There are many different types of cabbage, and even your local grocery store will have at least 3 or different ones. My favorite is Napa cabbage b/c you can just slice through the thick bottom and then chop (if you want) for coleslaw and you don't have the hard core that green cabbage has ~ and you have the soft ruffled leaves if you want to make stuffed cabbage rolls (or use those with lettuce in a salad). We also use baby bok choy on the BBQ. Kale is also type of cabbage, but I don't buy it.
| The most common is green cabbage. Although it usually seems like the cheapest, remember that the price is per pound, and these are usually quite heavy. These are dense, and most often used for coleslaw ~ and the best to cut large whole slices, if you want to grill "cabbage steaks". But the hard core and spines do need to be trimmed. |  green cabbage |
 Savoy cabbage | Savoy cabbages tend to be smaller in size to regular green cabbages. They slice well and keep their texture and color even during cooking. This is the perfect cabbage for using raw in salads or adding to stir-fries. Apart from the wrinkly leaves, one difference between Savoy cabbages and regular cabbage is the loosely packed leaves that form a small round head |
| Red cabbages could be one of the healthiest cabbages as they contain antioxidants called anthocyanins. Due to its color, pleasant flavor, and crunchy texture, red cabbage is a popular ingredient for coleslaw and salads. You can also pickle red cabbage to have as a side accompaniment for many meals But remember that red cabbage will BLEED when in contact with acid (i.e. vinegar). So, I personally will never use them (or red onions, for the same reason) |  Red cabbage |
 Napa Cabbage | My personal favorite ~ Napa cabbage has an oblong shape with frilled pale green and yellow leaves and a thick white crunchy stem .The mild flavor of Napa cabbages and soft green leaves mean that this is a popular type of cabbage for salads. Even the white part of the stem isn’t too bitter or tough to chop up and eat raw in a salad. Napa cabbage is often cooked and used in soups, stir-fries, or stews. The tender sweet cabbage leaves also make good wraps for pork or oyster dishes or stuffed cabbage rolls. |
| My other favorite is Bok Choy, which comes as large as a Napa cabbage, although I buy baby bok choy and rub them with olive oil and grind some pink Himalayan salt on them ~ then put them on the BBQ. A little char on them is good! Bok choy doesn’t form a head. It has a white bulb-type base from which dark green leaves grow. Regular Bok choy has crinkly green leaves and a crunchy white stem. This type of Chinese cabbage is perfect for stir-fries |  Bok Choy |
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