I know that you love an easy veggie side dish with only a few basic ingredients, so I am popping in here today to share my latest obsession: Simple Sautéed Napa Cabbage with garlic, ginger and scallions. It takes 15 minutes to make and uses 8 cups of one of the best year-round seasonal veggies: Napa cabbage!
Why We Love This Simple Sautéed Napa Cabbage Recipe
As I mentioned when I shared this recipe for Napa Cabbage Caesar Salad, Nappa cabbage is one of those veggies we should all embrace a bit more! It is an earth-friendly vegetable because it can be stored for a long time.
That means even in cold climates, like in the Northern USA, you can buy locally grown Napa year round! It is a staple vegetable in many cold-climate winter CSAs.
In other words, even though it is harvested in the summer months, it can be stored and eaten in the winter. That means having lots of ways to prepare it is always a great idea. Today’s recipe is a perfect example how you can make it taste super savory with only a few seasonings.
I am sharing this easy veggie side dish recipe today because it is my goal to help you find tons of easy and useful ways to enjoy more veggies. I do this because more than 90% of readers say they are interested in learning about how to incorporate more vegetables into their diet. (Note: If you haven’t yet, you can take the latest reader survey here!)
This Napa Cabbage recipe is a great one to try if Napa cabbage is a new veggie for you. The cooking technique is so easy and the flavors (ginger and garlic) are easy to incorporate into a variety of meals. Try it alongside sesame noodles or peanut noodles. Or you can serve it with Ginger Lime Black Cod or Maple Tahini Glazed Salmon.
Ingredients For This Stir-Fried Napa Cabbage
Napa Cabbage
Napa cabbage is a variety of Chinese Cabbage and can be found in the produce section of large supermarkets, health food stores and farmers’ markets. Store it in plastic to prevent it from wilting. Remove any outer leaves that show signs of insect damage.
For this recipe, you will need 8 cups of chopped Napa cabbage.
How To Cut The Cabbage
- Cut the head of cabbage in half lengthwise (as in the photo above) and then again into quarters.
- Remove the core.
- Cut each quarter into long 1-inch wide lengths.
- Cut crosswise into 1-inch square pieces.
Garlic and Ginger
To season this dish, you will need minced ginger and garlic. Remove the peel and chop with a chef’s knife.
Tip: To easily remove the skin of the ginger, scrape it with the edge of a soup spoon. It peels right off without sacrificing any of the ginger root.
Oil
I usually recommend using certified Organic canola oil or avocado oil for high heat cooking. But you are welcome to use your preferred neutral cooking oil.
Salt
A little goes a long way in this recipe because the Napa really cooks down a lot. One-quarter of a teaspoon of table salt is plenty. You can use kosher salt instead, but make sure you read here why you may need to double the amount.
Dry Sherry
To deglaze the skillet and to steam (and wilt) the cabbage, you will need a small amount of dry sherry. If you do not have sherry or prefer to omit the alcohol, you can substitute 3 tablespoons vegetable broth plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar.
Make sure you are using unseasoned sherry, not sherry cooking wine, which has additional sodium added to it.
Scallions and Sesame Seeds
To add additional flavor and add color and freshness you’ll need two sliced scallions to add at the end. We also liked the way that a sprinkling of sesame seeds tasted on top. Toasted sesame seeds are even better!
Step By Step Instructions For Making This Easy Napa Cabbage Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Garlic and Ginger
Heat the oil over high heat in a large skillet. (Do not use non-stick skillets for high heat cooking!) Add garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant and starting to brown, about 30 seconds.
Step 2: Stir-fry the Napa Cabbage
To coat the cabbage with the ginger and garlic, add the Napa into the skillet, and stir it well. The skillet will seem very full. This is normal, and it will cook down in the next step.
Step 3: Deglaze and Steam the Cabbage
Next, pour in the sherry to quickly stop any browning and add moisture to the skillet. Cover the skillet with a large well-fitting lid and let the Napa cabbage wilt for about 2 minutes. This will help make the amount of napa in the skillet more manageable to sauté.
Step 4: Finish Cooking
Remove the lid. Sprinkle on the salt, and stir-fry the cabbage until it is just tender but not completely limp. This only takes 1 to 2 minutes. Do not overcook it or it will become watery.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the scallions. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds before serving.
Expert Tips and FAQs
Napa cabbage is a type of Chinese cabbage originating from the Bejing area. Translated from Chinese, its name is roughly “big white vegetable.” Napa cabbage is best grown in the cooler part of the growing season when days are more mild and short. It can be kept in cold storage for several months and is a great year-round vegetable. It can be eating raw in salads or slaws or cooked.
This recipe is best when made just before serving. The Napa cabbage can be cut and the garlic, scallions and ginger chopped in advance. Cook it just before serving. Leftovers can be enjoyed cold, as reheating makes the sauté too watery.
Yes! You can use red pepper flakes or Korean red chili flakes to taste. Add them into the saute in step two with the cabbage.
Instead of using ginger, scallions and sesame try a different flavor profile. Saute the garlic with two chopped anchovies in step one. Deglaze with 3 tablespoons broth plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Once it comes off the heat in step 4, add on shaved Asiago cheese and black pepper on top.
Yes regular cabbage works, however, green cabbage takes longer to cook than Napa cabbage. In step 3 add more liquid (up to 3 more tablespoons) and more cooking time (about 5 minutes total) to ensure that the cabbage wilts before proceeding to step 4.
More ways to Use Napa Cabbage
More Simple Vegetable Side Dish Recipes To Try
- 4. The best way to cook green beans is this Simple Skillet Green Beans with garlic and red pepper.
- 5. Our Steamed Cauliflower with herbs is another super option for a healthy veggie side dish that’s ready in minutes.
- 6. If you like asparagus, then this Roasted Asparagus with lemon and herbs is a great one to try in the spring.
- 7. This Simple Cucumber Salad is made without any oil and is low in calories, but it is still completly yummy and fresh!
- 8. If you haven’t tried roasting beets before then this is a great recipe to make. Our technique results in tender beets every time!
- 9. Fire up the grill to make this grilled zucchini recipe or our grilled carrots (not shown) are also very popular.
Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter or follow me on instagram. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie
Description
This recipe for Simple Sauteed Napa Cabbage with garlic, ginger and scallions is an easy low-calorie side dish featuring Napa cabbage and it only takes 15 minutes to make!
Scale
Ingredients
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil such as avocado
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
8 cups napa cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons dry sherry (or 3 tablespoons vegetable broth plush 1 teaspoon rice vinegar)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 scallions, chopped
Sesame seeds, preferably toasted, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat oil over high heat in a large skillet (not non-stick.) Add garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant and starting to brown, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in Napa cabbage (the skillet will be full.)
- Add dry sherry and cover with a well-fitting lid. Let cook about 2 minutes to allow the Napa to wilt.
- Remove lid and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring often until the cabbage is tender, but not completely limp, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in scallions and remove from the heat. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Notes
How To Cut Napa Cabbage Cabbage
- Cut the head of cabbage in half lengthwise and then again into quarters.
- Remove the core.
- Cut each quarter into long 1-inch wide lengths.
- Cut crosswise into 1-inch square pieces.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup each
- Calories: 104
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 171 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3 g