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Home Court Habits: The Secret to Effortless Weight Control
10 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight When You Think You’re Doing Everything Right
How To Burn More Calories Without Breaking A Sweat
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Foodists
Oddly Delicious: Cabbage and Eggs
Cabbage and Eggs
I must confess that I’ve been reluctant to share this recipe for a long time because, well, let’s just say it isn’t the most photogenic thing that I cook.
However, I realized that this simple cabbage and eggs dish has become such a staple of my home court recipes that it isn’t fair to keep it from you any longer.
This recipe is special for a few reasons. First, even though it may look funny it tastes (and smells) absolutely amazing. The secret is adding just a splash of soy sauce to the cooked cabbage before adding the eggs, which gives it a rich umami flavor that our mouths crave.
Second, it’s surprisingly filling given that it’s just two eggs and a handful of leaves. Something about the combination makes it feel almost luscious and decadent to eat, and it keeps me full for hours.
Last, but certainly not least, how often do you get to eat (and actually enjoy) vegetables for breakfast? Although I’ve been known to make this for any meal of the day, the egg component makes it easy to add to your morning healthstyle and double down on your veggie consumption for the day.
One final bonus is that when I use certain varietals of purple cabbage in this dish my eggs turn an almost neon blue. What’s not to love?
Cabbage and Eggs
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 1 cup (packed down) thinly sliced cabbage
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Preparation
Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium high heat until it is hot. Add the olive oil and swirl it in the pan. Add the sliced cabbage and cook, stirring frequently until it softens and begins to brown, 2-3 minutes.
Reduce the heat on the pan to medium. Add the soy sauce and stir the cabbage constantly for about 30 seconds until the steam subsides. Do not leave this unattended or it will burn.
Spread out the cabbage so that it makes an even layer in the bottom of the pan, then pour over the eggs.
Let the eggs cook and set for about 20 seconds, then slowly fold them over themselves until the eggs are cooked through. We aren’t trying to make an omelet here, but a bit of cohesiveness in the dish is nice, as it keeps the eggs tender and moist.
Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Yep, that’s a reflection of me in my pajamas in the fork.
Originally published June 26, 2013.
Hi, recently I have tried kimchi and egg recipe. You don’t cook kimchi (don’t use liquid). Just add eggs, some salt and black pepper, mix it, cook on preheated pan and enjoy. I “invented” this dish myself after trying Korean pancakes with kimchi at my friend’s home for breakfast. So next morning I improvised with just kimchi and eggs (I didn’t want any kind of flour in my dish). Maybe it is a good idea to put some grated cheese like aged sharp cheddar on top of still hot dish. Will try this combination next time. Also will try the combination of sweet onions (fried till caramelized), green cabbage, soy sauce and eggs. Maybe some fried mushrooms as an important addition. And some sweet peas (canned or previously frozen). Thank you for such a good recipe! Most people should start making simple but delicious dishes otherwise they will newer start cooking at home especially in the morning.
I’ve made this many times and loved it – especially with purple cabbage!
Have you checked out Fuschia Dunlop’s book, “Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking”? There are so many quick, tasty vegetable stir-fries in there! She does cabbage with tiny dried shrimps, and says that’s her favorite way to eat it.
Thanks for the tip!
I have been eating this since I was a child. Now I add mushrooms, and onion. We have six chickens so I make this a lot.
Sounds delicious!!! I came here after seeing you make it on your Snapchat! I will definitely try this recipe.. Easy to make and great way to add veggies to breakfast/brunch. Thank you Darya 🙂
I was looking for ways to use up extra cabbage after St. Patrick’s day and found this. I am really pleasantly surprised! It reminds me a little of a chinese dish. It is so simple and healthy. I really love it!!
I know I’m one of many who have written this, but thank you so much for this recipe. I am at a point now where I actually crave it. Eggs have always been a tough one for me to consume, and feel completely left out in this world of runny yolk that for some reason just make me ill. But cabbage and eggs with the soy sauce (I’ve started adding a small dash of sesame oil to the eggs also) is just over the top good. I have even been experimenting with kimchi also. I call it eggs meet kimchi. Delicious. Thanks again!
My dad was a wizard when it came to cooking what he referred to as “depression food.” One of my favorite dishes of his, and I still make it today, is “sour cabbage.” Simply brown 3 cups chopped cabbage in canola oil slowly until nice and soft. Add 2 cloves diced garlic, or to taste after the first 4 or 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 3 eggs with 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar. When you are happy with the texture and color of the cabbage, pour in your egg mixture, stir, remove from heat, cover and let sit for a few minutes until eggs are set. Serves three as a main or more as a side.
Finally tried this out recently after seeing you reference it a few times and I LOVE it. My fiance thinks it’s bizarre and I am perfectly happy to cook it for myself every time he’s out 🙂 Thank you for posting despite your reservations about it not being photogenic – such a great easy staple recipe!
I lived on spinach & eggs when I first learned about my food allergies. I am now at the point where I am more creative. Tomorrow (when my husband has a hot dog/salad) I will be packing cabbage and eggs. I will use apple cider vinegar and spices in place of the soy sauce. thanks all of you for the posts; which enhanced my creativity
Hey there! I looking for cabbage based breakfast alternatives, and I found yours. I need to be able to make it a week at a time. Do you know how well this would reheat in the microwave?
Thank you so much for posting this! I have it all the time and love how quick, cheap, easy (and carb free!) it is. I make it for dinner all the time and add mushrooms, a few frozen shrimp, or sambal olek if I want to mix it up!
Hi Darya,
I’m a high school science teacher, I’ve just started loving your website and podcasts, and I think I know why your eggs turn blue. Red cabbage contains a natural pH indicator that changes color based on the acidity of the solution. Eggs are slightly basic, so they change the color to blue. It’s really fun to boil red cabbage, then use the juice in various substances to informally test their pH! I’ll be trying this recipe soon. 🙂
Hi Darya! Do you still make this in 2016? 🙂 I stumbled upon this recipe while reading some of your newer blog posts and it caught my eye for a lot of reasons. One, I LOVE eggs, and I eat them with anything. Two, I hate cabbage but I know I have to eat them, so this might just do the trick. And three, four ingredients. Wow! I’m really lazy in the kitchen and I love anything that’s really easy to cook. Will add this to my breakfast choices from now on.
I still eat this several days a week and it’s amazing. I think it will change your opinion of cabbage.
I still love this recipe exactly as described. It keeps me full all morning and I get a good start on my vegetables for the day. Thanks!
I recently discovered this recipe and love it! So good. Hearty, healthy, and uses up those CSA veggies! I have come to like it best with the eggs cooked over easy on top. Yum!
It is Chinese dish – hence, you put soy sauce. We use garlic first, stir fry the cabbage and add scrambled eggs.
I have been listening to your foodist podcast as well as your foodist book an audio! I am hooked! I heard you describe this breakfast in one of your episodes and I have been eating it every morning. It is so easy, and delicious! Thank you!
Yum. This was good and SUPER easy peasy. I think I’m actually more likely to eat it for dinner but either way it’s a keeper.
I commented on this post almost 3 years ago and am still loving this dish! I recently cut out soy and have been using coconut aminos to make this and have found that while it’s not quite as tasty as the soy sauce version,(a bit sweeter), it’s still pretty great! Just FYI in case anyone else is in the same boat.
I couldn’t stop reading all the different ways to eat this breakfast. I had left over cabbage and wanted to know if there were any recipes out there. Glad I came to this one first. I am going to try this, but I think I would like to add some kidney beans to this for added protein. I am trying to eat more protein with more veggies and the right kind of fat. This is sooo perfect, thanks!!
This was really, really good, thank you! Kind of tasted like egg foo young to me.
We tried “the cloud” for breakfast while visiting UK this spring, and when I was trying to google a recipe, I found nothing. Then out of desperation I’ve tried to google “cabbage for breakfast”, and finally found that one!
Unbelivably tasty combo. I did add some chives, but that’s just me. I’d recommend it
I have learned so much through your blog, book and podcast over the years. I love Summer Tomato! But the best thing I’ve learned here to date? Cabbage and eggs. This is my staple recipe that I eat probably 2-3x per week. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. Happy, sad or in between. Even when I’m on the verge of saying, “Screw it. I’ll order a pizza.” Thank you for the magic of the cabbage and egg combination.
After having made and enjoyed the soy sauce version, I switched up and tried Worcestershire sauce instead of soy sauce. It was excellent.
[Also from a dietary standpoint, most worcestershire sauce is gluten-free and salt-free unlike most soy sauce.]
The appearance is similarly wanting, but in the future I would not hesitate to add a few halved cherry tomatoes or to add a few kalamata olives to give it eye-appeal and a bit more flair.
Simply delicious! The flavours pair perfectly and create a whole new flavour that is amazing. I used red cabbage and it stayed purple and created a very colourful dish! It’s my new favourite breakfast. Thanks so much for sharing!
OMG yummy! I added some Worcestershire as well as the soy and it was a hit. The family was hesitant when I told them what I was making but there wasn’t a morsel left after dinner. I’ve been told I will be making this again! Thank you
What a quick, simple, tasty, comforting dish. Recently discovered how much I like sautéed cabbage. Just added a little left-over browned ground beef but would have been as good without.
This was great, thank you for posting! I would have never thought to add soy sauce but it punches it up perfectly!
Added some hot sauce at the end- I will definitely look forward to making this again!
Instead of soy sauce, which I avoid due to the sodium, do you think sesame oil would work?
I just made this and I love it!! I ate half as is. The second half I poured a bit of toasted sesame oil and it was also very good. I totally understand the comment about craving it.