Cooking with a steamer is an easy and healthy way to prepare meals. But can you steam cabbage in a steamer?
The answer is yes! Steaming cabbage can help to maintain its crispness and flavor. Plus, steaming helps to preserve the nutrients in your cabbage, making for a healthy side dish.
This article will explain the benefits of steaming cabbage, why you should use a steamer to prepare it, and how you can steam cabbage in a steamer.
Let’s get into it!
What Is Cabbage?
Cabbage is a nutrient-rich vegetable that comes in wide varieties and colors. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, folate, and antioxidants.
Cabbage also provides omega-3 fatty acids and minerals such as iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Its mild flavor and crunchy texture can be eaten raw or cooked in various ways.
See also: Can You Steam Cod In A Steamer?
The Benefits Of Steaming Cabbage
Steaming cabbage has several advantages compared to other cooking methods like boiling or frying. Here are some of the benefits of steaming your cabbage.
Nutrition Preservation
Steaming cabbage helps preserve essential nutrients in the vegetable that can be lost during other cooking methods.
Vitamins like A, C, K, and B6 are retained, while minerals such as calcium, iron, and potassium remain intact.
Boiling cabbage can cause these vitamins and minerals to leach out into the boiling water, significantly reducing their availability for absorption by your body.
Additionally, studies have found that steaming retains more antioxidants than boiling or frying since it does not use high temperatures, which would otherwise destroy them.
See also: Can You Steam Carrots In A Steamer?
Tenderness Without Burning
Steaming is a great way to cook vegetables like cabbage because it achieves tenderness without burning due to its low-temperature environment.
This also allows you to avoid overcooking, which can make vegetables mushy. For example, if you steam red cabbage for 5 minutes, it will retain some bite.
But it will become much easier to chew than if you boil it for 10 minutes, which could turn mush after being overcooked.
Simple Process With Little Effort Required
Finally, one great benefit of steaming is its straightforwardness compared with other cooking methods, such as boiling or frying.
All you need is a pot filled halfway with water and a heat-resistant container like a colander insertable inside (or even directly in).
Once the water starts boiling, you must place your cut-up pieces of cabbage inside the container before covering everything back up again so they cook evenly throughout.
This usually takes around 5-7 minutes until ready, depending on the size/thickness of the pieces used.
See also: Can You Steam Pork Chops In A Steamer?
Type Of Steamers For Steaming Cabbage
There is a lot of cookware that you can use to steam the cabbage. Here are the most commonly used:
Electric Food Steamer
An electric food steamer is a great option for those who want to steam their cabbage quickly and with minimal effort.
An electric food steamer has multiple tiers that can hold various vegetables and proteins, allowing you to cook a full meal all at once.
To use an electric food steamer, fill the bottom tier with water, place your ingredients in the top tier(s), turn on the machine, and wait as it cooks everything evenly.
The advantage of using an electric food steamer is that its automated timer will let you know when your cabbage (or other foods) are done cooking.
Stovetop
A stovetop may be one of the oldest methods to cook cabbage, but it isn’t outdated. This method requires very little equipment.
A large pot or deep skillet with a lid, a heat source (such as gas or electricity), and enough water to cover your veggies.
Microwave
For those short on time yet still wanting delicious results from their cooked veggies, microwaving is worth considering.
Simply take whatever size bowl you desire (microwave-safe). Fill halfway up with about 1/4 cup of liquid, such as water.
Then add in raw chopped pieces of cabbage, stirring gently until submerged in liquid before popping into the microwave for 3-5 minutes.
Rice Cooker
Another alternative is utilizing rice cookers which work similarly. The rice cooker comes with a steaming tray that allows you to steam vegetables.
The rice cooker usually takes less than 20 minutes total, resulting in perfectly cooked veg every single time.
See also: Can You Steam Eggplant In A Steamer?
How Do You Cut Cabbage For Steaming?
The best way to cut cabbage for steaming is by slicing it into thin strips.
This can be done easily with a sharp knife, cutting the cabbage into quarters first, then removing the core before thinly slicing each quarter. The thin slices will help ensure that all pieces cook evenly when steamed.
When cutting cabbage for steaming, it’s important to use a sharp knife.
A dull blade can cause tearing or shredding of cabbage leaves, resulting in uneven cooking times when steaming.
Start by trimming off any loose or damaged outer leaves from the head of the cabbage and cutting it into four equal wedges using an angled cut around its core.
Once you’ve made your initial quartered pieces, remove their cores, as this helps speed up steaming time since they are usually tougher than other parts of the vegetable.
Finally, start at one end and slice each piece horizontally as thinly as possible.
This will ensure that all pieces have a similar thickness, so they cook evenly when steamed together in a pot or basket over boiling water.
How To Steam Cabbage In An Electric Food Steamer?
The best way to steam cabbage in an electric food steamer is to choose small, compact cabbages and place them into the steaming basket.
Once you have placed the cabbage in the basket, add a cup of water to the base of your electric food steamer.
Set it on high heat for about 12 minutes or until tender. Make sure to check regularly so that it doesn’t overcook.
When using an electric food steamer, it is important to pay attention to how much you are putting into the appliance at one time.
Overfilling can cause uneven cooking and make results less than desirable.
The leaves become soft without losing their texture and color while retaining most of their vitamins and minerals.
FAQs
How Long Does To Steam Cabbage In The Electric Steamer?
It typically takes about 10 minutes to steam cabbage in an electric steamer.
How Long Does Steam Shredded Cabbage?
Shredded cabbage should be steamed for about 5 minutes.
How Long Do You Microwave Cabbage?
Cut it into small pieces to microwave cabbage and place it in a microwave-safe dish. Add two tablespoons of water, cover the dish with plastic wrap or a lid, and cook on high for 3 to 4 minutes.
Does Steaming Cabbage Remove Nutrients?
Yes, steaming cabbage can reduce the nutrient content of the vegetable. Nutrients such as vitamin C and folate are water-soluble and can be lost in the cooking liquid when boiled or steamed.
Is It Best To Steam Or Boil Cabbage?
It is best to steam cabbage as boiling can cause it to lose some of its nutrients.
Conclusion: Can You Steam Cabbage In A steamer?
The answer is yes! You can steam cabbage in a steamer.
It is an easy and healthy way to prepare your favorite green vegetable, but you’ll also be surprised at how much flavor comes from the steamed cabbage.
You can have delicious, nutritious steamed cabbage ready for dinner with just a few simple steps.
So give it a try today!
You won’t regret it!