Jamaican Cabbage Recipe

My Jamaican cabbage recipe is a family favorite recipe. Extra veggies are perfectly cooked, and the Scotch bonnet pepper adds a touch of heat, and a burst of fresh thyme, transforming the humble cabbage into something special.

 

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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

My family loves cabbage, which I like to include in my family meal plans most weeks. This easy cabbage can be prepared and cooked in no time, making it a go-to recipe for busy weeknight dinners.

The addition of a Scotch bonnet pepper adds a nice fiery twist, elevating the flavor of the cabbage in this traditional Jamaican side dish.

This recipe is courtesy of my mother, who made us this flavorful dish weekly. We like to serve it along with our favorite Jamaican recipes, like oxtail or curry chicken.

What is Jamaican cabbage?

This authentic Jamaican cabbage recipe steams the cabbage with other vegetables, a Scotch bonnet pepper, and a few fragrant sprigs of fresh thyme. This is a stable side dish in Jamaican cooking, it uses ingredients that are not only easy to find in most stores but affordable too.

Ingredients

You can find these simple ingredients in your local grocery store. Here is what you will need for this recipe.  

• Head of cabbage - We typically use green cabbage for this recipe.
• Carrots
• Roma tomato
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Green onions
• Fresh thyme
• Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero pepper)
• Water
• Olive oil
• Unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

How to make Jamaican steamed cabbage 

This simple side dish can be prepared, cooked, and on the table in less than 20 minutes, which makes this a winning side any day of the week. Here are the directions for making this easy 3-step dish. You can also print this out using the recipe card below.

Add all ingredients to a large pan over medium heat and cover with a lid. 

Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes until the cabbage is soft and tender. Remove from heat and remove the stalks of thyme before serving.

Expert Tips

These tips will help you make the best Jamaican steamed cabbage you've ever tried. 

• The longer you cook your cabbage, the more it will soften. For crunchier cabbage, cook for 6-8 minutes; for softer cabbage, cook for about 10-12 minutes.
• This dish is best served immediately while it's still hot so the cabbage does not overcook.
• If you don't like too much heat in your food, cut back on the Scotch bonnet pepper, or leave it out altogether. You can also use a milder chili pepper if you prefer, or substitute the pepper with habanero pepper.   
• To keep the carrot thin, use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the carrot.

Variations 

This steamed cabbage recipe can be easily adapted to suit your tastes. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.  

• Adapt the heat level in your dish by adding or reducing the amount of Scotch bonnet pepper or simply leaving it out.
• For those who like their food really spicy, add cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce for a little extra heat.
• Buy pre-cut cabbage to cut down on prep time.
• A teaspoon of paprika adds a hint of smoky flavor to the cabbage.  
• Add extra depth of flavor by adding 1-2 allspice berries.
• Vary the vegetables and add some colorful bell peppers. 
• Make it a one-pot meal by adding protein, like thinly sliced chicken, shrimp, or saltfish.

What kind of cabbage to use 

There are many different types of cabbage, and they can all work with this dish. I prefer green cabbage but use whatever cabbage you have on hand.

Some options include napa cabbage or red cabbage. They all have slightly different flavors and textures, so you can play with them to see which one you like best.

Napa cabbage is softer and milder, red cabbage is more bitter and crunchier, and green cabbage sits between the two.

It's worth noting that a softer napa cabbage will cook a little quicker, whereas a crunchy red cabbage will take a little longer, so adapt cooking times to suit the variety of cabbage you use.

How to adjust this steamed cabbage recipe  

This recipe serves six but can be easily adapted to make a bigger or smaller batch. Here are the best ways to do this. 

Double: To make a large batch of this cabbage, double all the ingredients; just make sure to use a big enough pan or cast iron skillet. If you don't have a big sauté pan, you can use a large dutch oven instead.

Halve: If you're only serving one or two people and don't need as many servings, you can cut the ingredients in half. Keep an eye on the cooking time as it will cook faster when there's less cabbage in the pan.

What meat goes well with steamed cabbage? 

If you want to serve this tender cabbage recipe with your favorite protein, you can absolutely do so!

This easy side dish is versatile and also pairs well with pork chops, chicken, sausages, steaks, and rich and hearty stews.

It also works well with fish and vegetable-based dishes, and I've included some serving suggestions below.  

How to serve this steamed cabbage recipe  

Jamaican steamed cabbage is easy to make and can be served with a variety of different main dishes, including meat, fish and vegetable-based dishes.

Try it with my Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken, or Jamaican Rice and Peas.

It also makes a great low-carb alternative to rice when served alongside stews and curries.

If you love cabbage as much as I do, here are some other great cabbage side options to serve with dinner, including my fried cabbage, instant pot buttered cabbage, sweet and sour cabbage, or Jamaican corned beef and cabbage.

How to store 

To refrigerate: Keep any leftover cabbage in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can reheat it in a small bowl in the microwave in 30-second increments until it's warm all the way through.

To meal prep: This is a great recipe to prep ahead of time; all you need to do is steam right before you're ready to eat. Slice the cabbage and prepare the other ingredients earlier in the day, then follow the instructions on the recipe card when ready to cook. 

FAQs:

If you have tried this Jamaican cabbage recipe, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!