How To Cook The Best Ginisang Repolyo or Sauteed Cabbage Recipe

Supposed that you viewed this blog because you are looking for a simple but healthy dish. Or maybe, something that is budget-friendly but still has a quality taste. Worry no more once you get to know how to cook a perfect sauteed cabbage!

Recipes like this are not new for Filipinos anymore since they often include cabbage in many other dishes. Also, they always find ways to make a straightforward dish into a remarkable one. In this sense, we will offer you variations to not run out of ideas on making it more flavorful. 

Another fantastic news is that if you don't have much time to prepare and cook your food, this dish is a perfect choice. Prepare and get your dish notes as we go on making a yummy and healthy homemade sauteed cabbage! 

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What Is Ginisang Repolyo or Sauteed Cabbage Recipe

Filipinos are known for being wise and resourceful in the kitchen. To prove that, our featured menu today is the fantastic result of those traits. Who would have thought that a single vegetable, cabbage, can be used and turn into a delectable meal that has many variations? It is all made possible through the presence of sauteed cabbage. 

Sauteed cabbage is a menu composed of the primary ingredient cabbage or repolyo, sauteed, seasoned, then cooked to perfection. This dish is utterly out of Filipinos' ideas since they like sauteed dishes. Fortunately, they have an abundant supply of cabbage locally; that's why it is easier to accompany it to the dish. 

Sauteed cabbage is one of the Filipino comfort dishes. It is because it is straightforward to cook than the others, and it can have different styles. Also, since cabbage is ordinary in the markets, you can have it at an affordable price. Most importantly, it provides essential nutrients due to the presence of the cabbage.

Hence, this dish is undeniably packed with beautiful reasons to try it on. Indulge yourself more as you move forward to the ways and variations to preparing it. 

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Ways To Cook Sauteed Cabbage

Sauteed cabbage is achievable with the use of different kinds of cooking devices. Aside from the usual stir-frying from the pan, let's have other ways.

Stir-fried Repolyo Recipe

It is the usual way to cook this meal, ginisa means to saute or to stir-fry. This is the fastest cooking among others as the cabbage will cook at a high temperature.

You will only put less oil in a pan with high heat. After sauteing the garlic and onion, put the cut cabbage and other added ingredients. Season and continuously stir it. This way of cooking is an excellent option, especially when you are in a hurry. 

Subsequently, we have essential reminders to have a perfect stir-fried cabbage:

1. Prepare all ingredients beforehand and use a wok or cast-iron pan.
2. All ingredients need to be cooked fast and hot.
3. Stir your ingredients often to achieve the desired softness of the vegetable and to absorb the seasoning completely. 

Slow cooker 

If you have the whole day to prepare and cook your food, why not try a slow-cooked version of sauteed cabbage? Yes, it may take a longer time, but it's all worth it because this version will take out all hidden flavors of your dish. Longer time tends to absorb all the taste that this dish has to offer. 

Due to the long, low-temperature cooking, slow-cookers help to tenderize pork or chicken whenever you decide to put these inclusions. It is also a suitable option when you prefer to have soups in your sauteed cabbage and not just plain. In these ways, you can extract more flavors out of this menu. Try and ex[plore. 

Crockpot 

The crockpot method is slightly similar to the slow cooking method but somehow differs in techniques on how it is used. The crockpot has stoneware that is surrounded by a heating element that the slow cooker doesn't have, so that crockpot is faster. 

Crock-Pot is the perfect way to cook your sauteed cabbage with the added pork or chicken to tenderize it well. Also, browning the pork, the onions, and cabbage before putting them in the crockpot improves their flavor. Also, cooking with a crockpot will show-off aromas that the food has and will last for a long time.  

Instant pot 

Maybe, cooking your sauteed cabbage in an instant pot will not be an option for you. But it is possible! Guess what; this cooking method does an especial outcome at cooking fresh and summer vegetables like cabbage. It retains the nutrients of the vegetables and cooks up in a flash. 

It's as easy as adding one cup of liquid to the pressure cooker, putting the pork if you have, then following the vegetables, seasoning it, and sealing with the lid. The instant pot is the perfect choice when making soups and stews. So, if you plan to have soup from your sauteed cabbage instead of being plain and dry, this will be a perfect choice. 

Cabbage is fast to cook since it is soft already, so keep an eye on it. By the time the pressure builds, the cabbage will be bright green and perfectly steamed. Make sure to manually release the pressure as soon as possible to prevent the veggie from overcooking. 

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Variations 

Out of the playful minds of Filipinos, they have created variations to make this dish more exciting. Here are those. 

Sauteed cabbage with chicken 

It is one of the traditional ways to cook sauteed cabbage. It is a simple yet very tasty and delicious variation. It is healthy and has a low-fat content meal. 

To prepare this, make sure your ingredients are ready before starting to cook. The chicken breast is the ideal part to use here. It should be sliced as thin as you can so that it will tender easily. After you saute the garlic and onions, the chicken will be put on next. It will be ideal for boiling the chicken to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked before putting the cabbage. 

Somehow, you can also use bone-in chicken as an alternative. Just boil first the chicken (with bone) separately. Once it cools down, separate the chicken from the bone to shred the chicken. Set aside the water used to boil the chicken as it will be the chicken stock when you saute. 

Sauteed  cabbage with Giniling na Baboy (Ground Pork)

There's nothing more special than having a delicious vegetable (cabbage) and a presence of giniling or ground pork in one dish. You can say no to this tastier version of sauteed cabbage, with a cup of warm rice as a partner. It is a complete package meal.

Recipes like this can be made with any cabbage, but the green one is the most common. Some also add carrots as it compliments the flavors of the ground pork. Aside from having a fantastic taste, giniling provides essential protein to help you maintain body strength. 

Now, how will you cook a perfect giniling alongside the cabbage? When you saute it, stir it often so the ground pork becomes juicer because it will absorb the oil and the gourmet taste of garlic and onion. In this way, it will serve as a staple food that you'll surely endure. 

Sauteed cabbage with Corned Beef

In case you run out of pork or chicken in the fridge, here's the substitute menu to add to your sauteed cabbage. It's a fantastic thing that canned products like corned beef are all the way to save you. 

This processed beef matches the flavor of cabbage and enhances the flavor of other ingredients. Also, it gives vital health benefits, such as protein, zinc, B-vitamins, and thiamin. However, like any other processed beef, it is high in fat, limiting your portion and always including cabbage to balance the nutrients. You can also add carrots and potatoes if you want. 

Sauteed cabbage with Mushrooms

One of the ideal recipes is to have healthy food that looks fancy, too. Because of that, sauteed cabbage with mushrooms will not disappoint you. This is also for those on a vegan diet because of the vegetable cabbage, but you can also avail of vegan-type mushrooms. 

Usually, they preferred this dish to be slightly sour and spicy. Cabbage comes perfect with garlic and vinegar. To achieve perfect blends of the ingredients, garlic with chili pepper should be stir-fry first. Eventually, mushrooms and cabbage will be added. In the latter part, soy sauce, vinegar, and salt are put to mix the taste. 

Sauteed cabbage with Sardines

The idea of having a simple and delicious meal while being able to stick to the budget is satisfying at all. That is the reason why we include sauteed cabbage with sardines. In this version, any kind of canned sardines is possible. It is up to you whether you like plain or the spicy one. 

This menu is also for those who find sardines too fishy since adding and sauteing cabbage makes sardines taste balanced. Moreover, you can also add some carrots because it adds to the sweetness that blends to the taste of sardines and cabbage. 

Sauteed  cabbage with tofu

This is another version of sauteed cabbage that you should try. The tasteless characteristic of tofu makes it an advantage in this meal. You can create and blend your taste with this bland food as it can easily absorb any flavors. 

After frying, soak the tofu with oyster sauce, and sugar ang let it be for a while to taste. Just do the usual sauteed cabbage and add the seasoned tofu to garnish. See the extra unique taste of this dish once you eat because having tofu almost replaces the pork's taste. 

Sauteed cabbage with shrimp

Calling all seafood lovers there because this variation is yours. Adding a pound of shrimp will make your dish more flavorful. Here, you can have your shrimp skinless or with skin. It depends on you because some can consider eating shrimp with skin once it is cooked already. 

The shrimp is sauteed first with garlic and butter. You can also add a small amount of oyster sauce to give a unique umami taste to the shrimp. The secret of having crunchy shrimp is to flip it while sauteing, so do it, too. Toss sliced red bell pepper and carrots to have more ingredients. Once the cabbage has slightly wilted, it indicates that it is almost cooked. 

Sauteed  cabbage with tuna

Sauteed cabbage is a versatile menu that even a processed fish like canned tuna can be included. To do this, you should saute the garlic first, and then you will add the tuna. Usually, the tuna broth is disregarded. But, it still depends on you if you will throw out the tuna broth or not. Perhaps, the taste of tuna gives a kick-off fishy and savory taste of sauteed cabbage. 

Sauteed  cabbage with Sotanghon

For Filipinos, noodles are ordinary food as they often make recipes out of it. Sotanghon is one of their favorite variations. Because of that, they include it in our featured sauteed cabbage dish. 

With almost an hour in the making, noodles are first cooked, and other seasonings are being added. You can also add other vegetables like carrots, string beans, and bell pepper. Eventually, you will put the cabbage as it is easy to soften. Simmer then cook to perfection.

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Troubleshooting Cabbage Recipes

Regardless of how quick it is to prepare, there are still times you will encounter minor troubles in preparing sauteed cabbage. These are the remedies. 

• If it becomes too salty, add enough water, then taste again. Check if it already satisfies you. 
• If your dish becomes soggy and murky, the tendency of having meat as an ingredient with your sauteed cabbage is watery. If you ever see watery in the bottom of your pan, it means you're steaming or boiling instead of frying. Try to coat your meat with cornstarch to dry off the surface and aid browning. Get your pan smoking hot for 2 minutes and continue cooking. 

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Trivia

How Healthy is Cabbage as an Ingredient

Sauteed cabbage or ginisang repolyo has an average calorie, average carbohydrate, average fat, and high protein content. It is also an excellent provider of vitamin B6, Vitamin C, dietary fiber, and folate. These are all essential nutrients to maintain our body healthy and avoid getting diseases. 

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Tips

The following steps may apply to give you techniques to enhance the taste of your sauteed cabbage or other ginisa recipes. 

• If you want a much softer cabbage texture, cover the wok or pot until ready to serve. The trapped heat will continue to cook the vegetables and let them absorb all taste. 

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Best Served With

There are many excellent comfort foods to partner with sauteed cabbage, and the following are what we should want you to try. 

Warm rice - all dishes, especially vegetables, are always a perfect partner with rice. 

Pork Chicharon - whenever we have to curl a little to save money, pork chicharron is the most suitable substitute for pork itself. The taste of the pork gives more savor to the taste of sauteed cabbage. 

Fried fish - for every vegetable dish, it is always better with fried fish as a side dish. The taste of fried fish blends well in every bite of sauteed cabbage. 

Fried Chicken - as kids' favorite, the fried chicken gets more flavorful when you match it with sauteed cabbage. 

Shanghai - either pork shanghai or fish shanghai, it gets to feel more appetizing if you partner it with our vegetable menu today. 

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Conclusion 

Cabbages are quite a versatile ingredient as you can put them in almost anything from stews, soups, noodles, processed foods, and mostly to ginisa or stir fry dishes like this. Another fantastic thing is that you can have this on hand for just 30 minutes, yet it delivers tons of flavor in every bite.

That's what significant impact the dish has. We hope that these are enough reasons for you to try it, too. After all, what's more, satisfying than to give your family a wholly packaged kind of food? A healthy meal, low cost, and fast to prepare, all with sauteed cabbage! 

For more delicious recipe, visit Eat Like Pinoy!

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