5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (2024)

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When you need a quick side dish, this 5-minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage comes in handy! 54 calories and 1 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (1)

Every night I seem to fall into the side dish pit of despair. There are only so many times you can make a pot of brown rice and steamed broccoli, or quinoa and a bowl of salad before your family starts giving you that, "You've got to be kidding me" look.

When it comes to the entrees, I've got it down. Chicken, salmon or pork chops in the fridge? No problem! But by the time I reach the side dishes, any creative energies are depleted. So, I'm trying to come up with as many quick side dishes as I can to help with dinner prep.

This 5-minute spicy stir-fried cabbage is a life saver when the side dish well runs dry. It pairs well with almost any entrée. For a special occasion meal, try it with my favorite ahi tuna recipe.

5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (2)

Napa cabbage is my go-to variety of cabbage and I use it in my favorite Thai Chicken Salad (I could eat the entire bowl!) and almost any slaw recipe. It has a finer texture and milder flavor than regular green or purple cabbages. It's sold in most grocery stores, alongside the other cabbages in the fresh produce section.

The sliced cabbage is sautéed in sesame oil with fresh ginger, then seasoned with a small scoop of chili garlic sauce (found in the international section of most grocery stores) and a drizzle of soy sauce. Simple, healthy and full of savory flavors.

5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (3)

Printable Recipe

5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (4)

5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage

When you need a quick side dish, this 5-minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage does the trick! 54 calories and 1 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

4.55 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 53.7kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oils in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

  • Stir in the cabbage and cook, stirring constantly, until the cabbage is just tender, about 2 minutes.

  • Stir in the chili garlic sauce and soy sauce (or tamari). Season to taste. Serve.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 1 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 1 (SmartPoints), 2 (Points+)

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75Cup | Calories: 53.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.2g | Protein: 3.1g | Fat: 2.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 490.7mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: This post contains links to my Amazon affiliate page. Any revenue made from sales through these links helps to support this blog. Thank you!

5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (5)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Comment

  1. Brenda

    5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (10)
    Super easy and delicious!

    Reply

  2. Lynn o’Brien

    5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (11)
    Great, but did add one fresh tomato sliced and one green pepper..

    Reply

  3. Alison

    5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (12)
    I thought this was an excellent recipe, but no way you can make it in 5 minutes unless everything is already washed, chopped, and mise en place. It probably took me about 20 minutes. However, I highly recommend! Even my husband, who doesn't love cabbage, really enjoyed this served over soba noodles. I will keep this in our rotation.

    Reply

  4. Heather

    Not the best thing I’ve ever eaten, but it is cabbage . I got some Napa cabbage from the farmer’s market and gave this a try. Quick and easy.

    Reply

  5. Cat Warrell

    5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (13)
    Great!!!

    Reply

  6. June C Frost

    5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (14)
    I've fried regular green and purple cabbage, but not Napa. Since I'm expanding my diet to include more leafy greens, I am eager to try your recipe. I plan on adding a grilled sausage link as a side dish to this cabbage main dish. So simple, yet delicious. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  7. Cathy Trochelman

    What an amazing side dish! I've never thought to fry cabbage (?!)

    Reply

  8. Des @ Life's Ambrosia

    Spicy cabbage?! Gimme the whole pan!

    Reply

  9. Katerina @ diethood .com

    5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (15)
    I LOVE this side dish!! It looks and sounds SO delicious!!

    Reply

  10. Jen

    I'm in the same boat when it comes to side dishes. I love that this is such a quick and easy option to get me out of my rut!

    Reply

    • Terri

      5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (16)
      I made this using a bag of already shredded cabbage coleslaw mix and it was delicious

      Reply

      • Dara

        The bags of shredded cabbage are such a great way to speed up the prep time! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.

        Reply

  11. Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie

    I agree! AS long as I have meat thawed out dinner seems doable...it's those side dishes that stump me! This would be so perfect with so many different main dishes....and so quick!

    Reply

  12. Erren

    Wow! Only 5 minutes? This is a great side dish! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe - Quick Side Dish (2024)

FAQs

How to cook and eat Chinese cabbage? ›

Chinese cabbage can be steamed, boiled, quickly stir-fried, or eaten raw. Cooked leaves and stalks add flavor to soups, stews, pasta dishes, and stir-fries. Use succulent central ribs raw: slice or coarsely shred for salads or slaws, or cut into strips for raw-vegetable platters.

Why is Napa cabbage good for stir frying? ›

It's sweet and mild compared to peppery green cabbage; its leaves are thinner, more tender, and quicker to caramelize. Because it's not as sturdy, napa is a bit less crunchy than the standard variety, especially when cooked.

Why do you soak cabbage before cooking? ›

Crisp it up: Shredded cabbage stays perky if it's soaked in cold water. This also helps cut the pungent edge. Drain well before combining with other ingredients.

What is the healthiest way to eat cabbage? ›

Although you get different nutrients if you cook or ferment it, raw red cabbage in particular might give you the best nutritional boost per serving. Slice it very thinly and leave it for about 10 minutes to help bring out the fullest, most complex flavors. Then add it to salads or sandwiches or turn it into coleslaw.

How do you cut the bitter taste in cabbage? ›

Chop and soak: Soaking chopped cabbage in cold water for about 15 minutes will leach out most of the bitter and harsh flavor compounds, while also making the cabbage crisper. This is especially vital for leaf cabbage, but also works with firmer head cabbage varieties.

Which is healthier green cabbage or napa cabbage? ›

Napa and regular cabbage are both low-fat, low-calorie and low-carb, but the nutritious profile of napa cabbage offers higher levels of vitamins C, K and folate than green cabbage. It also delivers higher levels of essential minerals.

Can you eat too much napa cabbage? ›

Consuming cabbage in excess can result in abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea and flatulence.

Which is better cabbage or napa cabbage? ›

Both are excellent sources of important vitamins and minerals. Regular cabbage contains more calcium, zinc and potassium than napa, but napa cabbage contains higher levels of vitamins A, B3, iron and copper. Napa is also lower in sodium than regular cabbage.

What is good to eat with fried cabbage? ›

Fried cabbage is the perfect side dish for any Southern-style dinner. Try pairing it with Pulled Pork, BBQ chicken, pork chops, potato salad, black-eyed peas, cornbread, or ham.

Can dogs eat cabbage? ›

All varieties of cabbage are not only tasty to your dog, they are also very healthy. Cabbage helps your dog's digestive system and is good for their skin. It can cause flatulence (gas) in dogs, so remember to feed cabbage in small amounts, and introduce it into their diet slowly.

What part of Chinese cabbage is edible? ›

Traditional bok choy has dark, crinkly leaves and crisp, white stems; Shanghai bok choy has spoon-shaped leaves and jade green stems. The cool thing is that both the leaves and the stalks can be eaten, and this wonderful little plant is an excellent go-to for fiber, as well as for beta-carotene and vitamins C, K and A.

Does Chinese cabbage need to be cooked? ›

Napa cabbage can be eaten raw or cooked. It's also a great source of vitamin A and C, and contains only 7.4 calories per ounce (nutrition data). Use the raw leaves in place of iceberg lettuce in a wedge salad. Stir fry it with a piquant sauce to make hot and sour cabbage, a Northern Chinese classic.

Can I eat Chinese cabbage without cooking? ›

Sweet, crunchy, flavorful Chinese cabbage can be eaten raw, added to salads, sandwiches, and burgers.

Is Chinese cabbage eaten raw or cooked? ›

Chinese cabbage is eaten raw and can as well be used for preparing dishes, salads, and soups. Chinese cabbage is a good source of vitamins, minerals, traces of proteins and carbohydrate needed for the day to day functioning of your body.

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