• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop

Chili Pepper Madness logo

  • Recipe Index
  • RECIPES BY TYPE
    • BBQ/Grilled
    • Burgers
    • Chicken Wings
    • Chili
    • Curry
    • Dehydrator
    • Game Day
    • Hot Sauce Recipes
    • Jalapeno Poppers
    • Marinades
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Quick and Easy
    • Salsas
    • Sauces
    • Seasonings
    • Stuffed Peppers
    • Tacos
  • COOKING TIPS
  • Pepper Info
    • Chili Pepper Types
    • The Scoville Scale
    • Hottest Peppers in the World
    • Growing Chili Peppers
    • Preserving
    • Health Benefits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Buy Plants & Seeds
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • All Recipes
  • Pepper Info
  • Chili Pepper Types
  • The Scoville Scale
  • Growing Chili Peppers
  • Preserving
  • Chili Pepper Health Benefits
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Cooking Tips
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • About Us
×

Home » Recipes » Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)

Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)

by Mike Hultquist · Jul 31, 2023 · 12 Comments

Jump to Recipe Save Saved!
Curtido Recipe (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)

Curtido is a Salvadoran cabbage slaw or relish made with shredded cabbage, onion, carrot, and vinegar, essential for topping pupusas and other Salvadoran dishes.

Curtido Recipe (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)

Curtido Recipe (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)

We're taking a trip to El Salvador today in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends! Care to join in?

We're whipping up a big batch of Curtido, a delicious condiment you're bound to fall in love with.

What is Curtido?

Curtido is a traditional Salvadoran pickled cabbage slaw or relish served as a topping for various foods. It is important to many traditional Latin American dishes, particularly El Salvador, where it is essential for pupusas, or Salvadoran corn cakes.

It is made with a combination of vinegar and fermentation, resulting in a tangy, tart, slightly sour flavor that adds a refreshing acidic zing to many dishes.

Let's talk about how to make curtido, shall we?

Mike taking a scoop of curtido from the jar

Curtido Ingredients

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Cabbage. Use green cabbage or white cabbage, shredded.
  • Onion. Use white onion or red onion, thinly sliced.
  • Carrot. Shredded.
  • Vinegar. I'm using apple cider vinegar, though you can use white vinegar.
  • Bay Leaf.
  • Salt.
  • Sugar. Optional, for a touch of sweet.
  • Jalapeno. Optional, for a spicier version. You can use hotter peppers. Thinly sliced. Chile de arbol is GREAT here for some heat.

How to Make Curtido - the Recipe Method

Slice and Combine. Slice or shred all of your vegetables into thin strips that can be used as a slaw. Mix the cabbage, onion, and shredded carrot (and jalapeno, if using) together in a large bowl.

Jar them Up. Transfer the mixture to a large jar, like a Ball jar or Mason jar.

Make the Brine. Whisk together the brine ingredients - vinegar, salt, and optional sugar - then pour it into the jar. Be sure to completely cover the vegetables with the brine. Add the bay leaf.

Chopped cabbage, onion, and carrot in a bowl, and tamping them down in a jar to make curtido

Wait. Secure the lid and refrigerate for 3 days or longer to let the flavors mingle. It gets better as it ages and lightly ferments, though you can serve it immediately. See the recipe notes section below.

Boom! Done! Your curtido is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? Whip up a batch of pupusas, or use it to top your next sandwich. So many uses!

Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw) in a jar

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Consider Blanching. Curtido is crunchy when you first make it, but softens as it sits for 3 days, or at least 24 hours. If you want softer curtido to serve more quickly, blanch the vegetables in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, then jar them up with the vinegar brine.
  • Variations. You can easily add other ingredients to make this your own. Cauliflower is a popular addition, as is red onion, green onion, dried oregano, lime juice, and honey. Try your favorite veggies!

Serving Curtido

Curtido is traditionally served with pupusas, Salvadoran corn cakes that are often stuffed with beans, cheese, or meats. It can also be served with tamales and other Salvadoran dishes.

It's a rather versatile condiment, and adds brightness and freshness to richer dishes and fatty meats. I love it as a sandwich topping and over fish tacos, but it also makes for a nice side dish.

Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw) on a Salvadoran pupusa

Heat Factor

Mild. Traditional Salvadoran curtido is not spicy, though you can include a spicy chili pepper in the vegetable mix. Add a jalapeno or two for a touch of heat, or go hotter with serrano or cayenne.

If you add a fiery habanero pepper, you'll have something like Pikliz, a Hatian pickled slaw very similar to this recipe.

Storage

Curtido will last at least 1 month in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Enjoy it right out of the jar.

I do not recommend freezing it.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this curtido recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Cookbook Recommendation

If you enjoy Latin American cuisine, check out this cookbook, which helped me adapt this recipe. It has many great recipes.

  • The Latin American Cookbook, by Virgilio Martinez (affiliate link, my friends!)

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

  • Vinegar Coleslaw
  • Spicy Creamy Coleslaw
Mike holding a filled jar of Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Curtido Recipe (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)
Print

Curtido Recipe (Salvadorian Cabbage Slaw)

Curtido is a Salvadoran cabbage slaw or relish made with shredded cabbage, onion, carrot, and vinegar, essential for topping pupusas and so much more!
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Salvadoran
Keyword: cabbage, carrot, red onions, vinegar
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Fermenting: 3 days days
Calories: 17kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 10
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 2 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1.5-2 cups thinly sliced or shredded green or white cabbage (about 1/2 head)
  • 1 small white onion thinly sliced (about ¾ cup)
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
  • 1 jalapeno optional for a spicy version - thinly sliced (or use hotter peppers)
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar optional
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  • Mix the cabbage, onion, and carrot together in a bowl.
  • Transfer the mixture to a large jar, like a Ball jar.
  • Whisk together the brine ingredients - vinegar, salt, and optional sugar - then pour it into the jar. Be sure to completely cover the vegetables with the brine. Add the bay leaf.
  • Secure the lid and refrigerate for 3 days or longer to let the flavors mingle. It gets better as it ages.

Notes

You can either blanch the vegetables in boiling water for 5 minutes, or bring the brine ingredients to a boil, then pour over the vegetables for softer curtido that can be served more quickly.
Popular additions/variations include cauliflower, lime juice, honey.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 17kcal   Carbohydrates: 3g   Protein: 0.3g   Fat: 0.04g   Saturated Fat: 0.01g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g   Monounsaturated Fat: 0.004g   Sodium: 2101mg   Potassium: 75mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 2g   Vitamin A: 1045IU   Vitamin C: 7mg   Calcium: 12mg   Iron: 0.2mg
Curtido Recipe (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Alex Jeffrey says

    August 17, 2023 at 10:11 am

    5 stars
    Once again Mike delivers!! A simple, easy to make dish which is great to add to any meat dishes, I would only say, that certainly when I transferred the ingredients into a Kilner jar I need far more than a cup of vinegar in order to cover the veggies.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 17, 2023 at 11:07 am

      Awesome! Thanks, Alex! I appreciate it!

      Reply
  2. Gail says

    August 02, 2023 at 1:13 pm

    Sounds so good and so easy to make, Should you add water or is straight vinegar what you recommend?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 02, 2023 at 2:08 pm

      You can do either straight vinegar, or an equal mix of vinegar and water. It depends on your flavor preference.

      Reply
  3. Theresa says

    August 02, 2023 at 9:26 am

    I love curdito! Can you can it? I’d like to keep extra on hand!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 02, 2023 at 12:44 pm

      You should be able to can it, Theresa, though if using the water bath method, you may need to add more acid. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home canning.

      Reply
  4. Shannon Sweeney says

    July 31, 2023 at 1:49 pm

    5 stars
    Just sent you an email. I'm now focused on "living foods" a/k/a "raw" but that allows for extended slow-cooking in many ways in a food dehydrator below 116 degrees. The textures and flavors are intensified this way. I'll be adapting many of your recipes to suit this. I'll also be sprouting and fermenting foods, so now I'm following you there, to save to my "Raw Vegan" collection.

    So grateful for your newsletters and now I've found you on Pinterest.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 31, 2023 at 2:13 pm

      Thanks so much, Shannon! Glad to be helpful. I hope you find many recipes you can adapt and enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Pamela says

    July 31, 2023 at 7:52 am

    I want to make this recipe but straight vinegar?? No water to dilute a little? I've never seen a recipe with straight vinegar.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 31, 2023 at 8:05 am

      You can use 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar, Pamela. No problem. You need the vinegar, though. Enjoy.

      Reply
  6. Ramya says

    July 31, 2023 at 7:29 am

    Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had curtido before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 31, 2023 at 7:43 am

      Enjoy, Ramya.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

ALL. SPICY. RECIPES. Hi, I’m Mike and I LOVE Spicy Food! Say goodbye to bland and boring food with my easy-to-follow recipes. Let’s get cooking!

More about me →

Mexican Cajun Sauces Seasonings
Order The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND / BOOKS A MILLION

Order The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND

Footer

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Receive my "5 Essentials for Spicy Cooking" email series & new recipes

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

↑ back to top

About | Contact | Travel-Food | Ingredients | Stories | Privacy | Disclaimer | © 2024 Chili Pepper Madness

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OF MEDIAVINE FOOD