As I dashed into my local supermarket to buy some last minute items, I found myself unintentionally following the latest food trend. While I queued up with my basket alongside the other hurried shoppers, my attention was drawn to the conversation ahead. Very on-trend, they agreed, while eyeballing another shopper scanning in front. But as I went to take a nosy peek, I was surprised by what I saw. It wasn’t a new protein powder, plant milk or some rogue magnesium elixir. It wasn’t a super-grain, a novel fake meat or anything remotely matcha. All I could see was a bright green pointed cabbage being swiftly bagged up. I looked down at my own wrinkly savoy and thought I must have misheard. But I soon learned that cabbage is having its moment.
The headline news is that cabbage has now surpassed the likes of kale, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts and is featuring on restaurant menus, globally. It is also making a big splash on social media platforms and trending in fashion. Vogue magazine has declared 2026 as being the Year of the Cabbage and has even showcased the brassica in its pages. But why has this humble vegetable been elevated to such grand heights? Especially one that instantly evokes the lingering stench of over boiled, watery school dinners?
It wasn’t that long ago that cabbage was considered to be one of the most boring and cheapest vegetables around. It just sat there, ignored, on supermarket shelves like some loser vegetable and it was always the last one to be picked. Cabbage was forever being relegated to a mere garnish status since it was primarily being used in over-mayonnaised coleslaw or as an ersatz wrap in cabbage rolls. In other words, it was routinely pushed aside on a plate and was only tolerated if it was wrapped around something more interesting to eat. However, ever since the masses discovered all things fermented and kimchi was revealed to be cabbage in disguise, its reputation began to shift. But what ultimately worked to make cabbage almost simultaneously a food and fashion icon was that people finally found out how to cook it well.
Who knows exactly where it started or whether it was entirely intentional, when someone left some cabbage on a grill and burnt it. But instead of binning the remains of the charred wedges, they drizzled a little dressing on top and realised that it tasted simply amazing. Word of the cabbage epiphany quickly spread around the world and cooks got bold and subjected cabbages to a plethora of different cooking techniques. Cabbages were quick-pickled, roasted, braised, fried, stir-fried and even barbequed. Of course, everyone shared their cabbage journey and the tasty results online. Before long, sourdough starters were abandoned and making your own kimchi and sauerkraut became a thing.
It even became accepted that cabbage did not have to be boiled in a vat for the traditional 3 hours and there were actually many different ways of making coleslaw. Surprisingly, there are 15 different types of cabbage, which means that there are also an endless number of culinary possibilities. In a matter of months, the lowly cabbage moved up the meal ranks. It is now a strong side and is even debuting as a risky main.
If that wasn’t enough, the popularity of cabbage has coincided with the latest declared dietary super-nutrient, fibre, which is important in supporting a healthy gut. Cabbage is not only full of fibre, but it is also a good source of Vitamin K, C and folate in addition to several important minerals. Cabbage even contains a bit of protein, which has only helped to cement its place as a top healthy veg. Now that the matter of preparing it into something edible is finally sorted, the cabbage trend is sure to last. It’s no wonder that it is making a frequent appearance in so many people’s shopping baskets, including mine. The only problem then, is deciding which of the thousands of recipes to make.
