Best Napa Cabbage Substitutes

The best Napa Cabbage Substitutes for Chinese and Asian cooking

Napa cabbage in used in many Asian dishes, such as Chinese cabbage soup, kimchi, and spicy Stir fried veggies: its sweet flavor and tender juicy leaves make it one of my favorite vegetables.

If you're unable to find Napa cabbage where you are, here are some of the best substitutes: ideally, we want a juicy veggie with large sweet leaves that have a midl flavor.

Bok Choy

This is another popular veggie used in Chinese cooking. Like Napa cabbage Bon Choy has a mild, sweet taste.

However, it needs to be cooked much more quickly than Napa cabbage, which is a bit sturdier. I would recommend substituting it in stir-fries instead of soups.

If you do use it in a soup, it will need to be added at the very last minute since it cooks more quickly.

Tip: separate the bok Choy into stems and leaves- add the stems first before the green leafy bits (which wilt much more quickly.)

Savoy Cabbage

Savoy cabbage has a more robust structure, making it a decent alternative to Napa cabbage in soups. (You will probably need to cook it for a longer time.)

Although it's mild, its flavor is slightly earthier, so you will need to change the seasoning a bit.

Sweetheart Cabbage

This cabbage has a mild, sweet flavor, and firm texture. It works well in soups and stir fries- just remember to slice it more thinly.

Green Cabbage

Another alternative is green cabbage: just remember that it's a little peppery so change the seasoning accordingly.

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine Lettuce lacks the sweetness of Napa cabbage so you'll need to add a pinch more sugar.

Any questions about the best Napa cabbage substitutes? Let me know in the comments!