# Cabbage for Two: 4 Amazing, Affordable Meals From One Small Cabbage

- Link: https://lifeandwork.blog/cabbage-for-two-4-amazing-affordable-meals-from-one-small-cabbage/
- Published: 2026-10-24T02:01:00-05:00
- Author: Bert Swope

Cabbage for two works best when each portion has a different job: crisp slaw for
wraps, tender ribbons in a skillet, a handful simmered into soup, and browned wedges
served over warm beans. One small cabbage can supply the vegetables for four meals
for two, provided you add enough beans, eggs, grains, or bread to make each dinner
satisfying. The cabbage stretches the grocery budget; the other ingredients turn
it into a meal.

The recipes below use a quarter of the head apiece. They share several supporting
ingredients, so you won’t need a new shopping list every night.

## Planning four meals from one small cabbage

Choose a firm green cabbage weighing about **2 to 2½ pounds (900 grams to 1.1 kilograms)**
before trimming. “Small” varies considerably at the grocery store, so use the scale
if one is available. A tiny head will still work, but the vegetable portions will
be smaller.

Remove damaged outer leaves, rinse the head under running water, and cut it into
quarters through the stem. Each trimmed quarter should provide roughly **7 to 9 
ounces (200 to 250 grams)** of cabbage. There’s no need to make the portions identical.

Set aside the quarters for:

– **A cabbage skillet:** thinly sliced and cooked with rice and eggs.
 – **Cabbage
slaw wraps:** finely shredded and mixed with chickpeas. – **Cabbage soup:** chopped
and simmered with white beans and pasta. – **Roasted cabbage wedges:** left attached
to a little core so they hold together.

Trim away the tough core from the quarters intended for shredding or chopping. Leave
it attached to the roasting portion.

For all four meals, the main supporting groceries are one onion, two carrots, garlic,
a lemon, plain yogurt, eggs, cooked rice, tortillas, small pasta, broth, one can
of chickpeas, and two cans of white beans. Oil, salt, pepper, and any optional seasonings
can come from the pantry.

This is practical ingredient planning: the onion serves two cooked dishes, yogurt
dresses the slaw and finishes the wedges, and white beans give both soup and roasted
cabbage enough substance for dinner.

## Cabbage skillet with rice and eggs

Browning the cabbage before adding rice gives this skillet a fuller flavor. Use 
a wide pan so moisture can escape; a crowded saucepan will mostly steam the vegetables.

**Yield:** 2 servings
 **Prep time:** 10 minutes **Cook time:** About 15 minutes**
Total time:** About 25 minutes, using already-cooked rice

### Ingredients

– 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) neutral oil
 – ½ medium onion, thinly sliced – ¼
small cabbage, about 7 to 9 ounces (200 to 250 grams), thinly sliced – 1 medium 
carrot, coarsely grated – 1 garlic clove, minced – 2 cups (about 300 grams) cooked
rice – 4 large eggs, beaten – 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) soy sauce, plus more
to taste – Black pepper, to taste

### Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook
for 2 minutes.
 2. Add the cabbage and carrot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring
occasionally, until softened with some browned edges. 3. Stir in the garlic, then
add the rice. Break apart any clumps and cook until the rice is hot throughout. 
4. Push the mixture to one side. Pour the eggs into the open space and stir gently
until fully set. 5. Fold everything together with the soy sauce and black pepper.
Taste before adding more seasoning.

Freshly cooked rice works, although it may produce a softer dish. If using refrigerated
rice, use rice that was cooled and refrigerated promptly, and heat it to 165°F (
74°C).

## Crunchy cabbage slaw and chickpea wraps

Raw cabbage gives these wraps enough crunch that they don’t need lettuce. Lightly
mashing the chickpeas helps keep the filling inside the tortillas.

**Yield:** 2 servings, 2 wraps each
 **Prep time:** 15 minutes **Cook time:** None

### Ingredients

– ¼ cup (60 grams) plain yogurt
 – 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) lemon juice – 1
teaspoon (5 milliliters) olive oil – ¼ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste – 
Black pepper, to taste – ¼ small cabbage, about 7 to 9 ounces (200 to 250 grams),
finely shredded – 1 medium carrot, grated – 1 can chickpeas, 15 ounces (425 grams),
drained and rinsed – 4 medium flour tortillas, about 8 inches (20 centimeters) across

### Instructions

1. Mix the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
 2. Add the
cabbage and carrot. Toss thoroughly, then let stand for 5 minutes while preparing
the chickpeas. 3. Mash about half the chickpeas with a fork. Fold the mashed and
whole chickpeas into the slaw. 4. Divide the filling among the tortillas and roll
them tightly.

A little mustard or hot sauce fits easily into the dressing if either is already
in the refrigerator. For packed lunches, carry the filling separately and assemble
the wraps shortly before eating. The tortillas stay firmer that way.

## White bean cabbage soup with small pasta

Cabbage becomes sweet and tender in broth, while beans and pasta make this a substantial
two-person supper. Mashing a few beans thickens the broth without cream.

**Yield:** 2 generous servings
 **Prep time:** 10 minutes **Cook time:** About 25
minutes **Total time:** About 35 minutes

### Ingredients

– 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
 – ½ medium onion, diced – 1 garlic clove,
minced – ¼ small cabbage, about 7 to 9 ounces (200 to 250 grams), chopped – 3 cups(
720 milliliters) low-sodium vegetable broth – 1 can white beans, 15 ounces (425 
grams), drained and rinsed – ½ teaspoon dried thyme or Italian seasoning – 2 ounces(
55 grams) small dry pasta, such as elbows or small shells – Salt and black pepper,
to taste – Lemon juice, to taste

### Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for
about 5 minutes, until softened.
 2. Stir in the garlic and cabbage. Cook for 2 
minutes. 3. Add the broth, beans, and dried herbs. Mash a spoonful of beans against
the side of the pan. 4. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
5. Add the pasta and simmer until it is tender and the cabbage is cooked to your
liking, following the pasta package’s timing as a guide. 6. Season with salt, pepper,
and a small squeeze of lemon.

The pasta continues absorbing broth during storage. Add water or broth when reheating.
If making the soup well ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl.

## Roasted cabbage wedges over warm white beans

Keep a narrow strip of core attached to each wedge. It holds the leaves together
as the cut surfaces brown in the oven.

**Yield:** 2 servings
 **Prep time:** 10 minutes **Cook time:** 25 to 35 minutes**
Total time:** 35 to 45 minutes

### Ingredients

– ¼ small cabbage, about 7 to 9 ounces (200 to 250 grams)
 – 1½ tablespoons (22 
milliliters) olive oil, divided – Salt and black pepper, to taste – 1 garlic clove,
minced – 1 can white beans, 15 ounces (425 grams), drained and rinsed – ¼ cup (60
milliliters) water – 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) lemon juice – ¼ cup (60 grams)
plain yogurt – 2 thick slices whole-grain bread, for serving

### Instructions

1. Heat the oven to **425°F (220°C)**. Cut the cabbage quarter lengthwise into two
wedges.
 2. Rub the wedges with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season with salt and pepper,
then place a flat side down on a baking sheet. 3. Roast for 25 to 35 minutes, turning
once, until the edges are browned and a knife slides easily through the thickest
part. Thin wedges may finish sooner. 4. During the final 10 minutes, warm the remaining
½ tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir
for about 30 seconds. 5. Add the beans and water. Simmer for 5 minutes, mashing 
some beans to make a loose, creamy base. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste.
6. Spoon the beans onto two plates. Add a cabbage wedge to each, finish with yogurt,
and serve with the bread.

## Keeping the remaining cabbage fresh

For low waste cooking, shred only what you need for the current meal. Larger pieces
lose moisture more slowly than finely cut cabbage.

Wrap the unused quarters tightly or place them in an airtight container, then refrigerate
at **40°F (4°C) or below**. Plan to use the cut head within about a week. Make the
raw slaw first, while the leaves are at their crispest; the cooked dishes are more
forgiving of cabbage that has lost a little snap. Discard cabbage with mold, slime,
or an unpleasant odor.

Refrigerate prepared food within 2 hours. Use cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days,
reheating hot dishes to 165°F (74°C). The dressed slaw is best within 1 to 2 days
for texture.

If dinner plans change, the soup freezes well, especially without the pasta. Freeze
it in two-serving portions and add freshly cooked pasta when reheating. That gives
the last quarter of cabbage somewhere useful to go without requiring four cabbage
dinners in a row.

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