Can You Freeze Braised Red Cabbage?

3 minutes

Red cabbage is packed with nutrients and is a super popular veggie that can be prepared and cooked in various ways. And braising red cabbage is very popular, as it enables you to serve up red cabbage that is full of flavour and maintains a delicious texture.

But what happens if you’ve got some leftover? Can you freeze braised red cabbage? 

How to Freeze Braised Red Cabbage

Although braised red cabbage is unquestionably best enjoyed fresh, you can safely freeze it and enjoy it on another day. The biggest threat to the taste of your braised cabbage is freezer burn, so make sure it’s tightly wrapped and sealed before you place the bag in the freezer.

Other than that, there’s nothing too complicated about freezing braised red cabbage, as we explain in the steps below. 

1. Braise
   Choose a method for braising your red cabbage (this recipe is delicious), and set aside the cabbage that you wish to freeze. 
2. Cool
   Once cooked, you will need to allow the cabbage sufficient time to cool to room temperature. If you try and freeze braised cabbage that is still warm, it will go soggy. 
3. Portion
   Decide how you want to portion your braised cabbage and place each portion in individual freezer-safe bags. 
4. Seal
   Remove as much air as possible as from each bag before sealing. You can use a straw to draw additional air from the bag and this will help to protect your cabbage from freezer burn. 
5. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s date, as well as the use-by date on the freezer-safe bag, before placing your cabbage in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze braised red cabbage for around three months.

3 Tips for Freezing Braised Red Cabbage

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing braised red cabbage to have the best results:

Freeze Raw Red Cabbage
Although we’ve focused on how to freeze braised red cabbage in this article, you can also freeze raw red cabbage. We recommend blanching it first to ensure it retains its flavours, before bagging it up and placing it in the freezer. 

Defrost Before Reheating
When you’re ready to reheat and enjoy your braised cabbage, we recommend thawing it thoroughly beforehand. This ensures you can reheat your braised red cabbage evenly and thoroughly. 

Don’t Overcook
When you’re braising your red cabbage, you need to get the consistency right. If you overcook it, you will find that your cabbage is lacking a crunch and is soft and soggy.

How Long Can You Freeze Braised Red Cabbage?

You can freeze braised red cabbage for around three months. While some people are happy to freeze vegetables for longer than this, we’d advise you to stick to this timeframe for the best results.

Leaving braised red cabbage in the freezer for too long can cause it to lose some of its texture and flavour, so you should use it while it’s still nice and flavoursome. 

You Can Freeze Braised Red Cabbage for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Braised Red Cabbage?

The best way to defrost braised red cabbage is to transfer it from the freezer to the fridge. You can leave it in its packaging and allow it to thaw overnight.

If you want to speed things up a little, you can defrost braised red cabbage in the microwave, but be careful not to overheat it.

Only thaw red cabbage in the microwave if it has a designated defrost setting, and then proceed to reheat it in any way that you choose once it has fully thawed. 

Can You Refreeze Braised Red Cabbage?

You should only freeze braised red cabbage once. The ice crystals that form during the freezing process can cause your cabbage to go soggy, particularly once it has already been cooked.

Therefore, to avoid disappointment when you come to enjoy it in the future, you should only freeze braised red cabbage once. 

Does Braised Red Cabbage Freeze Well?

Providing you follow the method and tips we’ve introduced above, you shouldn’t experience any issues when freezing braised red cabbage.

Ultimately, you might notice a slight change in taste and texture once your cabbage has thawed, but it should still be perfectly enjoyable if you use it within the given three-month timeframe. 

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing braised red cabbage or red cabbage in general, then these may help:

Can You Freeze Uncooked Red Cabbage?

Yes, red cabbage can also be frozen uncooked. We would, however, advise blanching it for a minute in boiling water as this will ensure there are no major changes to the texture or flavour. Once blanched, you can bag it up and freeze it as you would any other leafy greens.

How Long Will Braised Cabbage Last in the Fridge?

If you don’t want to freeze it then you can keep it in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s vital that it is kept airtight to prevent it from drying out. You must also store it in the fridge as soon as it reaches room temperature.