with the salt for a minute or two before adding the rest of the brine ingredients.
- Use clean utensils each time you take cabbage from the jar. This helps keep the pickled cabbage fresh for longer.
- This is a refrigerator pickle, not a canned pickle. Keep it chilled and do not store it at room temperature.
How to Store Turkish Pickled Red Cabbage
Store pickled cabbage in a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator. It keeps well for up to 3 weeks.
Make sure the cabbage stays covered or almost covered with brine as you use it. If the top layer looks dry, press it down with a clean spoon before returning the jar to the refrigerator.
Do not leave the jar sitting out on the counter for long periods. Take what you need, close the lid, and place it back in the refrigerator.
Recipe Variations
You can keep this pickled cabbage simple, or add extra flavor depending on how you plan to serve it.
For a garlic flavor, add one thinly sliced garlic clove to the jar. It gives the brine a deeper taste and works especially well if you plan to serve the cabbage with grilled meat or falafel.
For a spiced version, add a few black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, or a small bay leaf.
For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a thin slice of fresh chili.
For a sweeter style, add a few thin slices of red onion or carrot. They both pickle nicely with the cabbage and add extra color.
Serving Suggestions
Pickled cabbage is one of those fridge staples that can make a plain meal feel brighter with very little effort.
Serve it with Kuzu Tandir Kebab - Turkish Roasted Lamb, Joojeh Kabab (Persian Chicken Kebab), or Lamb Beyti Kebab. The sharp brine cuts through richer meats and adds crunch to each bite.
It is also perfect with falafel wraps, doner kebab, burgers, tacos, and sandwiches. Add a small handful just before serving so it keeps its texture.
For Turkish street food-style meals, spoon it over Kumpir (Turkish Baked Potatoes), or serve it alongside rice, salad, and Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs.
You can also add it to mezze platters with Beet Hummus, Haydari - Turkish Yogurt Dip, Persian Marinated Olives, pita bread, and grilled vegetables. It gives the plate a sharp, colorful touch without needing another dressing.
For lighter meals, use it in grain bowls, rice bowls, salad bowls, avocado toast, or simple lunch plates with cheese, eggs, or leftover chicken.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can leave out the sugar. The pickled cabbage will taste sharper and more acidic, but the recipe will still work.
Leftover pickling brine can be used as a flavorful addition to salad dressings, marinades, or sauces. It adds a tangy kick to dishes and helps reduce food waste.
No. Pickled cabbage and sauerkraut are not the same. This recipe is a quick refrigerator pickle made with vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and sugar. Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage and takes much longer to make. Pickled cabbage tastes sharp and tangy straight away, while sauerkraut has a deeper fermented flavor.
Yes. Warm the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar just until the salt and sugar dissolve, then pour it over the cabbage. Hot brine gives a softer texture. Cold brine keeps the cabbage crunchier, which is the texture I prefer for kebabs, wraps, and salads.
Related Recipes
For more delicious condiment recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below, and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this crunchy, tangy, and delicious condiment, Turkish-style Quick Pickled Red Cabbage, as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Easy Turkish Pickled Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs finely shredded red cabbage (700 grams)
- ½ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup water (room temperature)
- 3 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Finely shred the red cabbage using a sharp knife, mandoline, or food processor slicing attachment.
- Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl filled with cold water. Gently squeeze it with your hands for about a minute, then drain it well in a colander.
- In a bowl or measuring jug, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, water, salt, and sugar. Stir until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved.
- Pack the shredded cabbage into a clean glass jar, pressing it down firmly as you go.
- Pour the brine over the cabbage, then press it down again with the back of a spoon so the liquid reaches as much cabbage as possible. The cabbage may not be fully submerged at first, but it will soften and release more liquid as it sits. For fully covered cabbage straight away, make an extra half batch of brine and add only as much as needed.
- Seal the jar tightly and refrigerate. The pickled cabbage is ready to eat after about 2 hours, but it tastes better after resting overnight.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
- Use a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
- This is a refrigerator pickle, not a canned pickle. Keep it chilled.
- Shred the cabbage finely for the best texture.
- Use clean utensils each time you take cabbage from the jar.
- For a softer texture, massage the cabbage with the salt for a minute or two before adding the brine.
- Add garlic, sumac, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, bay leaf, or red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
Curtis says
Love the smell of the brine, with its lemony citrus notes, but there’s barely half the quantity required to cover the 1-1/2 lbs of shredded cabbage…. So, I recommend doubling your brine for this recipe (about 3 lemons worth of juice).
Ayla Clulee says
Hi Curtis, thank you for your helpful feedback. You’re right that the brine may not fully cover the cabbage straight away, especially if the cabbage is loosely packed or the jar is wide. The cabbage does soften and release liquid as it sits, but I can see how the instructions could be clearer. I’ll update the recipe to mention pressing the cabbage down well and making extra brine if you prefer it fully submerged from the start.
Kim Corde says
It is such an easy recipe that turned out just perfect!