Put colour on your plate with three purple toppers
11 December 2025
On Purple Friday, we celebrate diversity, colour and inclusion, and what better fit that than a plate full of purple vegetables? Purple produce is not only beautiful to look at, but is often packed with nutrients and natural colours. Below, we highlight three purple favourites and show you how to use them festively on Purple Friday.
Aubergine: the versatile purple classic
Aubergine is perhaps the best-known purple vegetable. The fruit has a deep purple skin and a neutral flavour that lends itself perfectly to all kinds of preparations. Due to its texture, aubergine quickly absorbs spices and sauces, making it ideal for grilling, baking or stuffing. Importantly, aubergine should always be heated, as this breaks down the natural substance solanine. Preferably store the vegetable outside the fridge, in a cool place.
Tip: Try stuffed aubergine rolls. A tasty dish that does full justice to the soft texture and rich aromas.
Red cabbage: a colourful classic full of bite
Red cabbage owes its purple colour to natural pigments and has a slightly sweet, firm cabbage flavour. The vegetable is versatile: you can use it raw in salads, stir-fry it briefly or stew it slowly. To keep the colour nice, it helps to add a little lemon or vinegar during cooking. Red cabbage combines well with fruit, herbs and warm winter flavours.
Tip: Try making a red cabbage salad. The freshness and crunch contrast nicely with the deep colour and flavour of the cabbage.
Purple pointed cabbage: a modern purple variety
Purple pointed cabbage is a cross between red cabbage and pointed cabbage. This gives it a mild, slightly sweet flavour and a beautiful, intense purple colour. The vegetable is good both raw and hot and keeps surprisingly well for a long time in the fridge. You can boil it, steam it, wok it or incorporate it into a salad, where its colour comes out beautifully.
Tip: Try wok dishes with pointed cabbage, which you can effortlessly make with the purple variety for extra colour and flavour.
With aubergine, red cabbage and purple pointed cabbage, you take home three vegetables that are not only visually attractive, but also offer many possibilities in the kitchen. They add character to dishes and, thanks to their flavour-friendly properties, are easy to combine with a variety of ingredients.