Delia Smith Pickled Red Cabbage Recipe

Delia Smith does not have a pickled red cabbage recipe in any of her books, but after years of making her braised version I started pickling the cabbage raw using a similar spice mix. This is my recipe, not Delia’s, and it takes 10 minutes of prep plus 24 hours in the fridge before it is ready to eat.

I first made this because I had half a red cabbage left over from Delia’s braised red cabbage and did not want to waste it. The spices are the same ones Delia uses for braising: cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, but here they go into hot vinegar instead of a casserole dish.

More Side Dishes:

• Braised Red Cabbage
• Green Tomato Chutney
• Coleslaw

Why Pickle Instead of Braise?

Braised red cabbage is soft, sweet, and served hot. Pickled red cabbage is crunchy, sharp, and served cold, so they are completely different things even though they start with the same vegetable.

I keep a jar in the fridge at all times because it lasts for weeks and goes with everything from a cheese sandwich to cold roast pork. Delia’s braised version needs reheating and does not work cold, so the pickle fills a gap her recipe leaves open.

Pickled Red Cabbage Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb 2 oz) red cabbage, quartered, cored, and finely shredded
• 1 tablespoon fine salt
• 300ml (10 fl oz) white wine vinegar or malt vinegar
• 100g (3½ oz) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• ¼ whole nutmeg, freshly grated

How To Make Pickled Red Cabbage

1. Salt the cabbage: Toss the shredded cabbage with the salt in a large bowl. Leave it for 1 hour to draw out moisture, then rinse under cold water and drain well.
2. Make the pickling liquid: Put the vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick, and nutmeg into a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Pack the jar: Pack the drained cabbage tightly into a sterilised jar or two.
4. Pour and seal: Pour the hot pickling liquid over the cabbage, making sure it is fully submerged. Seal the jar and let it cool to room temperature.
5. Refrigerate: Put the jar in the fridge. It is ready to eat after 24 hours but the flavour improves over the first 3 days.

How Long Does Pickled Red Cabbage Keep?

It keeps for up to 4 weeks in the fridge in a sealed jar. After about 2 weeks the cabbage starts to soften and lose its crunch, so I make smaller batches more often rather than one big jar.

Do not try to keep it at room temperature unless you have properly sterilised the jars and sealed them while hot. For fridge pickling like this, the vinegar preserves it but the seal is not airtight enough for the cupboard.

What To Eat Pickled Red Cabbage With

A ploughman’s lunch is the classic pairing: cheese, crusty bread, and a pile of pickled cabbage on the side. I also serve it with cold gammon, pork pies, and leftover roast beef sandwiches.

It is also good tucked inside a hot dog or next to corned beef hash. The vinegar cuts through anything fatty or salty, which is why it works as a condiment rather than a side dish.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 45 kcal
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Fibre: 2g
• Protein: 1g

Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 8 servings.

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