YEAR OF THE CABBAGE
YEAR OF THE CABBAGE
How an unlikely vegetable became the star of the show.
First, there were Brussel sprouts. Then, there was cauliflower. And now, in the latest wave of vegetables whose status has skyrocketed from forgotten to famous, an unexpected leafy green has emerged as the new foodie favorite. 2026, it has been decreed, is officially the year of the cabbage.
For chefs and home cooks across the country, it’s no surprise—and a long time coming. For decades now, cabbage has had a particularly bad rap in the popular zeitgeist. A cousin to kale, broccoli, and turnips, this member of the brassica family was often the punchline of a joke. But all the while, this underrated veggie remained a staple of various cuisines, climbing its way from a side dish or topping to being a meal’s centerpiece.
And it doesn’t take long to understand why it’s now making headlines, from the likes of Vogue, The Guardian, The Kitchn, and Pinterest, whose annual top trends report saw a dramatic spike in searches for this edible underdog.
A cabbage patch.
First cultivated thousands of years ago, cabbage is considered one of the oldest known vegetables. Likely originated in the Mediterranean, there are now more than 20 varieties, from the classic green and red to fancier napa, savoy, and sugarcone. And a few key factors play into its star power:
For starters, there’s affordability, with entire heads usually costing only a few bucks. (Need we say more?)
Then, there’s versatility. While best known as coleslaw at a summer picnic and sauerkraut on a Reuben or hot dog, it’s really a blank canvas for so much more. Both simple and decadent, its fresh raw flavor is easily charred or caramelized into an earthy depth. These days, you’ll find it in quite literally all forms: as a topping on tacos, in the fermented Korean condiment of kimchi, shredded into salads, seared like steak on the grill.
And of course, there’s nutrition. Cabbage is low in calories and high in nutrition. Packed with fiber, it’s good for digestion. Rich in Vitamin C and K, it’s a benefit for bone and immune health. A good source of potassium, it’s also linked to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. And best of all, you can essentially eat the whole thing, getting a good bang for your buck.
At Silver Diner, Chef Ype Von Hengst has spent most of his lifetime as a cabbage fan, even becoming a sort of connoisseur. “Growing up in the Netherlands, we’d eat cabbage all the time,” he says. “My mom made it with maple syrup, cloves, and cinnamon, plus a little vinegar to pucker it up, serving it alongside stewed meat. I slow cook it at home with a little honey or agave, mixing in bacon or apples, which is so delicious. You can also simply roast it with olive oil, salt, and pepper.”
In the restaurants, Chef Ype uses the vegetable as often as possible. Right now, braised red cabbage is served atop dill mashed potatoes with 72-hour sous-vide short ribs. Throughout the year, he whips it into a range of slaws, from a summer version with sweet corn to another with cranberries in the fall, as well as an Asian style, swirled in soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar.
From our Seasonal Selections, the 72-hour Sous Vide Short Rib, available for a limited time.
“On top of its taste, it provides such a wonderful crunch,” he says. “It’s a hardy vegetable to grow and it has a great shelf life—you can keep it in the fridge for weeks.”
Chef Ype credits culinary competitions like Top Chef and Chopped for increasing our curiosity about previously uncool ingredients. Surely access to an abundance of online recipes has helped their reputations, too. No longer are we limited to recipes inherited from our parents and grandparents, which, to him, is a good thing.
“I like to look to them for inspiration, but I always try to do something different, I want to add something new,” he says. “These days, this is definitely not your grandmother’s cabbage. With this vegetable, you can do anything.”
Honey-Glazed Apple and Cabbage with Crispy Bacon
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
This dish works beautifully as a hearty side or a light main course, combining the saltiness of bacon, the sweetness of honey, and the freshness of apples to perfectly balance the heartiness of cabbage.
Ingredients
1 small head green cabbage (approx. 2 lbs), cored and shredded
4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
2 medium firm apples (like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and sliced
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional: A pinch of red pepper flakes, for heat
Method
Place the diced bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until the bacon crisp and the fat has rendered out. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon bits and set them aside on a paper towel, keeping the fat in the pan.
Add the sliced onions to the bacon fat. Sauté for roughly 5 minutes, until they begin to soften and turn translucent.
Add the shredded cabbage and sliced apples to the pan. Toss well to coat them in the fat. Pour in the honey and apple cider vinegar.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cabbage should be tender but not mushy, and the apples should hold their shape.
Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium for 2-3 minutes to evaporate any excess liquid until a glossy glaze forms. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper, if using.
Top with the reserved crispy bacon bits and serve.
A meet-and-greet at the Ballston Silver Diner.
MEET AND GREET!
Have you heard? Our beloved co-founder and executive chef Ype Von Hengst has been popping up around the DMV to hang with customers and hand out family-friendly prizes, including pins, hats, and gift cards to Silver Diner. On February 27, find him at the Springfield location from 6 to 8 p.m. For more dates at other locations, follow us on social media.