Swamp Cabbage

Unless you live in Florida, swamp cabbage might conjure up leafy plants surrounded by murky waters and trees draped with moss. In reality, it’s a flavorful meaty stew thick with vegetables and a kick of Creole spice. Swamp cabbage is the kind of thing you could serve to a room full of people without spending much time (or money) pulling it together.

Swamp cabbage makes an excellent side or main dish. Double the recipe for a tailgate party or to serve during a sporting event (particularly if a Florida team is in the game), or make it on a weeknight with fried chicken or catfish.

What is swamp cabbage?

First things first: Swamp cabbage isn’t cabbage at all. It’s another name for hearts of palm harvested from the center of sabal palm trees, also known as cabbage palm trees. The sabal palm is the state tree of Florida, and the pale, tender centers are an important ingredient in the Sunshine State’s cuisine. You’ll find hearts of palm sliced in salads, battered and fried, or melded into soups and stews. The town of LaBelle, Florida, even has an annual Swamp Cabbage Festival, during which the delicacy is celebrated.

Early recipes for swamp cabbage didn’t include cabbage at all—hearts of palm were the primary vegetable ingredient. However, since palm isn’t always easy to find (and can be pricey), our version includes plenty of inexpensive green cabbage to beef it up.

Swamp Cabbage Ingredients

• Bacon: For this stew, use slabs of thick-cut bacon. Chop it up so you get meaty bits throughout the dish.
• Smoked sausage: Pick something like andouille sausage. Its deep flavor will seep into the soup, making the broth utterly delicious.
• The holy trinity: The combination of green bell pepper, onion and celery is called the holy trinity and is the base of many dishes. If the folks you’re serving are fine with other types of bell pepper, you can use a red, yellow or orange one in this dish.
• Cabbage: Regular green cabbage is best for a swamp cabbage recipe. Unlike more tender, crinkly cabbages such as Napa and Savoy, green cabbage’s sturdy leaves hold up beautifully in stewed dishes.
• Spices: A blend of salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and ground pepper seasons the dish.
  
• Hearts of palm: Finding hearts of palm may take a little hunting. The fresh ingredient is very perishable, so you’re more likely to find it canned or jarred than in the produce section. Call your grocery store to see if they carry it. If not, you could simply use extra cabbage for a swamp cabbage recipe.
• Diced tomatoes: You’ll use the liquid from the can of tomatoes to enhance the broth, so don’t drain ’em! Use whatever brand you prefer.
• Chicken broth: If you have homemade chicken broth tucked away in the freezer, use it. If not, go for the best chicken broth brand from the store.

Directions

Step 1: Brown the bacon and sausage

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Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and smoked sausage, and cook until the bacon is crisp, six to eight minutes.

Step 2: Add the vegetables and spices

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Add the onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, four to five minutes.

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Add the cabbage, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper, and cook until the cabbage starts to wilt, two to three minutes.

Step 3: Add the other ingredients and simmer

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Add the hearts of palm, diced tomatoes and broth, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the cabbage is tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

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Swamp Cabbage Variations

• Highlight hearts of palm: If you have easy access, you could make this dish more traditional by increasing the amount of hearts of palm and decreasing the amount of cabbage, or skipping the cabbage altogether.
• Change the protein: This dish’s flavors are excellent with shellfish, so consider swapping in one of your favorite types of shrimp for the bacon and sausage (or adding it alongside them). To make it vegetarian, trade the chicken broth for vegetable broth and use mushrooms or tempeh in lieu of the meat.
• Kick up the spice: If you enjoy spice, seek out one of Florida’s famous hot sauces, many of which are made with fruity datil peppers. You can also zip up your spice blend with some cayenne powder.

How to Store Swamp Cabbage

This dish stores very well. Scoop leftovers into snap-top storage containers and keep them in the fridge. They’ll last up to four days.

Can you freeze swamp cabbage?

You can safely freeze this dish, but the texture might not be as nice upon thawing and reheating. If you do want to freeze the swamp cabbage recipe, try putting it into freezer-safe zip-top bags and squeezing out the extra air. For best results, use it within three months.

How do you reheat swamp cabbage?

Be gentle when you reheat this dish. I like to add a little chicken broth to a saucepan, bring it to a simmer and add the leftover swamp cabbage. Cook and stir just until the ingredients are heated through.

Swamp Cabbage Tips

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How can you keep swamp cabbage from getting mushy?

To keep swamp cabbage from getting mushy, cook the cabbage just until wilted. It will get softer in texture the longer you store it, so eat leftovers within a day or two if it’s an issue.

What can you serve with swamp cabbage?

Since this cabbage swamp dish is deeply regional, pair it with fried fish, boiled shrimp or flank steak. Match it with herbed rice pilaf or Spanish rice, and then offer something citrus-y for dessert, such as grapefruit meringue pie, mini Key lime and coconut pies, or sunny orange sugar cookies.