Napa cabbage is the perfect addition to salads, soups, stir-fries, and a wide range of other recipes from around the world.
The nutritious leafy green deserves its highly respected spot in both home and commercial kitchens.
Like with all veggies, using fresh, high-quality napa cabbage will make all the difference in your meals.
In this blog, we'll explain how home cooks and foodservice professionals alike can find the best napa cabbage.
How to Choose the Freshest Napa Cabbage- and Keep It That Way
Whether you're preparing dinner for your household or supplying a restaurant kitchen, you always want to select the best produce.
Fortunately, it's easy to find the freshest napa cabbage and keep it in great condition with a few simple tips.
Buy It Fresh
Whether you’re putting a few heads in your shopping cart or checking in an order at the back of house, look for these signs of freshness:
An unblemished, elongated head with squared-off tips
A firm, compact body that feels heavy for its size
Crisp, pale green or yellow leaves with white ribs
No damage or wilting along the 12-inch body
A fresh, clean, almost neutral fragrance
Here are some signs that napa cabbage is past its prime and should be avoided:
Yellowing, discolored, or slimy leaves
Limp or wilting leaves
Bruising, dark spots, or cracks
Strong odors
Napa cabbage grows year-round here in California, so at Hitchcock Farms, we always have the freshest produce to offer.
Keep It Fresh
A great shelf life makes napa cabbage a favorite with commercial kitchens, but you don’t have to buy bulk to appreciate a vegetable that stores easily.
These tips keep the cabbage fresh and ready for all types of kitchens:
Keep it cold: Napa cabbage should be kept at 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit in a refrigerator or walk-in cooler.
Keep it dry: Wrap napa cabbage loosely in perforated plastic wrap or store it in a produce bin that gets good airflow.
Prep at the right time: Washing napa cabbage before storing it can shorten its lifespan. Only remove and wash cabbage leaves as you need them for your recipes.
Follow FIFO: In a commercial kitchen, label your inventory by date and always follow the rule of "first in, first out."
When stored correctly, napa cabbage can stay fresh for one to two weeks or even longer.
Where to Buy Napa Cabbage
Napa cabbage has always been popular with home chefs, but the leafy vegetable has finally attained restaurant star status.
Whether you're cooking for one, a full house, or an entire restaurant, a fresh head of napa cabbage isn't far away.
For Home Cooks
Local Supermarkets
Many regular grocery stores now carry napa cabbage and napa cabbage hearts.
Next time you're browsing in the produce section, keep an eye out for the leafy greens.
Pros:
Convenient and easily accessible
Budget-friendly
May offer a greater variety of options
Cons:
Less flavorful
Cabbage may be past its peak ripeness
Farmer Markets
Your local farmers' market might be one of the best places to find fresh napa cabbage.
Enjoy an afternoon browsing the market while hearing interesting details from vendors about their prize crops.
Pros:
Fresh and locally grown produce
Vendors can tell you about the source of the cabbage
Opportunity to support local farmers
Cons:
May be more expensive than store-bought cabbage
Farmers’ markets may not run year-round in your community
Asian Markets
Asian supermarkets are an excellent but often overlooked option for finding fresh, delicious produce.
If you have an Asian market in your community, stop by and check out what they have in stock.
Pros:
Inexpensive seasonal produce
May have a greater variety of produce items
Cons:
Some produce may be past peak freshness
Requires an extra trip if you don't regularly shop there
For Commercial Use
Trusted Produce Suppliers & Distributors
As a foodservice professional, you depend on trusted suppliers all across the industry to keep pantries and walk-ins fully stocked.
Hitchcock Farms is proud to serve you as a napa cabbage supplier, and we're always available to help you become a part of our distribution network.
Pros:
Access to fresh produce year-round
Guarantee of high-quality items
Can develop a long-term professional relationship with local distributors
Cons:
Produce may be transported long distances, depending on your location
Regional Produce Markets
Your regional produce market could be your one-stop shop for your restaurant's produce needs.
Farm-to-table restaurants especially love regional markets because they help keep operations local.
Pros:
Fresh seasonal produce
Supports local farms
Cons:
Can be more costly
May not meet your produce needs year-round
Online Wholesale Produce Platforms
National online wholesalers work with a large network of farmers to offer everything you need year-round.
If napa cabbage is out of season in your area, you can still count on it being available from your wholesale supplier.
Pros:
Consistent availability of produce
Can buy in bulk for a discount
Cons:
The produce may not arrive as fresh
Can't build a long-term professional relationship with your supplier
Offering Our Very Best
Here at Hitchcock Farms, we're dedicated to providing the freshest napa cabbage to foodservice professionals across the country.
You work hard to deliver the best possible experience for your diners, and that starts with high-quality ingredients.
Wherever you’re serving dinner, you can always count on Hitchcock Farms to serve you with our very best.
FAQ
Why is napa cabbage a must-have for food businesses?
Napa cabbage (also called Chinese cabbage) is a highly versatile and nutrient-dense vegetable.
It's traditionally used in many Asian dishes, but it's also a great addition to dishes from Italy, Mexico, the American South, and other regions.
You can use it as a base for salads, add it to a soup, or serve it as a side dish.
What is the best way to prepare napa cabbage?
Some of our favorite salads use napa cabbage, including the summer salad with avocados and strawberries, the chicken chopped salad, and the chopped salad with kale and Brussels sprouts.
You can also add napa cabbage to a frittata, stir fry it with pork and rice noodles, or cook it in a sheet pan with sausage.
What is a substitute for napa cabbage?
In most recipes, you can substitute napa cabbage with green cabbage or savoy cabbage.
Bok choy also makes an excellent alternative for napa cabbage.
What are the benefits of napa cabbage?
One cup of raw napa cabbage contains only 20 calories and has 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and 220 milligrams of potassium.
Cabbage can improve your digestion, strengthen your cardiovascular system, and boost your immune system.
