From salads to stir-fries, napa cabbage is a favorite for its sweet flavor and crisp bite.
But when it’s out of stock or out of season, there are plenty of great alternatives.
With decades of experience growing premium vegetables, Hitchcock Farms is here to help you find the best napa cabbage substitutes for raw, cooked, and fermented dishes.
Napa Cabbage Alternatives and When to Use Them
Best for Stir Fries, Soups & Sauteed Dishes
1. Bok Choy
Bok choy is a staple in Asian cooking and makes a great alternative to napa cabbage in stir fries, broth-based soups, curries, and noodle dishes.
Flavor & Texture: Bok choy has a mildly sweet and grassy flavor. Its leaves are soft and tender, while its stalks are crisp like celery.
How to Prepare: The leaves cook much faster than the stalks, so separate them before cooking.
Pros:
Quick to cook
Used in a wide variety of Asian dishes
Great flavor and texture balance
Cons:
Leaves and stems have different cooking times
2. Choy Sum
Also known as Chinese cabbage, choy sum is a delicious tender green that's perfect for steaming and stir-frying.
Flavor & Texture: Choy sum has tender, juicy leaves and crunchy stems. It's a little more bitter than napa cabbage, although younger stalks are sweeter than older ones.
How to Prepare: Separate the leaves from the stems, rinse thoroughly, and chop the choy sum into medium-sized pieces.
Pros:
Light and flavorful
Fast cooking time
Can be enjoyed raw or cooked
Cons:
Limited availability in supermarkets
3. Tatsoi
Tatsoi's rounded, spoon-shaped leaves are an excellent substitute for cabbage leaves in soups and salads.
Flavor & Texture: Tatsoi has soft, tender leaves that offer a sweet and mustardy flavor.
How to Prepare: This leafy green is best enjoyed raw or just slightly cooked, so chop and add it to your soups or stir fries at the end of cooking.
Pros:
Mild and enjoyable flavor
Cooks quickly
Easy to grow in a home garden
Cons:
Not suited for long cooking times
4. Savoy Cabbage
Known for its distinct wrinkly leaves, savoy cabbage is one of the closest swaps for napa cabbage.
Flavor & Texture: Savoys's outer leaves are tender and crinkly, but the inner leaves are crispier. The cabbage tastes mild and slightly sweet.
How to Prepare: Rinse the cabbage, remove the outermost leaves, and slice the inner leaves thinly.
Pros:
Closest in flavor and texture to napa cabbage
Can be used in a variety of raw or cooked dishes
Cons:
Can be hard to find in supermarkets
Best for Kimchi, Pickling & Fermenting
5. Green Cabbage
Green cabbage is probably the easiest napa substitute to find, and it makes a great alternative in most recipes.
Flavor & Texture: Green cabbage is somewhat firmer and crunchier than napa cabbage. It also has a stronger and slightly more earthy flavor.
How to Prepare: Remove the core of the cabbage, wash the leaves, and chop them into thin slices. If fermenting the cabbage for kimchi, soak the leaves in a salt bath.
Pros:
Affordable and widely available
Good substitute for fermenting and for recipes with long cooking times
Flavorful, especially when eaten raw
Cons:
Firmer and tougher texture than napa cabbage
6. Pointed Cabbage
Named for its pointed, cone-shaped leaves, pointed cabbage is very close in texture to napa and is especially delicious in pickled and fermented dishes.
Flavor & Texture: Pointed cabbage is one of the sweeter varieties of cabbage and has soft, delicate leaves.
How to Prepare: Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, then shred it or cut it into wedges.
Pros:
Excellent base for pickles and slaws
Tender, sweet, and digestible
Easy to shred
Cons:
Not ideal for recipes with long cooking times
7. Kohlrabi
Also known as German turnip, kohlrabi is a unique plant that resembles a root vegetable but is actually a member of the cabbage family.
Flavor & Texture: Kohlrabi is one of the crunchiest and crispiest cabbage varieties. It tastes similar to a turnip or radish but also offers some sweetness.
How to Prepare: Peel and remove the fibrous outer layer of the vegetable, then shred or thinly slice it.
Pros:
Maintains its crunch in cooked dishes
Stem and leaves are both edible
Cons:
The tough outer layer requires peeling
8. Daikon Radish
Unlike most napa cabbage substitutes, daikon radish is a root vegetable, not a leafy green.
Although its structure is different, it's still a tasty substitute for cabbage, especially in pickled dishes.
Flavor & Texture: Daikon tastes peppery when raw but becomes sweeter when cooked. It has a crispy, crunchy texture similar to a turnip.
How to Prepare: Wash and peel the daikon radish, then shred or julienne the root.
Pros:
Perfect texture for pickles and kimchi
Purple variety adds color to your recipes
Cons:
Bold flavor may overwhelm some recipes
Best for Raw Salads, Slaws & Wraps
9. Swiss Chard
Swiss chard's large green leaves make a wonderful base for salads or a crunchy, nutritious filling for wraps.
Flavor & Texture: Raw Swiss chard tastes earthy and slightly bitter. The leaves are firmer than spinach but softer than kale.
How to Prepare: Separate the leaves from the stems, then wash and chop the leaves. Massaging Swiss chard can help make the vegetable softer and tastier.
Pros:
Good texture and flavor for salads, sandwiches, or wraps
Nutritious and colorful
Cons:
Some find the flavor too bitter when eaten raw
10. Romaine Lettuce
Romaine is a fan favorite for a reason. Its enjoyable flavor and crisp texture make the leafy green an ideal substitute for raw cabbage, especially when you need something that's easy to find at the supermarket.
Flavor & Texture: Romaine has a mildly sweet flavor and a crunchy, juicy texture.
How to Prepare: Rinse the leaves, slice the head of lettuce length-wise, and remove the core at the base. Chop the lettuce into pieces of your desired size.
Pros:
Inexpensive and easy to find
Great for salads, wraps, and brothy soups
Cons:
Wilts when cooked for too long
How to Find a Great Napa Cabbage Substitute
The right substitute for napa cabbage will depend on the recipe and cooking methods as well as your own personal preferences.
Here are some criteria to consider when picking out a napa cabbage alternative:
Texture: Raw napa cabbage has a crunchy texture, but it gets softer when cooked. Some alternatives are crispier than napa while others are quite a bit softer. If you're cooking the vegetable, make sure you choose an alternative that won't get too soft or soggy when exposed to heat.
Flavor: Napa cabbage is mild and slightly sweet, which is why it's a popular green in such a wide variety of cuisines. Consider whether you want a vegetable with a mild flavor that blends into your recipe or something that offers a bolder kick.
Cooking and Prep Methods: Some napa cabbage substitutes are perfect when eaten raw in salads or slaws, and others better mirror the taste and texture of napa when cooked.
Availability and Access: Not all napa alternatives will be easy to find at traditional supermarkets. Additionally, some may only be available seasonally.
Creative Cooking Starts With Fresh Produce
Napa cabbage is one of our favorite ingredients, but it’s far from the only option when you want flavor and crunch.
With the right swap, you can keep your meals fresh, creative, and just as satisfying.
At Hitchcock Farms, we’re proud to grow a diverse range of premium vegetables so you’re always inspired to cook with the best.
FAQ
What's the closest to napa cabbage?
All napa substitutes have their pros and cons. Savoy cabbage may be the closest in flavor and texture overall, but other alternatives may be better suited to certain recipes and preparation methods.
What should I avoid as a substitute for napa cabbage?
Vegetables that are greatly different in texture and consistency probably won't work well as a substitute. For example, kale may be too tough and fibrous, and butterhead lettuce may be too soft.
Is there a difference between napa cabbage and regular cabbage?
Napa cabbage has an oblong head while regular cabbage is round. Napa also has a sweeter and more mild flavor and cooks faster than green cabbage.
