Purple Cabbage Delivery or Pickup

Purple cabbage belongs to the genus of plants identified as Brassica. The ordinarily dark red or purple leaves change color depending on the soil's pH value. Acidic soils result in redder rather than purple leaves. In a neutral pH soil, the leaves have a deeper purple, and alkaline soil produces greenish-yellow leaves. Thus, you'll find this same cabbage goes by different color names in various regions. 

Purple cabbage grows well just about everywhere in Europe, China, Africa, and the Americas. The seasonal purple cabbage plant needs only fertile soil and humidity to thrive. Seeding begins in Spring, and the mature plant gets harvested in the Fall.

Also known as red cabbage, this nutrient-rich vegetable has many uses. Purple cabbage has a similar flavor profile as green cabbage but more nutrients. The purple cabbage's versatility allows for raw consumption or cooked in various ways like steaming or included in your favorite stir-fry recipe. You can even pickle or ferment the purple cabbage for a distinctive flavor.

Shredding the purple cabbage and including it in your favorite salad adds a peppery crunch. You can add the shredded purple cabbage to coleslaw. Braising purple cabbage with a bit of red wine, vinegar, and a few of your favorite root vegetables like carrots and beets makes a delicious side dish. When cooked, the color changes to blue unless you add vinegar or acidic fruit. Many cooks like to steam purple cabbage and use it as part of a stuffing mix for dumplings and potstickers. The bright purple leaves make an excellent garnish for any dish.

Purple cabbage in the garden has faded green outer leaves with a purple blush. Some distributors keep these outer leaves on when they ship the purple cabbage to grocery stores. They make an excellent display, so some grocers keep the outer leaves on for visual appeal. Others remove these outer leaves to reveal the deep purple/red head of cabbage. Like its green cousin, the purple cabbage should be dense, heavy, and without any blemishes. 

You want to avoid any purple cabbage that has brown leaves, as this indicates age. Any cuts or bruising should also be avoided. When selecting purple cabbage, you should examine the cabbage for soft spots by gently squeezing. Soft spots indicate decay, and you should find another head. Vegetable sellers will remove older outer leaves to keep the purple cabbage looking fresh. Beware of smaller heads in with larger heads as these may be older.

Purple cabbage requires storage in a cool, dry place. If you have a root cellar, the purple cabbage can last a few weeks or more, depending on conditions. Ideally, you should store your purple cabbage in the refrigerator. Put the cabbage in a plastic bag and place it in your crisper, and it should last up to two weeks. Do not wash your purple cabbage before storing as this will shorten its shelf life. You can freeze purple cabbage for more extended storage. Most experts recommend blanching for up to a minute to keep the bright purple color.

If you need purple cabbage for your next recipe, you can save time shopping using the Instacart app! All you need to do is add the purple cabbage to your cart and check out. After checkout, an Instacart shopper will prepare your order. In as little as 2 hours, your order could be ready for in-store pickup and, in some cases, may qualify for same-day home delivery!