• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Dehydrating
    • Dehydrating FAQ
    • Best Dehydrators
  • Canning
  • Shop

The Purposeful Pantry

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Dehydrating
  • Canning
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Dehydrating
    • Canning
    • Subscribe
    • Shop
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    The Purposeful Pantry » Dehydrating

    Author: Darcy Baldwin • Published: May 28, 2022 · Modified: Jun 23, 2022

    How to Dehydrate Cabbage

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Dehydrate cabbage to use in coleslaw, stir-fry, soups, and more throughout the year! You can make cabbage shelf-stable, even if you don't know how to ferment it!

    Bowl of sliced cabbage and cabbage head for dehydrating

    Cabbage is often looked at as a throwaway vegetable because people don't know how to preserve it other than fermenting. But you can easily dehydrate it and use it for so many things.

    Yes, even coleslaw! It won't be your typical coleslaw, a little softer, but it still works!

    Types of Cabbages

    Cabbages are great balls of leafy goodness for those that love it. It's great for making fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, coleslaw, salad, colcannon and so much more!

    But did you know there are a variety of cabbages to choose from - not just the typical red and green you find in the store?

    • Green -- what most people are familiar with for making sauerkraut and coleslaw.
    • Red  -- tends to be smaller than green, and makes a great color addition to coleslaw and other salads. It's perfect for pickling, too!
    • Savoy
    • White 
    • Napa -- looks a little more like Romaine lettuce than typical cabbages. It's perfect for salads and stir frys. This is also known as Chinese Cabbage.
    • Bok Choy -- another variety that looks more like lettuce than cabbage. Great for stir frys. It's also good for roasting.

    How to Dehydrate Cabbage

    Dehydrating cabbage is a good beginner's dehydrating project since so little preparation is needed. It's a quick-dry project, easy to store, and so versatile in usage.

    Equipment Needed:

    • Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Dehydrator
    • Storage Container - I prefer glass jars, but mylar bags and vacuum seal bags work well for cabbage.

    A Note about Blanching

    Cabbage falls under the "if you eat it raw, you don't have to blanch it" column. This means that while it is recommended to blanch cabbage to stop the enzymatic process that makes foods degrade faster on the shelf, it isn't necessary. So you can choose to blanch for 2 min or leave as is.

    Cabbage head being sliced in preparation for dehydrating

    Directions:

    1. Remove the outer leaves from each head of cabbage.
    2. Cut into quarters, then cut the core at an angle to remove
    3. Wash at this point, or cut in the next step and clean the strips. You can use a Salad Spinner to remove the excess moisture.
    4. Cut into thin strips approximately no more than ¼" wide. I prefer to cut longer pieces in half to make storage and eating later easier. You can also use a shredder attachment on your food processor.
    5. Place on dehydrator trays. You can mound them a little as they will shink like other greens do as they dry.
    6. Dry at 125F/52C for 8-12 hours until they are crunchy and break easily
    7. Allow to cool before testing
    8. Condition
    9. Store in an airtight container for up to a year.
    Before and after image of drying cabbage in a Sahara Dehydrator

    Conditioning and Storing

    Conditioning is the process of keeping your dehydrated cabbage in a large container for five days, shaking once a day. It allows the residual moisture to even out through the whole batch. It also allows you to see any moisture issues long before mold sets in.

    Once you've conditioned, place into an airtight container, such as glass jars, vacuum seal bags or mylar bags, for 12-18 months. This is the optimal time to store dehydrated foods to keep the most of the nutrients and color. You may get longer, but over time, they may begin to change color and degrade in texture.

    Dehydrated cabbage in a ⅓ cup measure to show drying yield

    Yield

    1 packed cup of fresh cabbage is approximately equal to ¼ cup dried.

    Rehydrating Dried Cabbage

    Reconstituting cabbage is so easy to do!

    • Simmer in a soup or stew
    • Place in a container and cover with water to allow it to rehydrate. I generally put just enough water to cover it.
    Dehydrated cabbage rehydrating in a bowl of water

    Uses

    Dried cabbage can be used in a variety of dishes.

    • Coleslaw - while not the typical fresh crunchy coleslaw, this will make a softer version.
    • Taco topping - makes a fun crunchy topping for fish tacos and other street taco kinds of meals when fresh isn't available.
    • Soups - add it to any ramen, soup, or stew without the need to rehydrate.
    • Colcannon. Yes - you can use dehydrated for this version as long as you rehydrate first!
    • Add to scrambled eggs
    • Stir fry - yes, you can! You can rehydrate first, or just toss it in as-is!

    Do I need to blanch cabbage before dehydrating it?

    No. You can, but it's not necessary. Though know that over time, your cabbage may begin to lose its color when not blanched. But rotate through it, and you won't have to worry.

    Can I powder dehydrated cabbage?

    Yes - you can powder it and add it to your green or vegetable powder.

    Do I have to vacuum seal it?

    Vacuum sealing nor O2 absorbers are necessary for storage. But it can be helpful for long-term storage to help as insurance against those agents (oxygen and moisture) that can make food degrade more over time.

    Can I dehydrate bagged cabbage?

    Yes! Those bags of coleslaw mix are a perfect way to get started dehydrating without the fuss of slicing and chopping. Just throw it onto your dehydrator trays and dry as above!

    How long does dehydrated cabbage last?

    Properly dried and stored, cabbage

    What does dried cabbage taste like?

    Rehydrated, it tastes like cabbage that has a bit of a bite to it, but isn't crunchy.

    Dehydrating Basics & Journal for Beginners and Beyond book ad
    Bowl of sliced cabbage and cabbage head for dehydrating

    Dehydrate Cabbage

    Dehydrating cabbage to make it shelf stable for up to two years is the perfect way to have egg roll casserole or fried rice at any time!
    Print PIN THIS! Rate
    Course: Preserved Food, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Drying Time: 8 hours
    Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 18kcal
    Author: Darcy Baldwin

    Equipment

    • Dehydrator
    • Knife
    • Cutting Board

    Ingredients

    • Cabbage

    Instructions

    • Remove the outer leaves from each head of cabbage.
    • Cut into quarters, then cut the core at an angle to remove
    • Wash.
    • Cut into thin strips approximately no more than ¼" wide, ⅛" (3mm) is a better cut.
    • Place on dehydrator trays. You can mound them a little as they will shink like other greens do as they dry.
    • Dry at 125F/52C for 8-12 hours until they are crunchy and break easily
    • Condition
    • Store in an airtight container for up to a year.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Video

    Darcy's Tips

    To rehydrate, soak in some water. You can dried cabbage for egg roll casserole, fried rice, or any other cooked cabbage dish.
    To use in slaw, know that it loses it's crunchy texture, so may be better for a warm slaw recipe!
    Condition: Place food into a large glass jar, shake once a day for a week to check for any signs of moisture buildup or sticking that isn't released by an easy shake of the jar. If you find signs, put it back into the dehydrator to dry more. 
    Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to two years in a dark, cool, dry place.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 18kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 69IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only. Nutrient information for dehydrated foods is based on fresh. Use ¼ of the servicing size for the same nutrient information. Thus 1 Cup of fresh fruit has the same sugars as ¼ dried.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @thepurposefulpantry or tag #thepurposefulpantry!

    ©ThePurposefulPantry. Photographs and content are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe's link is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

    Pinterest talk bubble to remind people to pin image
    Dehydrated cabbage in a jar with fresh cut cabbage in the foreground

    More Dehydrating

    • Olive Powder Dip
    • How to Dehydrate Olives
    • 15 Essential Dehydrated Foods Every Pantry Needs
    • Crunchy S'mores Mix with Dehydrated Marshmallows

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lonnie Estrella says

      January 16, 2023 at 8:58 pm

      On #7 it says condition. What is that?

      Reply
      • Darcy Baldwin says

        January 17, 2023 at 9:16 am

        The information is in the post notes above the recipe.

        Reply
    2. Laura B says

      January 02, 2023 at 6:38 pm

      My dehydrator is not adjustable and runs at about 145 to 155 degrees. Will this be too high for the cabbage?

      Reply
      • Darcy Baldwin says

        January 03, 2023 at 8:26 am

        You lose more nutrients the higher in temp you go, but you can do it.

        Reply
    3. Allison says

      November 23, 2022 at 12:43 pm

      I have been air-drying cabbage by the wood stove and it is nice and dry, but a few pieces here and there, while dry, are still a little rubbery/flexible. They feel "dry" but they are not absolutely brittle. Is cabbage supposed to be ALL completely brittle?

      Reply
      • Darcy Baldwin says

        November 23, 2022 at 1:15 pm

        Yes - they must all be fully dry if you intend to store.

        Reply
    4. JJ says

      September 18, 2022 at 9:51 am

      Do you blanch the cabbage before or after cutting into strips?

      Reply
      • Darcy Baldwin says

        September 18, 2022 at 12:50 pm

        After

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Darcy Baldwin of The Purposeful Pantry.

    Howdy! I'm Darcy! I've spent twenty years learning how to stretch our budget and stock our family's pantry by dehydrating food. You can do it, too!

    Learn how I can help you →

    You can get my new book, Dehydrating Basics & Journal to help you get started on your dehydrating journey!

    Dehydrating Basics & Journal for Beginners and Beyond front cover
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Most Popular

    • Best Meals in a Jar Recipes
    • 200 Best Dehydrating Recipes for Fruits and Vegetables
    • 8 Ways to Dehydrate Zucchini
    • 9 Ways to Preserve Eggs (Safely)

    Summer Preserving

    • DIY Zucchini Chips
    • How to Make Dehydrated Tomato Chips
    • How to Dehydrate Bell Peppers & DIY 'Paprika'
    • Dehydrate English Cucumbers + Cucumber Powder

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright
    • Accessibility Policy
    • How We Give Back

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for a free 5-Day Beginnering Dehydrator Course!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Youtube
    • Facebook

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Purposeful Pantry by Purposeful Media, LLC. |