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    Home » Most Recent

    Spicy Curtido (Pickled Cabbage Slaw)

    September 19, 2017 By Patrick 84 Comments

    6933 shares
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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 pickle 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.

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    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 pickled 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.)
    4.38 from 59 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 pickle 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

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Scott Grinnell

      October 08, 2020 at 2:49 am

      5 stars
      I used cider vinegar and it turned out wonderful

      Reply
      • Patrick

        October 09, 2020 at 1:10 pm

        Ahh good to know, thanks Scott!

        Reply
    2. Linda

      September 17, 2020 at 1:50 pm

      What kind of vinegar do yo recommend?

      Reply
      • Patrick

        September 17, 2020 at 3:10 pm

        Hi Linda! I use plain ol' white vinegar for this recipe.

        Reply
    3. Selma

      September 16, 2020 at 10:57 am

      Would you, please, estimate the number of cups of shredded cabbage needed for this recipe? I have a large head of green cabbage and a very small head of red cabbage, so it obviously would make a difference.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        September 17, 2020 at 7:54 pm

        Hi Selma! You'll need around 4 cups of shredded cabbage for this recipe. Cheers.

        Reply
    4. Leslie

      September 07, 2020 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
      This looks awesome! I am making this in the afternoon, do I let it sit overnight or put it in the fridge right away?

      Reply
      • Patrick

        September 11, 2020 at 2:23 pm

        Hey Leslie! You can put it in the fridge right away. Cheers.

        Reply
    5. Paul

      July 20, 2020 at 9:26 am

      5 stars
      Just tried this recipe, it is delicious.
      A couple side notes, I ended using almost twice as much brine as called for in the recipe, as the actual quantity of the slaw varied, depending on the size, quantity of cabbage/carrot/onion. I used a whole jalapeno (a nice large one) and while it came out very warm, it was not excessive (to my taste).
      Also, if you use a red cabbage, everything turns a vivid purple.

      I look forward to trying more of your recipes

      Reply
      • Patrick

        July 23, 2020 at 2:30 pm

        Ahh good to know, thanks much for mentioning your adjustments Paul. Cheers.

        Reply
    6. Krista

      July 06, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      How crucial is using the full 2 tsp of the kosher salt? I'm sure I would love this recipe but I'm on a very strict sodium restriction.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        July 08, 2020 at 5:02 pm

        Hi Krista, it's not crucial at all to use the full amount of salt so feel free to adjust to your diet. You could cut way back on that if you want as the tang from the vinegar will give you most of the flavor and the salt just kind of enhances it. Cheers.

        Reply
    7. Nellie

      July 06, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      5 stars
      This has become one of my favorite side dishes! It adds so much flavor to a meal! It's easy to make and It is a good way to use up some cabbage.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        July 06, 2020 at 2:44 pm

        Thanks Nellie!

        Reply
    8. Tania

      June 10, 2020 at 3:53 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe, I use it all the time. Highly recommend. Thanks for shareing.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 12, 2020 at 2:25 pm

        Hey thanks much Tania!

        Reply
    9. K

      May 18, 2020 at 8:31 pm

      How long does this keep for? A few days?

      Reply
      • Patrick

        May 19, 2020 at 12:25 pm

        Hi K it should keep for much longer than that because of the acidity in the vinegar, be sure to store it in the fridge. Cheers.

        Reply
    10. Lori Mecca

      April 15, 2020 at 4:23 am

      Patrick

      Thank you so much for your recipes, they are all fabulous. Do you have a recipe for making long term canning. Adding to the pantry stores, refrigerator is full as I love variety?

      Thank you,

      Lori

      Reply
      • Patrick

        April 16, 2020 at 12:32 pm

        Thank Lori, glad you are finding some keeper recipes on my site! But I have to admit I don't really do any long term canning myself, so I don't have any instructions for that on my site yet. Cheers.

        Reply
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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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