French chef Jacques Pepin has revealed a simple trick to elevate cabbage from a bland side dish to a flavourful star: stop boiling it. Instead, he recommends sautéing the vegetable with apple cider vinegar, claiming it makes cabbage “10 times better”.
According to Pepin, boiling cabbage fails to enhance its flavour and compromises both taste and texture. His preferred method involves cooking the cabbage gently in a pan with a sauce made from apple cider vinegar diluted with water—roughly one part vinegar to two parts water. This provides enough liquid for braising without making the cabbage soggy.
For 10 cups of shredded cabbage, Pepin suggests using about three-quarters of a cup of the vinegar-water mixture. He also recommends adding red pepper flakes, salt, onion, and garlic from the start to create a dish that is “as bold as it is satisfying”.
To add savoury depth, the chef advises browning bacon in the pan first. Alternatively, a fermented sauce like soy sauce can be used instead of salt for a similar effect. Using a single pan ensures the cabbage absorbs maximum flavour while keeping cleanup simple.
For those who prefer a lighter topping, white wine vinegar is a superior option, bringing soft floral undertones. Shallots can replace onions to reduce harsh acidity, while sweet onions soften the sharpness of most vinegars. If cabbage is the centrepiece, increasing the vinegar-to-water ratio can boost flavour. Brown sugar and honey balance the acidity in savoury preparations, and adding fat—such as from bacon—helps the cabbage caramelise as the liquid reduces.
