Pickled Salvadoran Curtido with Cabbage and Carrots

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-02 · Updated 2026-07-02

A tangy, crunchy fermented cabbage salad layered with carrots and oregano, perfect to brighten savory Salvadoran dishes. This latin american-inspired vegetarian ready in about 15 minutes pairs medium, peeled and shredded carrots, small, thinly sliced white onion, dried oregano for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving is portion-balanced and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart.

Ingredients

• 1 small head (about 6 cups shredded) green cabbage
• 2 medium, peeled and shredded carrots
• 1 small, thinly sliced white onion
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp (optional) red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Step 1: Finely shred 1 small head green cabbage to yield about 6 cups, then combine in a large bowl with 2 peeled and shredded medium carrots and 1 thinly sliced small white onion.
2. Step 2: Sprinkle 1 tbsp salt over the vegetables and massage them with your hands for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften and release liquid.
3. Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if using, stirring until sugar dissolves.
4. Step 4: Pour the vinegar mixture over the cabbage mixture and toss well to combine.
5. Step 5: Transfer the curtido to a sterilized glass jar, pressing down firmly to submerge the vegetables under the liquid.
6. Step 6: Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving to develop tangy flavors. Store up to 2 weeks refrigerated.