This Indian Cabbage Curry is a quick, dry cabbage sabzi made with shredded white cabbage, ginger, green chilli, fresh tomato and simple Indian spices. It is vegan, gluten-free, made without onion or garlic, and cooked without added water so the cabbage turns tender, sweet and lightly caramelised instead of soggy.

I serve it as a simple mid-week meal with soft Gujarati rotli.

cabbage curry served in a serving bowl and garnished with fresh coriander leaves and red sliced onions.

Recipe Summary: Indian Cabbage Curry

✅ Recipe Name: Indian Cabbage Curry
🕒 Ready In: around 20 minutes
👪 Serves: 8 (easy to scale)
🍽 Calories: 70 per serving
🥣 Main Ingredients: white cabbage, fresh tomato, ginger, green chillies, basic Indian spice powders
📖 Dietary Info: vegan, gluten-free
⭐ Why You'll Love It: It is quick, simple and much tastier than cabbage sounds. The masala is light enough to let the cabbage shine, and the dry cooking method brings out its natural sweetness.

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Recipe Summary: Indian Cabbage Curry
Why This Cabbage Curry Works
Important Cabbage Curry Ingredient Notes
Let's Make A Simple Cabbage Curry
How The Finished Curry Should Be
How to Serve Indian Cabbage Curry
Cabbage Curry FAQs
Other Indian Curry Recipes
📖 Recipe

Why This Cabbage Curry Works

This recipe takes inspiration from the flavours of our Gujarati kobi bateta nu shaak: no onion, no garlic and a simple masala.

But it is not exactly the traditional Gujarati version because I keep this one plain. No potatoes. No peas. Just cabbage.

That actually happened by accident once, when I thought we had potatoes and realised we didn’t. I made the cabbage anyway, and it was surprisingly delicious!

The cabbage becomes tender and slightly sweet when it cooks in its own steam. If you let the bottom catch just a little (yes, I found out by accident!), without burning (phew!), you get a lovely gentle caramelised flavour too.

In the winter months, I also love this potato and brussels sprouts curry when I want another simple vegetable curry with the same cosy, everyday feel.

A bowl of cabbage sabzi placed on a kitchen napkin.

Important Cabbage Curry Ingredient Notes

Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post

White cabbage

Fresh white cabbage is best here. I shred it finely, but not as thin as coleslaw. Try to keep the pieces a similar size so they cook evenly.

I would not roughly chop it for this recipe. You want soft, separate strands of cabbage, not big uneven chunks.

I often use leftover cabbage to make cabbage paratha.

Fresh tomato

Use fresh tomato rather than tomato paste.

You do not want a tomato sauce or gravy here. The tomato should bring a little freshness and acidity without taking over.

Add it halfway through cooking. If you add tomato too early, the cabbage takes longer to soften.

Ginger and green chilli

Fresh crushed ginger and green chilli give the curry its warmth.

They make the cabbage taste lively without needing a heavy masala.

Mustard seeds and hing

Mustard seeds give the first layer of flavour.

Hing is optional, but I like it in no onion, no garlic Indian curries.

Let's Make A Simple Cabbage Curry

mustard seeds and hing tempering in oil.

Temper the mustard seeds: Heat oil in a wide pan, then add mustard seeds and hing. Let the mustard seeds pop before adding the cabbage.

shredded cabbage added to the hot oil in the pan.

Add the shredded cabbage: Add the cabbage and mix it through the tempered oil. It will look like a lot at first, but it quickly starts to wilt.

Sauteed wilting white cabbage in the pan.

Let the cabbage soften: Cover and cook briefly in its own steam. Do not add water. Allowing the cabbage to cook a little first makes it easier to judge how much masala to add.

spice powders added to the sauteed cabbage.

Add the masala: Add the ginger, green chillies, turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin-coriander powder and salt. Stir so the cabbage is evenly coated and cook on medium-high heat.

chopped fresh tomatoes added to cabbage curry.

Add the fresh tomato: Add the chopped tomato once the cabbage has already started to soften. This gives the tomato time to cook without slowing the cabbage down too much.

North Indian style cabbage ki sabzi garnished with fresh coriander in the frying pan

Cook until tender and lightly caramelised: Cook until the cabbage is tender, dry and just beginning to caramelise at the bottom. It should not be watery, mushy or burnt.

How The Finished Curry Should Be

The cabbage should be tender, but still separate.
It should not be mushy or waterlogged.
There should be no loose gravy in the pan.
The best flavour comes when the cabbage is cooked through and just starting to caramelise slightly. That little sweetness is what makes such a simple curry taste so good.

patta gobhi ki sabzi served with two serving spoons in a bowl.

How to Serve Indian Cabbage Curry

This is the kind of everyday shaak I like with plain roti, simple dal and pickle.

Serve it with soft gujarati rotli, gujarati dal and jeera rice for a simple home-style meal.

It is also lovely with something sharp on the side, such as instant carrot green chilli pickle, gajar marcha athanu or instant stuffed red chilli pickle.

For another cabbage recipe, try Gujarati kobi no sambharo, which is more of a quick Gujarati cabbage salad.

cabbage curry recipe bowl, placed next to a small bowl filled with chopped coriander.

Cabbage Curry FAQs

Can I make cabbage curry without onion and garlic?
Yes. This recipe is made without onion and garlic, so the cabbage stays light and delicate.

Do I need to add water?
No. Do not add water unless the spices are catching badly. Cabbage releases enough moisture as it cooks.

Why is my cabbage curry watery?
The cabbage may have released too much moisture, or the pan may have stayed covered for too long. Cook uncovered for a few minutes, on medium-heat heat so the water evaporates. To prevent this happening, I usually cut, wash in advance and leave to drain well before cooking.

Why do you add tomato later?
Tomato can slow the cabbage from softening. Adding it halfway through lets the cabbage cook first while still giving the tomato time to soften.

Can I add potatoes or peas?
Yes, but this version is deliberately plain. For potatoes, make kobi bateta nu shaak.

Other Indian Curry Recipes

Aloo Gobi Matar (Potato, Cauliflower and Green Peas Curry)
Indian Vegetable Curry (Mixed Veg Curry) - made with potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and green beans.
Brinjal Bhaji (Aubergine Curry)
Zucchini Curry
Bhindi Bhaji
Eggplant Potato Curry (Aloo Baingan)

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