Have you ever had to shred a cabbage daily? Did you have fun?
For half a year, I tried the keto diet and made cabbage rice from scratch daily. If I was forced to shred cabbage manually by hand, I wouldn’t have lasted the process. The secret to keeping your passion (or sanity) in the kitchen in check is having the right tools to do the job.
If you’re interested in a tool for fast cooking and preparing cabbage, the food processor is THE choice for you, no questions asked.
Food Processor Power: The Easiest Way to Shred a Cabbage
Before shredding a cabbage on your food processor, make sure your bowl is clean and free from smells of soap, garlic or other funky ingredients you processed before.
- Prep the disc. The first step to shredding a cabbage is to check if the right disc is installed on the food processor. You’d have to find the shredding or “grating” disc and attach it before use. In most cases, you’re going to use a wand to remove the current disc and replace it with the grating disc. Once ready, you just have to prepare the cabbage.
- Manually cut the cabbage. Even if you have the biggest food processor in your kitchen, you still need to break down your cabbage into smaller pieces. Remove the core, and slice in 2 to 4 big chunks.
- Process. Now that everything is prepared, you just turn on your food processor, take one piece of cabbage, push it down the chute, and the machine does the shredding for you. In less than 5 seconds, you’d have shredded that piece of cabbage completely. Do the rest of your sliced cabbage and you’re done.
There is no other method to shred a cabbage that would compete with how quickly a food processor can do it. Like most kitchen appliances, you’re going to shell out around $50 to $100 to buy one for your home.
Cabbage-Shredding Alternatives to Food Processors
If you don’t have a food processor, here are several methods how to easily shred cabbage:
- Use a kitchen knife. Chefs shred cabbage and other vegetables with their knives. It looks easy if you watch them, but this method definitely needs practice and a lot of security. Start by slicing the core out and cutting the cabbage in 4. Get one piece and place it down your cutting board, gently slicing one side for a fine shred. Repeat the process until the other 3 pieces are shredded.
- Use a vegetable peeler. Unlike knives that can easily cut you, vegetable peelers are better for kitchen newbies since these peelers are designed with plastic handles and guards. Make sure you stick with branded peelers. The process is similar to shredding via knife, except you’d have to hold the cabbage on one hand, the peeler on another and prepare a bowl to catch the bits of cabbage as you “peel” your cabbage into shredded form.
- Use a box grater. Box graters are super versatile. Depending on how big or small you want the shredded pieces to be, use the big or small holes of the box grater. Cut your cabbage into 4 pieces, then take 1 piece and slide it over one side of the box grater, putting some force as you slide it down. Repeat until the entire piece is shredded, and move on to the next 3 pieces. Like the veggie peeler, you’d need a bowl to catch all the tiny pieces of cabbage you’re trying to shred.
- Use a mandoline. This multi-function, hand-held kitchen tool can also shred as much cabbage your heart desires. It could also grate, Julienne, ribbon-cut and slice in various ways depending on the blade you set it up with. The difference between a mandoline and other handheld tools is that this one comes built in with a container, so you wouldn’t have to catch the cabbage you’re shredding.
- Use a coleslaw maker. The coleslaw maker is probably the closest tool to a food process when it comes to speed and user-friendliness. Depending on the brand and model you choose, a coleslaw maker lets you shred your preferred vegetables by shooting them into a kind of chute, then pressing them manually until all pieces are shredded. This tool can be electrical (plugged in like a standard food processor) or manual with a crank that you use to “spin” the wheel and force-shred your veggies.
You’d need some patience and practice to master shredding cabbage with these alternative methods, but it’s always good to have an option. I do recommend you save up for a food processor to explore the endless possibilities of sauces, dressings, salads, and thousands of other recipes. I promise you it is one of the best investments you’d ever make for your prepping and cooking needs.