The Spruce Eats: How Do You Freeze Cabbage? Learn how to freeze cabbage, which is only truly fresh cabbage recipes to freeze the springtime, so you can enjoy it year-round. Erin Huffstetler is a writer with experience writing about easy ways to save money at home. Cabbage is a super versatile ingredient.
If you learn how to freeze cabbage, you can use it all year long. To freeze cabbage you just need a cutting board, sharp knife, bowl, stockpot, cookie sheet, and freezer bags. If you grew the cabbage yourself or bought it directly from the farmer, remove the tough outer leaves, rinse thoroughly, and soak it in cold water for 30 minutes to rid it of any cabbage worms or grit. Then shake off the excess moisture and pat dry. Cabbage can be frozen in shreds, leaves, or wedges, whichever works best for you. If you don’t know how you’re going to use your cabbage yet, it’s best to freeze it in wedges. That will allow you to cut it into whatever size you need later.
Once you’ve decided how you want to freeze your cabbage, go ahead and cut it. Fill a large stockpot with water and heat over high heat. When the water reaches a rolling boil, drop your cabbage in to blanch it. This will kill any bacteria that are present and stop the enzyme action so it keeps well in the freezer. Continue to 5 of 7 below. Pull the cabbage out of the boiling water as soon as the recommended blanching time is up and submerge it in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.