Fresh cabbage does have its own “interesting” smell, but ruined cabbage will smell like ammonia or decay.

Can you eat cabbage if it smells?

Some people may not like to cook cabbage because of the unpleasant smell. The smell is pretty strong and gets stronger the longer you cook it. However, as you will see, the benefits outweigh the smell, so it is important to learn more about this nutrient packed vegetable and consider adding it to your diet.

Why does cabbage have a bad smell?

When cabbage is cooked, the sulfur that it contains actually multiplies! The longer it is cooked, the more it multiplies. It is this sulfur smell that gives off the strong cooked cabbage odor. ... The longer the cabbage cooks, the stronger the smell it emits.