Cabbage curry recipe – A simple cabbage masala curry made with cabbage, peas & spices. Cabbage is used to make a variety of Indian recipes like paratha, curry, stir fry, raita, kootu, chutney, vada, soup, salad and kofta. This cabbage curry recipe is very basic and is made with almost pantry staples.
If you are trying to eat healthy then this will be a good addition to your weekly menu. It is not only healthy, simple & quick to make but also tastes delicious. This simple cabbage curry goes very well with plain steamed rice, roti, chapati. You can also use it in sandwiches and wraps. This goes well in tiffin box too.
Preparation
1. Pour oil to a hot pan. Then add cumin and mustard. When they begin to splutter, add ginger garlic paste or grated ginger. Fry until the raw smell disappears. You can also add ginger garlic paste after frying onions.
2. Add onions and fry until they turn transparent.
3. Next add in tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Fry until the tomatoes turn completely mushy and soft.
4. Add red chili powder, garam masala. Fry for one to two minutes without burning. I usually add some curry leaves here along with spice powders, this time i didn’t use since i didn’t have. Before proceeding to the next step, make sure the raw smell of tomatoes has completely gone.
5. Transfer green peas and saute for a minute. You can use fresh/ frozen peas. Dried peas or chana dal can also be used to make this curry. Soak dried peas for about 10 to 12 hours. If using chana dal soak for one hour, cook and use here.
How to make cabbage curry
6. Add cabbage. Ensure cabbage is drained completely before adding it to the pan.
7. Mix everything till the masala coats the cabbage well. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.
8. If the cabbage is very tender and young, cook without covering. If it is too dry then cover and cook until it is done. It may release a lot of moisture and make the curry mushy. Cabbage should be crunchy yet partially cooked and not mushy.
9. Add coriander leaves and stir well.
Serve cabbage curry with rice or roti.
If you are new to cooking, then these tips will help you to prepare cabbage.
Tips
- I always prefer to cut & wash cabbage well so that the leaves get a good rinse from inside. But there are a lot of sources mention that it can be very well used after giving a good rinse outside.
- Ensure you drain the cabbage completely before cooking otherwise it turns mushy.
- Never cook cabbage on a low flame as it begins to release moisture and turn mushy.
- Using peas in this recipe is optional. You may skip them.
You may also like to check this collection of 14 cabbage recipes.
Cabbage vada
Chinese style cabbage stir fry
steamed cabbage recipe
cabbage vepudu
quick cabbage rice
cabbage paratha
Simple cabbage curry recipe
Cabbage curry
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1 tbsp oil or as needed
- ½ tsp cumin or jeera
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp ginger or ginger garlic paste or grated
- 1 large onion thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 large tomato finely chopped (optional)
- salt as needed
- 1/8 tsp turmeric or haldi
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ¾ tsp garam masala or sambar powder as needed
- ¼ cup green peas or 2 tbsp chana dal (soaked and cooked)
- 2 to 3 cups cabbage chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
Preparation
- Remove the outer leaves of cabbage and cut to quarters.
- Warm 4 to 6 cups water in a large pot. The water should be warm. Turn off the stove.
- Keep the cabbage in this water and leave for 3 to 4 mins.
- Discard the water and rinse them a few times in fresh water. Drain the cabbage completely.
- Chop the cabbage and set aside. Alternately, chop the cabbage and add to salted warm water. Drain off and set aside.
- Ensure the water is completely drained from the cabbage otherwise it will turn mushy.
Making cabbage curry
- Add oil to a hot. When the oil turns hot, add mustard and cumin.
- When they begin to sizzle, add ginger garlic and fry till it turns aromatic.
- Add sliced onions and fry till they turn transparent. Transfer tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Fry until the tomatoes turn mushy and soft.
- Add spice powders and fry for a minute for the raw smell to go away. Next add green peas and then saute for a minute.
- Next add chopped and drained cabbage. Stir for the masala to coat the cabbage well and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Fry until the cabbage is cooked to your liking. Sprinkle Coriander leaves. Serve cabbage curry with rice or roti.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hi.. thanks for the recipe i will be trying this soon. Can i use godha masala as garam masala??
Hi Jenifer
Yes you can use. Adjust the quantity to taste
Thanks
Tastes great! Added more chili powder to make it spicier though.
Glad to know Dani
Thank you
The first time I made a cabbage curry was when in lockdown in Goa last year, when the local market was closed, thankfully local boys managed to get vegetables for myself and friends, but one day nobody want the cabbage so rather than go to waste we had it, found a cabbage curry recipe on the internet, but I didn’t take note of it and this curry reminded me of my time in Goa. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this curry and it is particularly important as my husband has a kidney malfunction and can only eat certain types of food!
Hello Elena
That’s awesome! Glad to know you both enjoyed the curry. Thank you!
🙂
Can purple and green cabbage both be used together for this recipe?
I haven’t tried them together. Not sure how it turns out
Superb recipe!
I just want to know, is there a reason why the cabbage has to be put in warm salt water? Is it only to clean the cabbage or does it help in cooking too?
Hi Rocky
putting in hot water brings out the hidden little bugs if any. You may skip that if you don’t prefer.
Simple ingredients….taste also very good
Thanks Kusuma
Hi,
We really love this curry! My partner and I have cooked it several times, we like the taste and how simple it is to cook. thank you for posting this!
Hi Corey
You are welcome! Glad to know! Thank you
I loved it. Had a glut of cabbage in the allotment
Thank you
Very tasty thanks. Just the sort of dish we enjoy
Glad to know! Thank you
Thank you for the detailed instructions! may I omit the mustard seeds if I don’t have any?
You are welcome!
Yes you can omit them
Greetings from France!. I made your cabbage curry and it was a huge success. My husband said it was the best curry he’d eaten and even my teenage son (a pasta pizza lover) really enjoyed it. It was easy to make and your instructions easy to follow. I’d have normally used Basmati rice but had bought the local Camargue rice (helping local producers) but it’s not quite the same!
Hello Angelina,
Glad you all liked the cabbage curry. Yes it can be eaten with any kind of rice. Appreciate for being so thoughtful about the local producers. Thank you so much!
🙂
Made 12 doz dinner rolls excellent nice yellow color ,
Thank you
Fantastic! I never thought of making cabbage curry but your recipe proved tasty and everyone loved it. Thank you so much
Thank you Swasthi garu. Your recipes are very helpful for me.
Welcome Sai garu
Glad to know the recipes are useful. Thanks for rating the recipe
Good
I’m just one week home from a cycling holiday in rural Kerala where I experienced the best vegetarian food I’ve ever tasted.Curry for breakfast,dinner and tea!
Desperate for the taste of Indian food but with only a cabbage in the house and fresh spices I brought home from my visit to a Spice Farm last week,I made your cabbage curry dish.It was absolutely gorgeous and took me straight back to beautiful Kerala. Thankyou
Hi Lorrie
Glad to know you. You are welcome
🙂
Happy to know you liked the curry.
Thanks for writing.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Similarly, I just returned from India & was craving curry. I follow the Slimming World way of eating & was surfing the net to find a way to use my cabbage up. This was delicious and I shall be recommending it to my group.
Thanks for trying Tina
Great recipe! I used napa/savoy cabbage, so there was no need to soak first. I will double it next time in order to use the entire cabbage.
Thanks Debbie
Oh I never tried using napa cabbage. Will have to try it sometime.
Hi,
I usually cook variety of recipes from net. but dont know. these days whatever i do, i am not able to cook properly. and so i tried from your site. while cooking it tastes good. but by noon or night the taste is getting changed.
Please help me in this as i tried lot of times to change the style of cooking but nothing gives the best.
Hi Divya
Any food that is cooked tastes best within 2 hours. After that food begins to decompose and the taste begins to change. SO after cooking it has to be refregerated with in 30 mins of cooking. If the food is made for consumption in school or office (i.e in lunch box) then curries that have been cooked without using water and too many tomatoes keep good for long hours. That is dry curries.
When you pack you must always cool the food completely and then only transfer to a box. It should not be touched by hand and must be handled only with spoons.
Hope this helps
Looks yummy, Its going to be on my cookbook reciepe
Thanks
Thanks for simple recipe. It is pretty straightforward. I added peanuts along with onion.
welcome Dhanu
Adding peanuts sounds good.
will try.
Thanks for the feedback
Tried this recipe. Came out really well. Also, pretty quick to make.
Thanks Anusha