Napa cabbage is a beloved vegetable widely used in East Asian cuisines for its versatility. From gyoza to hot pot to easy stir-fries, we’ve gathered a variety of delicious Napa cabbage recipes for you to try!
Help! What can I make with a giant head of Napa cabbage? Besides using it as a tasty filling for dumplings, there are many more creative ways to use it. Here, we’re going to learn more about Napa cabbage and how you can incorporate it in endless recipes.
What is Napa Cabbage?
A few quick facts:
- Napa cabbage, also known as Chinese cabbage or searched for in Japanese, belongs to the vast Brassica family (like broccoli and Brussels sprouts). However, it’s more closely related to bok choy, as they are from the same plant species.
- The name “napa cabbage” came from the Japanese word “nappa” (菜っ葉), which means leafy green, but it has no connection to the California locale.
- You can easily distinguish napa cabbage from regular cabbage by its unique oblong shape and ruffled leaves with thick white ribs. The leaves are tightly packed and range in color from light green to pale yellow.
- It’s highly resistant to cold weather, making it one of the most popular winter vegetables in Japanese and other East Asian cuisines.
- Napa cabbage is a great source of dietary fiberessential for digestion. It’s also low in calories and packed with nutrients such as folate and Vitamin B.
- You can find napa cabbage at Asian markets, and some major grocery stores carry it as well. Avoid napa cabbages with limp stems or wilted loose leaves.
Napa Cabbage vs Regular Cabbage
Raw Napa cabbage has a milder, more delicate flavor than regular cabbages, and once cooked, it develops an outstandingly sweet taste. While the leaves are lighter in texture, the white stems are crisp and juicy.
Compared to other cabbages, Napa cabbage is the tenderest variety and cooks much more quickly. This makes it an excellent choice for adding natural sweetness to dishes like soups, stews, braises, and hot pots.
How to Cook with Napa Cabbage
There are many interesting ways to cook with Napa cabbage! You can eat it both raw or cooked. Like other cabbages, napa is great for bulking up a dish.
Before cooking, it’s important to separate the leaves from the thick stalks and add them separately, as the leaves wilt quickly.
To enjoy it raw, finely shred it and add it to slaws, salads, or use it as a noodle topping. It is also excellent for pickling. If you have a few leftover leaves after making a recipe, toss them into stir-fries or soups.
In East Asian cuisines, this leafy green is a must for hot pots and stews because of its sweet and tender nature. Now, let’s take a look at our best Napa cabbage recipes!
12 Easy Napa Cabbage Recipes You’ll Love
1. Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry
This stir-fry will easily use up an entire head of Napa cabbage! It only requires a quick cook in a hot pan, finished with a seasoning of soy sauce and freshly ground black pepper. Smoked bacon adds a lot of flavor, but feel free to leave it out for a vegetarian version.
“This made a great warm lunch on a cold November day. Served it with brown rice & a bowl of miso soup with seaweed. I only had dried mushrooms, so after soaking them, used the water for my soup. Really delicious & satisfying!” — Onsen
2. Mille-Feuille Nabe
Mille-feuille nabe is a simple Japanese hot pot made with Napa cabbage and pork belly slices, cooked in a savory dashi broth. It’s easily one of the most popular hot pot recipes enjoyed in Japanese homes.
“I got my daily JOC email and decided to make it for dinner. It turned out fantastic! Such a tender flavor and the ponzu dip/green onion/ togarashi gives it a nice kick. I served it with ume natto, ahi sashimi, shredded daikon, and rice.” — Gina
3. Creamy Napa Cabbage and Bacon Pasta
Sweet, tender Napa cabbage nestled in penne pasta with a creamy sauce—it’s everything you need for a comforting, delicious meal. The slightly charred panko topping adds an extra layer of flavor!
“What a simple dish to make! I always struggle to use up leftover cabbage so I was great having with this, never thought cabbage would do so well as comfort food.” — Julia vB
4. Quick Korean Fresh Kimchi
It’s a no-brainer to use Napa cabbage to make kimchi, but if you’re looking for something quicker, try this Korean fresh kimchi. All you need are garlic, green onions, fish sauce, gochugaru, and apricot jam to create the fantastic, punchy paste. There’s no fermentation involved, making it quick and easy.
“This is a GREAT quick kimchi recipe. Super tasty. Our family loved it, thank you!” — Corinna
5. Pickled Napa Cabbage
This pickled napa cabbage is a welcoming side dish to go with steamed rice or any Japanese or Asian meal. It’s super easy and quick to make! You can flavor it with sesame oil and sesame seeds, or with kombu and rice vinegar.
“Easy and delicious salad!! I was do the sesame flavor and added some bean sprouts and some pickled daikon and eat it for lunch. Was taste really good and refreshing.” — Marco
6. Japanese Hot Pot (Yosenabe)
A wintertime favorite, yosenabe is a true “anything goes” hot pot. It’s the perfect meal for using up leftover Napa cabbage, vegetables, and meat.
“I made this recipe during the recent US cold snap and it really hit the spot and kept us warm! I appreciated going back to basics with the broth on this one–I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting with different seasonings for it, and I loved the return to simple beauty.” — John H
7. Napa Cabbage Gyoza
These Napa cabbage gyoza are crispy, juicy, and bursting with flavor! You’ll enjoy them even more with the miso dipping sauce.
“This recipe was great!! I made the gyoza wrappers by hand for the first time and with your recipe they turned out really well. The gyoza itself was fantastic.” — in Yeli
8. Asian Coleslaw
Dressed in a tangy and sweet sesame dressing, this healthy slaw is packed with flavor. It complements BBQ meats, tacos, ahi tuna steak, and other Asian dishes. I used regular green cabbage, but you can easily swap it with any leftover Napa cabbage you have in the fridge.
“Okay WOW!! This recipe for the slaw is so damn good!! I served it with Ahi and added a few things, edamame, mango, and sliced jalapeños. For the dressing, I added a little bit of peanut butter. It was so good!!!! 100.%%!! Best Recipe!!” — Kimberly
9. Stir-Fried Vegetables
This savory Japanese stir-fried vegetables is a winning template for using up leftover cabbage (Napa or regular) and other vegetables in the fridge. I added sliced pork for protein, but you can easily switch it with other proteins like chicken, seafood, or tofu. The vegetables’ naturally crispy texture adds to the dish.
“Once everything was chopped, it only took 15 minutes. I used a small meat tenderizer to make the pork even thinner. This recipe will definitely be added to the rotation of weeknight dinners!” — Stephanie
10. Hot Pot for One
Tender pork belly cooked in a delicious and savory katsuo dashi with napa cabbage and enoki mushrooms. This is a quick yet fancy lunch for stay-at-home moms and dads, as well as people working from home.
“Thank you for this recipe and for opening the door to the world of Donabe cooking for me. I got mine a week ago and coked this dish tonight. It was everything that I was hoping for: simple, healthy, fresh, clean.” — Xavier
11. Steamed Vegetables with Miso Sesame Sauce
Healthy and full of flavor, this steamed vegetable recipe is the quickest way to get veggies on your plate. Served with an umami-packed dipping sauce, you’ll want to go back for another serving!
“We love this sauce, and the tips on steaming the veggies are so useful (even though I’ve been steaming veggies for decades)!” — Virginia
12. Chukadon (Chinese-Style Rice Bowl)
When you have a few leaves of Napa cabbage sitting in the fridge, try making this Chinese-style rice bowl dish. Cooked in a soy-infused sauce, it captures all the flavors of your favorite takeout!
“Wow! Another amazing recipe. And so easy. Love the gravy flavor. We are gluten-free and we’re able to find GF oyster sauce.” — Lauren
What’s your favorite way to use Napa cabbage? If you enjoy the recipes above, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
