This recipe for simple steamed Instant Pot Cabbage is so easy and delicious. Cooked cabbage makes a great healthy side dish. Serve your tasty steamed cabbage with almost any main dish recipe.

a bowl of cooked instant pot cabbage.

If you haven’t eaten cooked cabbage in awhile, it’s time to bring this vegetable back into rotation.

This healthy vegetable should not just be reserved for St. Patrick’s Day!

In fact, since cabbage is available all year-round, it’s an affordable and easy-to-find veggie that you should add to your regular weekly menu.

If you’re looking for more cabbage recipes, check out my recipes for Instant Pot Cabbage & Sausage, Slow Cooker Cabbage, or Air Fryer Cabbage.

Why You Need This Recipe

  • Despite how pungent cabbage can smell, it’s actually fairly mild in flavor once it’s cooked down. And, the electric pressure cooker is the absolute perfect appliance for cooking cabbage because it traps in the odor and the health benefits!
  • Cooked cabbage is an incredibly versatile side dish. You can serve it with anything from a roast, sausages, or roast chicken, to plant-based options like black beans or tempeh. Or, serve it in cabbage soup or cabbage rolls.
  • Cabbage is also incredibly budget-friendly. See my article on how to eat clean on a budget.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for cooked cabbage.
  • Green cabbage has a sweet and mild taste once cooked and will soak up the flavors of the broth. You can use green cabbage or red cabbage in this recipe. Look for a whole head of cabbage that you can cut yourself for the freshest and most tender cabbage.
  • Vegetable broth is the flavorful liquid base that cooks the cabbage but you can also use chicken or beef broth if you prefer. If you don’t have broth, a cup of water will work too, but won’t add any flavor to the cabbage.
  • Seasonings like salt, black pepper and dried oregano add flavor to the cabbage. Feel free to get creative with your favorite seasonings like garlic powder or red pepper flakes!

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

How to cook cabbage in the instant pot.

Step One

The first step to this recipe is to gather up your cabbage and about 3/4 of a cup of broth.

Remove the outer leaves and the core of the cabbage using a sharp knife.

For vegan or vegetarian diets, use veggie broth (see my recipe for Homemade Vegetable Broth). If you want to add protein to the dish and you aren’t vegetarian, try chicken broth.

You’ll also need some dried herbs like thyme or oregano. 

Step Two

Pour the broth in the pot with the chopped cabbage on top.

Then, just lock on the lid and set the time at high pressure (see the recipe card at the end of this post for exact measurements and details).

Make sure the valve is set to the sealing position.

Step Three

When the cooking time is up, use the quick release to remove the lid. This will ensure that the cabbage doesn’t get overcooked. 

Step Four

Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the cooked cabbage to a serving bowl. 

I hope you agree that this Instant Pot Cabbage recipe is one of your new favorite easy recipes. It makes a delicious side dish or can be adapted to make a main dish.

Pressure cooking makes steaming a head of cabbage so simple and less stinky than using the stove top. It’s a great way to cook this vegetable to serve as an easy side dish.

A bowl of cooked cabbage made in the instant pot.

Recipe Tips

  • If you like the cooked cabbage to be slightly crunchy, decrease the time a minute or two and if you like the cabbage very soft add a minute or two. My family prefers soft cabbage whereas other people like it crunchier.
  • You can store the cooked cabbage in the refrigerator for 3 days in an airtight container. To freeze cooked cabbage, see my post on how to freeze cabbage.
  • You can mix in cooked sausage, shredded chicken, or ground beef to the cooked cabbage to add protein and make this into a filling, low carb meal. For plant-based options, add in seasoned tempeh or black beans.
  • If you want to make this cooked cabbage more filling, feel free to stir in 1-2 tablespoons of softened butter.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a 3-quart pressure cooker for this cooked cabbage recipe?

Yes, but remember to never fill the bowl over the max line.

Can I use water instead of broth to cook cabbage in the Instant Pot?

Yes, but your cooked cabbage made in the pressure cooker will have a lot more flavor if you use vegetable broth or chicken broth.

Will this cooked cabbage recipe make my kitchen stink?

You likely won’t smell the cabbage while it’s cooking, but you will get the odor of cooked cabbage when you release the pressure and/or open the lid. Ideally, you would open a window to get the smell of cooked cabbage out of your kitchen. 

Could I pressure cook a whole cabbage without chopping it?

Yes, I’m sure you can cook an entire cabbage at once! But, I haven’t tried it and chopping the cabbage at least into wedges will ensure that it gets cooked through.

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes You Might Like

Don’t Miss These Instant Pot Resources!

How to Make Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes (All Sizes)

How to Use the Instant Pot Duo (For Beginners)

25+ Healthy Instant Pot Side Dishes

Instant Pot Meal Prep Gift Guide (Plus Recipes)

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

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instant pot steamed cabbage in pot.

Instant Pot Steamed Cabbage (3-Ingredients)

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4.6 from 11 reviews

Print Recipe

This recipe for simple steamed Instant Pot Cabbage is so easy and delicious. Cooked cabbage makes a great healthy side dish. Serve your tasty cooked cabbage with almost any main dish recipe.

  • Total Time: 19 minutes
  • Yield: 6

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 head green or red cabbage, chopped roughly
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or dried thyme
  • 3/4 cup reduced sodium vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine the cabbage, dried herbs, and broth to the bowl of an 6-quart electric pressure cooker.
  2. Lock the lid and set the time to 4 minutes at high pressure.
  3. When the cooking time is complete, carefully use the quick-release to get rid of the pressure. Remove the lid and use tongs to remove the cabbage to a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. 
  4. Serve hot and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.

Notes

  1. You can use water instead of broth to cook the cabbage, if you prefer.
  2. If you like the cooked cabbage to be slightly crunchy, decrease the time a minute or two and if you like the cabbage very soft add a minute or two.
  3. You can store the cooked cabbage in the refrigerator for 3 days in an airtight container.
  4. You can mix in cooked sausage, shredded chicken, or ground beef to the cooked cabbage to add protein and make this into a filling meal. For plant-based options, add in seasoned tempeh or black beans.
  5. The total cooking time includes approximately 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 cup
  • Calories: 60
  • Sugar: 7.5 g
  • Sodium: 119.8 mg
  • Fat: 0.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.3 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 2.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest is the author of the best-selling Instant Pot-authorized cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook. She has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and receives over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.