While this recipe is one of my simpler recipes, I still love this sambal oelek cabbage all the same. It’s a crispy cabbage recipe that is paired with this sticky, spicy, salty glaze, and it’s easy to make in under 30 minutes flat. You can even watch me do that on my Instagram. It’s very dramatic 😉
This crispy red cabbage recipe relies on two of my most favorite ingredients, Indonesian condiments called sambal oelek (chili paste) and kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). I’ve linked both of them, and just know that both are CRUCIAL to this recipe. Plus, you can now find both in most grocery stores, which is a perk of grocery store getting more and more filled with interesting and delicious items. A win win win all around for us and our cabbage.
But read on for more about this simple, 30-minute dinner. I’m really not selling the ease of this sticky-sweet cabbage meal, because believe me, it’s easy.
Table of contents
Ingredients for this sambal cabbage recipe
This recipe is low on ingredients, but they all pack a certain flavor, crunch, aroma or element that makes the recipe sing!
- 1 cup white rice
- 1/2 head red cabbage
- Olive oil as needed
- 2 cups frozen and deshelled edamame
- 1/3 cup sambal oelek
- 1/3 cup kecap manis
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts optional for garnish
- 2 tbsp chili oil optional for garnish
How to prepare this crispy cabbage in under 30 minutes
This sambal oelek cabbage is all about timing. Here’s a step-by-step in order of what you need to do to make this recipe fast:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Add the cup of rice to your rice cooker and begin to cook.
- Thinly slice the red cabbage and add it to a large baking sheet, make sure it doesn’t overlap and crowd the pan. Use two pans if necessary. Drizzle with olive oil and toss. Roast at 425°F for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges of the cabbage are brown and crisp.
- While the cabbage is roasting, whisk together the sambal oelek and kecap manis. Roughly tear the cilantro.
- When the rice cooker is done, leave it on the “keep warm” setting and add in the edamame. Cover and let the edamame steam cook for about 3-4 minutes.
- When the cabbage is out of the oven, pour the sambal mixture directly on top and give it a toss to coat.
- Mix together the rice and edamame.
- To serve, add a pile of cabbage to the plate and top with the rice and edamame. Sprinkle with cilantro, hazelnuts and chili oil. Mix and serve!
Can this recipe be used for meal prep?
Absolutely – my favorite thing about this recipe is it is 4 servings, 30 minutes, endlessly delicious and just good. You can store this recipe together in one big, ricey, hodge podge. OR you can store all the elements separately, if that floats your boat more.
Just know that all you need is a sealed air-tight container and your fridge, and this recipe will keep for up to 5 days!
Looking for some other cabbage-based recipes!
Crispy Lime Cabbage & Turmeric White Bean Mash
Baked Cabbage Salad with Winter Romesco
Coconut Braised Cabbage
And that’s everything for this sambal oelek cabbage recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course, please feel free to leave a rating or review. It helps the blog grow more than you know, and this is always the best place to reach me <3
Equipment
- 1 rice cooker
- 1 sheet pan
- 1 chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice
- 1/2 head red cabbage
- Olive oil , as needed
- 2 cups frozen and deshelled edamame
- 1/3 cup sambal oelek
- 1/3 cup kecap manis
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, optional for garnish
- 2 tbsp chili oil, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Add the cup of rice to your rice cooker and begin to cook.
- Thinly slice the red cabbage and add it to a large baking sheet, make sure it doesn't overlap and crowd the pan. Use two pans if necessary. Drizzle with olive oil and toss. Roast at 425°F for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges of the cabbage are brown and crisp.
- While the cabbage is roasting, whisk together the sambal oelek and kecap manis. Roughly tear the cilantro.
- When the rice cooker is done, leave it on the "keep warm" setting and add in the edamame. Cover and let the edamame steam cook for about 3-4 minutes.
- When the cabbage is out of the oven, pour the sambal mixture directly on top and give it a toss to coat.
- Mix together the rice and edamame.
- To serve, add a pile of cabbage to the plate and top with the rice and edamame. Sprinkle with cilantro, hazelnuts and chili oil. Mix and serve!
Comments
This is the easiest cabbage recipe I have ever made!
Maxwell Turner
Thank you! I’m so glad you thought so!
This looks amazing! Any recommended adjustment if no rice cooker?
I don’t have a rice cooker. I still put my thawed edamame bags on top of the rice near the last few minutes of rice cooking. Then I put the cover bavck again. Just follow the directions for stovetop cooking on your rice’s package.
Glad I found your blog Justine, thank you for this recipe.
That should say edamame beans not bags, sorry.
Incredible easy and tasty. I will make again!
I know you say the Indonesian ingredients are crucial to the flavor of this recipe (and I’ll def grab them on my next grocery run!) but would I be able to sub chili garlic paste and plain old soy sauce? Maybe with some honey thrown in? Also, if missing fresh cilantro, what dried herb would you sub in to give that same sort of kick? So grateful for all you do!!!
HELLO! I am so sorry that I missed this! I was going through my comments and can’t believe I left you hanging for SIX WEEKS. Unfortunately, the two condiments are pretty crucial to this, though I’ve had people do equal parts brown sugar and soy sauce together to make the kecap manis. That plus chili oil would be your best substitutions! I hope I didn’t lose you because of the delay, and if you tried any other substitutions that works, please let me know, I’d love to add them to the blog post!
It’s such a colorful meal! I made it for my parents, one of whom is not a fan of new things or spice. I could never have predicted how much they loved it! I made a milder sauce for the spicephobic parent and served it with a side of mango. This recipe will be a staple in their dinner rotation now.
This was amazing! Thank you.
Excellent! I’ve done a few riffs once adding some your pineapple tofu another time making it with coconut rice. I have a jar of the mixed sambal oelek and kepak manis in the refrigerator at all times. FYI, Sambal oelek is currently hard to source. Think national shortage something like what is happening in France with mustard (They’re out!) The better news? It is easy to make. I made a raw version so as not to have the experience of cooking a pound of red Thai chilies in my kitchen and thinking I’d breathe through it . It worked well. Consult Uncle Google for a recipe.
Love love LOVE this! I might have to do it for a video!
Go for it! Condiments can be hard to source in small communities. Kepak Manis is also easy to make and can be as simple as mixed molasses and soy sauce or to adding some star anise and lime leaf, etc. to jazz it up. Go have fun with it!
this is SO good. i did half red cabbage and half sliced brussels sprouts and it’s blowing my mind!! i don’t even like brussels sprouts! so easy and cheap and yum
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