Mexican Please

Spicy Curtido (Pickled Cabbage Slaw)

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Curtido is a pickled cabbage delight that also happens to be a great investment.  Spend a few minutes building a batch and you’ll have the option of nibbling on it for the next few weeks.

In Central America it’s common to serve curtido with pupusas and other corn cakes, but you can use it on just about anything, including tacos, sandwiches, and anywhere else you use a traditional coleslaw.

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw common in Central America. Using a jalapeno gives it some real zip but you can always dial back on it if you want. mexicanplease.com

Curtido Recipe

This recipe is enough to load up two pint-sized Mason jars with veggies and brine.  Not pictured is the overnight resting period where the real magic happens.

Similar to our pickled jalapenos, you can still eat it shortly after making, but it will only be a preview of what’s to come.  Letting it ferment overnight will allow the full flavor to develop.

(Note:  these instructions are not meant for long term canning.)

To start you’ll need:

1/2 head green cabbage
1 carrot
1/2 onion
1/2 jalapeno

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw common in Central America. Using a jalapeno gives it some real zip but you can always dial back on it if you want. mexicanplease.com

You can use a food processor if it’s convenient for you, but thinly slicing the cabbage and grating the carrot works just as well.

Note that we are only using half of a jalapeno but this still gives it some serious zip.  If you want a milder version I would recommend starting with 1/4 of a jalapeno.

Next, gather the remaining ingredients in a bowl:

1 cup vinegar
1.5 cups water
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons salt (Kosher or sea salt)

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw common in Central America. Using a jalapeno gives it some real zip but you can always dial back on it if you want. mexicanplease.com

Kosher or pure sea salt are most commonly used for pickling.  The additives in iodized salt will sometimes affect the brine so it isn’t recommended.

Add this mixture to the veggies and combine well.  Crushing the cabbage a bit while mixing will help it fit into the Mason jars.

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw common in Central America. Using a jalapeno gives it some real zip but you can always dial back on it if you want. mexicanplease.com

Load up two pint-sized Mason jars with the veggies (tongs work good), and then fill them to the top with the brine.

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw common in Central America. The jalapeno gives it some real zip but you can always dial back on it if you want. mexicanplease.com

Seal well and let them pickle overnight in the fridge.

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw common in Central America. Using a jalapeno gives it some real zip but you can always dial back on it if you want. mexicanplease.com

The next day you’ll have a zippy pickled delight that just might replace your traditional coleslaw.  What?!!  And you’ve just upgraded your fridge for the next few weeks.  Well done.

Don’t forget that using a half jalapeno still creates some real heat even though it doesn’t sound like much.  You can always dial back and use less (or none) if you want a milder version.

Buen Provecho.

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw common in Central America. The jalapeno gives it some real zip but you can always dial back on it if you want. mexicanplease.com

Spicy Curtido (Pickled Cabbage Slaw)

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw common in Central America. Using a half jalapeno gives it some real zip but you can always dial back on it if you want.  (Note:  these instructions are not meant for long term canning.)
4.7 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 12 (2 pints)
Calories: 17kcal
Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

  • 1/2 head green cabbage
  • 1 carrot
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1/2 jalapeno
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt (Kosher or sea salt)

Instructions

  • Thinly slice the 1/2 head of cabbage, 1/2 onion and 1/2 jalapeno.  Grate the carrot.
  • Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl:  1 cup vinegar, 1.5 cups water, 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, freshly cracked black pepper, 2 teaspoons salt (Kosher or sea salt).
  • Add the liquid mixture to the veggies and combine well.  Crush the cabbage a bit so that it will fit into the jars. 
  • Fill two pint-sized Mason jars with the veggies and top with the brine.  
  • Seal well and let ferment overnight in the fridge.

Notes

Kosher or pure sea salt are most commonly used for pickling.  The additives in iodized salt will sometimes affect the brine so it isn’t recommended.
 
Using a half jalapeno still creates some real heat even though it doesn't sound like much.  You can always dial back and use less (or none) if you want a milder version.
 
If you don't have Mexican oregano you can simply omit the oregano. 
 
A non-reactive container is best to house the vinegar brine, with glass being the preferred choice. 
Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

 

We use a cabbage-only version of this Curtido in our Baja Fish Tacos. 

It's tough to beat fried fish drenched in a chipotle crema sauce. These Baja Fish Tacos are also served up with a batch of pickled cabbage -- too good! mexicanplease.com

 

You can use a similar technique to make some pickled onions.

Here's an easy recipe for a quick batch of delightful pickled onions. You can use these on sandwiches, tacos, tostadas, or anything that needs a final dash of zip to liven it up. So good! mexicanplease.com

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Hola Teri, thanks for your note! That pickled jalapenos recipe is easily one of my favorites on the site, hope it treats you as well as it’s treated me. Cheers.

      Reply


  4. Hola, Patrick! I made this curtido last weekend, & barely had a chance to taste it before my (non-Hispanic) godsons absconded with it. They loved it!
    Many thanks for your great recipes. So many of them remind me of my mom’s, which I loved but never learned to make. So here’s my opportunity, & I’m taking full advantage!

    Reply

    • Awesome, thanks much for the feedback Esther! Amazing how simple it is to make Curtido eh? I’m so glad you are finding some keeper recipes on the site, let me know if you ever have any questions. Cheers.

      Reply


  5. Central American kimchi! At least, it reminds me of kimchi. I wonder if you can let this ferment to produce a lactic acid pickle flavor instead of using vinegar? It sounds worth trying.

    Reply

      • I make it all the time by fermenting. Your Curtido recipe is not fermented but rather pickled. Vinegar will prevent fermentation. After you ferment it for 5 days you can add the vinegar and oil as you serve it. That way you get the great benefits of fermented food and those wonderful bacteria!

        Reply

        • Awesome, thanks much for your insight Morgan! I kinda want to try it, and just to confirm…you’re not adding any additional liquid or water it’s just the cabbage fermenting in its own juices correct?

          Reply

          • Just add 2% salt to the vegetables, let it rest for a bit and then knead it well, to release the juices. If it is not enough to cover the vegetables, simply add some 2% salt brine. Make sure to keep everything submerged under liquid while fermenting! Use glass or ceramic weights, remove any bits and pieces floating on top of the liquid. While it is uncritical to use iodized salt when pickling in vinegar, it is essential to use uniodized salt when fermenting! Good luck 🙂

    • Hi LaKeisha!

      I do the same thing sometimes but for this Curtido I tried it without boiling the water and was happy with the results so it’s become habit at this point. I think boiling the water is a leftover characteristic from the canning world where hygiene is paramount — it will purify the water, quickly dissolve the salt (or sugar), and make for a “cleaner” jar. But since we are not doing long term canning in this recipe I think it’s less important.

      But keep in mind that either method should work for you. For example, it’s habit for me to boil the water in our Pickled Onions — I used to put sugar in those jars and felt like it was a quick way to dissolve the salt and sugar. But I’ve stopped adding sugar because I like the taste better without it, but I’m still in the habit of boiling the water 🙂

      Hope that helps a bit. Let me know if you have any more questions. Cheers.

      Reply


  10. OMGoodness! This is the best!!! Soo delicious! Thanks so much! Made exactly as instructed. I like be in Alabama (which is not the Hispanic food capital !) I had pausas as a restaurant (far away) once and of course I have to have them again. Your site is great! Keep it up!

    Reply


  11. Hi Patrick! I just made this a few days ago for pupusas, let it sit for a day, and it’s over half gone already! I am making more as we speak because it is JUST THAT GOOD!!! The plan is to put it on a pastrami sandwich for work tomorrow. I used 2 serrano peppers and it still wasn’t as spicy as I wanted, but I do have an iron gut when it comes to spicy food.😁 Thank you for your wonderful recipe! As you said, it will be more of a staple around here now!

    Reply

    • Ha awesome, thanks for the feedback Rebecca! So good to know there are people out there who are not satisfied with 2 serranos!

      Reply

    • It does a little bit Gordon, but I feel like it still retains some of its crunch even after sitting in the brine for a few days. Cheers.

      Reply

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