The 5-Minute Cabbage Recipe I Make At Least Once a Week

I love cabbage so much that I always keep it in the crisper. It’s among the cheapest vegetables you can buy, lasts forever, and has the most delightful crunch. Having it on hand also gives me lots of options for weeknight meals.

If I’m in the mood for tacos, the cabbage becomes a garlicky slaw. If I’m making soup, a handful of cabbage goes in at the last minute. If I want a more substantial side, I cut it into wedges, roast it until it’s brown, and serve it with a savory yogurt sauce.

The cabbage dish I make the most often, though, is a Japanese specialty called yamitsuki cabbage or shio kyabetsu. This dish is popular at izakayas, Japanese bars specializing in small dishes that go well with alcohol. Shio kyabetsu means “salt cabbage,” and that’s about all there is to it. 

“Salt cabbage,” however, undersells it. This cabbage dish is highly savory in a way that makes it hard to stop eating. The effect is almost like the gravitational pull of a bag of potato chips: you’ll want to snack on it until it’s gone. If the idea of “umami” has ever confused you or you weren’t sure when something had an umami flavor, make this recipe to understand it instantly and be forever changed.

How To Make My 5-Minute Yamitsuki Cabbage

To make about four servings, you’ll need:

• 8 ounces green cabbage, chopped no smaller than one inch
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• Salt and white or black pepper, to taste

Plan on about eight ounces of cabbage for four servings, but everything is “to taste.” Using a Microplane grater, grate a garlic clove into a bowl. Add a generous tablespoon of sesame oil, the sesame seeds, and chicken bouillon powder. Combine these ingredients into a flavorful paste.

Add the chopped cabbage and toss with the paste until the cabbage is coated. Taste a piece of cabbage and add salt and pepper to taste. You’re done!

My Tips for Making This Recipe

It’s best to use Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder. Lee Kum Kee is a common brand available at most Asian grocery stores. I have substituted Knorr brand chicken bouillon powder, which works very well. You can use a big pinch of MSG instead, though I think the chicken powder is where the magic of this recipe lies.

There are other optional ingredients you can add for even more flavor. My favorite is a teaspoon of sugar, which balances the savory flavors, but if you enjoy a little heat, some pepper flakes are lovely, too. I’ll also add a small splash of sake if I have it around, but it’s hardly necessary.

The next time you need to add a veggie side to your weeknight meal, keep this cabbage recipe in mind. It’s as quick to make as microwaving a bag of frozen vegetables, and it tastes way better.