Curtido is El Salvador’s version of coleslaw. It’s a simple relish mixture that adds a burst of flavor and a delicious texture to a wide variety of dishes. Give it a try to add some variety to your favorite Central American foods, especially your Pupusas!
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Cabbage is a simple ingredient but it’s one that just about every country has found a use for (like this Vegetarian Borscht Recipe from Ukraine or this Pikliz Recipe from Haiti. If you love cabbage check out my What to Serve with Sauerkraut post!). It’s affordable, nutritious, provides excellent texture, and can also pack a lot of flavor, depending on how it is prepared.
Think sauerkraut, coleslaw, or kimchi–each used to add variety and flavor to your favorite main dish.
Today’s recipe is just one more example of the power of cabbage.
This Curtido Recipe is made with fermented cabbage mixed with jalapeno, carrots, red onion, and herbs. Curtido is popular all over Central America and is used to add a burst of flavor to many dishes like enchiladas, tacos, or tamales. It is most commonly served with delicious Pupusas, and Salvadoran corn cakes.
Curtido is fermented so as it sits the flavors become stronger and more complex, but it can also be enjoyed as a fresh slaw for the best crunchy texture.
If you are ready to dress up your favorite South American or Central American dishes with some added tang and crunch, give this pickled cabbage slaw, Curtido, a try!
Recipe Origin
Curtido has deep roots in El Salvador and may have even been enjoyed by indigenous people from the Pipil and Lenca tribes. These people often fermented vegetables to help preserve them and add some additional nutrients to their diets.
Spanish colonizers arrived in the 16th century and introduced vinegar while other European explorers brought cabbage and carrots to the area.
All of these influences combined to create the Curtido Recipe we know today.
“Encurtido” is actually the Spanish word for “pickled”, which refers to how Curtido is made. All the ingredients are pickled in apple cider vinegar, which adds a hint of fruity flavor. The real secret to Curtido, however, is fermentation.
An authentic and historic Curtido Recipe is made without vinegar and with only a salt brine and a pinch of sugar instead. It takes several days before this salty Curtido with a sour flavor can be enjoyed, to allow that healthy fermentation process to happen. Vinegar helps speed up the process and has become a very popular addition.
Today every household has its own version of Curtido but there is no doubt that this cabbage relish is a favorite for topping almost any Central American dish.
What Do I Need To Make This Recipe
Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Green Cabbage: About 1 small head of cabbage, though if you buy a larger cabbage you may use less. Use a vegetable peeler to finely shred the cabbage. Use your leftover cabbage to make these Polish Cabbage Rolls.
- Carrots: You can buy shredded carrots and shredded cabbage to save yourself some time but many chefs swear using whole cabbage and fresh vegetables and shredding them yourself makes a difference. I personally recommend shredding your own carrots, as matchstick carrots will have the wrong texture.
- Red Onion: Some prefer white onion
- Fresh Jalapeño: The spice in jalapenos is hidden in the white inner portion that holds the seeds. You can decide how much spice you like by including that or cutting it out.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: You can substitute distilled white vinegar if that is all you have on hand or try different fruity kinds of vinegar to change up the flavor slightly
- Salt: I use table salt in this recipe, but a lot of recipes call for Kosher salt. If you use Kosher salt, you will need to add more than the recommended ½ tsp.
- Oregano: I recommend Mexican oregano if you can find it
Tools
- Vegetable Peeler
- Box Grater
- Mixing Bowl(s)
- Tongs
How to Make This Recipe
Step One: Combine Vegetables
In a large bowl add your cabbage, carrot, red onion, and jalapeno and mix to combine.
Step Two: Add Vinegar and Spices
Pour your apple cider vinegar over the bowl with your cabbage mixture, then sprinkle the vegetables with salt and oregano. Use tongs to mix up the curtido until all of the vegetables are coated in the vinegar. Place in a glass jar.
Step Three: Wait
Place your Curtido in clean jars. Allow the Curtido Recipe to rest in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 hours until the cabbage softens in the vinegar brine. If you can wait 2-3 days, even better!
Serve with pupusas or other Salvadoran recipes. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- If you find the vinegar taste to be a bit strong, try adding more water to your mixture next time.
- Curtido can be enjoyed after just a few hours but it becomes even better if left to sit for more than 24 hours. The vegetables will become softer the longer they sit.
- You can control the level of spice in your Curtido Recipe by cutting out the seeds of the jalapeno for less spice or using a different pepper altogether for more spice. I’ve seen it made with serrano peppers or habanero for a spicier option.
- It’s best to mix these ingredients in a glass bowl or jar because plastic is porous and may become stained.
- You can use a sharp knife, grater, or a food processor to achieve the best texture for your vegetables. The thinner they are sliced, the quicker they soften and absorb the vinegar.
- Feel free to play around with different vegetables in your Curtido. Radishes, beets, and cauliflower are all delicious additions.
What to Serve With Curtido
Curtido can be eaten as a side dish or a topping with just about any South American or Central American cuisine–or really any cuisine that might blend well with a little tangy crunch.
It is excellent on top of tacos, enchiladas, hot dogs, sandwiches, burritos and more. Many people will tell you you cannot enjoy Pupusas without Curtido and Salvadoran salsa roja. They go together like bratwurst and sauerkraut.
Can Curtido Be Made Ahead of Time?
Curtido SHOULD be made ahead of time. The longer the jar of Curtido has to rest and let the flavor develop, the better. You can enjoy it within a few hours of mixing it all together but if it can sit for 24 to 48 hours, you will notice an even greater flavor.
Keep Curtido in a jar in the refrigerator and use it for several days in a row for up to two weeks. Be sure and use a clean fork or spoon each time you take a serving to keep it sanitary.
You can also keep your Curtido at room temperature for up to a week.
Is Curtido Spicy?
Curtido is only as spicy as you make it to be. It’s meant to have a mild spice but it’s balanced out by the fruity vinegar and mild cabbage.
You can certainly make it more spicy by adding different types of chili pepper or more jalapeno. You can also reduce the spice by cutting out the seeds of the jalapeno or using red pepper instead.
Did you enjoy this Salvadoran Curtido Recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
- Pan con Pollo from El Salvador
- Sopa de Camarones from El Salvador
- Elote Loco from El Salvador
- Arepas from Colombia
Curtido Recipe from El Salvador
Equipment
- Vegetable Peeler
- Box Grater
- Mixing Bowl(s)
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 6 cups cabbage, finely shredded, about 1 small head of cabbage
- 2 carrots, shredded (about 1 ¼ cups of shredded carrot)
- ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ tsp Table Salt
- 1 tsp Oregano
Instructions
- In a large bowl add 6 cups cabbage, 2 shredded carrots, ½ a red onion thinly sliced, and 1 jalapeno and mix to combine.
- Pour your ½ cup apple cider vinegar over the bowl, then sprinkle the vegetables with ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp oregano. Use tongs to mix up the curtido until all of the vegetables are coated in the vinegar.
- Allow the curtido to rest in the fridge for 2-3 hours until the cabbage softens. Serve with pupusas or other Salvadoran recipes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Green Cabbage: About 1 small head of cabbage, though if you buy a larger cabbage you may use less. Use a vegetable peeler to finely shred the cabbage.
- Carrots: You can buy shredded carrots and shredded cabbage to save yourself some time but many chefs swear using whole cabbage and fresh vegetables and shredding them yourself makes a difference. I personally recommend shredding your own carrots, as matchstick carrots will have the wrong texture.
- Red Onion: Some prefer white onion
- Fresh Jalapeño: The spice in jalapenos is hidden in the white inner portion that holds the seeds. You can decide how much spice you like by including that or cutting it out.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: You can substitute distilled white vinegar if that is all you have on hand or try different fruity kinds of vinegar to change up the flavor slightly
- Salt: I use table salt in this recipe, but a lot of recipes call for Kosher salt. If you use Kosher salt, you will need to add more than the recommended ½ tsp.
- Oregano: I recommend Mexican oregano if you can find it
Hot Water - If you find the vinegar taste to be a bit strong, try adding more water to your mixture next time.
- Curtido can be enjoyed after just a few hours but it becomes even better if left to sit for more than 24 hours. The vegetables will become softer the longer it sit.
- You can control the level of spice in your Curtido Recipe by cutting out the seeds of the jalapeno for less spice or using a different pepper altogether for more spice. I’ve seen it made with serrano peppers or habanero for a spicier option.
- It’s best to mix these ingredients in a glass bowl or jar because plastic is porous and may become stained.
- You can use a sharp knife, grater, or a food processor to achieve the best texture for your vegetables. The thinner they are sliced, the quicker they soften and absorb the vinegar.
- Feel free to play around with different vegetables in your Curtido. Radishes, beets, and cauliflower are all delicious additions.
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