Country-Style Cabbage Salad (Winter Preserve)
Despite the name, this kapustnyak isn’t the sour cabbage soup Ukrainians know by that word – here it means a thick vegetable salad put up in jars. It’s the classic autumn “everything from the garden” haul: cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, onion, and carrot in a sweet-and-sour oil marinade. Gentle cooking keeps the vegetables juicy and bright well into winter.
You get two methods to choose from: a cold one (marinate a day, then down to the cellar) and a hot one (a quick boil, then seal), which saves you if there’s no cool basement. Note this is a big batch – 3 kg (about 6.5 lb) of cabbage alone.
Good to know: use meaty tomatoes – watery varieties dump too much liquid and the salad goes soupy.
- Apple cider vinegar is milder than distilled white, so it’s the better pick for the cold method.
- On the hot method, don’t overcook: 15 minutes keeps the cabbage crunchy.
Serve as a side with potatoes and meat. Sealed jars keep in a cool spot for up to six months.
Part of Ukrainian cuisine — 464 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Shred the cabbage thinly, cut the peppers and onion into thin half-rings, and chop the tomatoes as for a salad.
Mix everything well and pour over a boiling marinade made from oil, sugar, vinegar, and a little water.
Cover with a lid and leave for a day.
Pack into jars, close with lids, and lower into the cellar.
Alternatively: set the mixture over medium heat and, once it boils, cook for 15 minutes, pack into jars, seal, turn upside down, and wrap up.
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