Quick Pickled Cabbage with Hot Brine and Vinegar
An ideal sweet-and-sour snack for potatoes and meat! Quick cabbage with hot brine and vinegar is a low-calorie appetizer rich in fiber and vitamins. It’s a great lunch addition or a festive-table snack.
Updated : 10 February, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
2.5 kilograms
Cabbage
200 grams
Carrot
1.2 liter
Water
100 grams
Sugar
1 tablespoon
Salt
110 milliliters
Vinegar 5%
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients. Scrub the carrots well with a stiff brush. Rinse the cabbage and remove the top dirty and wilted leaves. Also remove the top green leaves - they can make the finished cabbage bitter.
Step 2
Cut the cabbage into parts, remove the core, and shred it thinly. You can do this by hand or using a grater, knife, or food processor. Choose winter varieties with dense, firm heads.
Step 3
Peel the carrots and grate on a coarse grater, use a food processor, or slice into thin rounds. Add to the bowl with the shredded cabbage and mix until evenly combined. Even if the cabbage feels very firm, don’t rub it with your hands - you’ll lose the crunch.
Step 4
Wash the jars (I used four 1-liter jars) thoroughly with baking soda under hot water; you can sterilize them if you like. Pack the cabbage into the jars to the top, tamping it down firmly so there are no air gaps.
Step 5
Pour water into a pot and set over medium heat. Add sugar and non-iodized salt, and stir until fully dissolved. Add vinegar. Bring the marinade to a boil.
Step 6
Pour the hot marinade over the cabbage up to the very top. Loosely cover the jars with lids and place them in a basin or another container in case brine overflows. Keep the cabbage at room temperature for 12 hours, then close the jars with lids. Store this cabbage in the refrigerator.
Step 7
Serve this quick cabbage as a standalone snack or as a side for meat dishes, potatoes, or cutlets. Crunchy cabbage pairs greatly with onion and vegetable oil. Enjoy!
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