Red Cabbage Slaw
on Apr 05, 2025
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This vibrant, crunchy red cabbage slaw is an all-star dish. It’s part of mine and my mom’s weight loss plan, but it’s also a gorgeous salad I could eat daily, irregardless of health goals. They say you eat with your eyes first, and this salad proves that 😍. There is something so appetizing and satisfying about a dish composed of ribbons of bold purple mixed with hues of red and orange 💜. This colorful salad is high in fiber, low in calories, packed with antioxidants, and is delicious as a side dish or the base of a meal. I like to cover my plate in this slaw and then add my favorite protein. Dinner is served!
Why You’ll Love Red Cabbage Slaw
My mom lost over 13 pounds eating this slaw daily, and now it’s about to become your new favorite side dish. This slaw is so satisfying: full of fiber and gorgeous bright colors 🌈. I love how versatile this recipe is. You can serve it as a side, the base to a meal, or even as a garnish. I love piling protein on top of the slaw and calling it a meal. It’s delicious tucked inside tacos, especially my Easy Shrimp Tacos 🌮. Best of all, the slaw holds up well in the fridge for a few days. I prefer to store it without the dressing, so it doesn’t get soggy.
How to Prepare
🥬 Working one cabbage wedge at a time, hold onto the top (the root) and start shredding it by using a serrated y-peeler. Then add to a bowl.
🥕 Peel the carrots and julienne each one with a julienne peeler. Alternatively, you can grate them on a cheese grater or try to julienne them with a knife.
🌿 Next, add the julienned carrots to the bowl along with the finely chopped fresh parsley.
🧂 After, add a pinch of salt on top and massage with clean hands so that the cabbage softens a bit.
𐄿 In a measuring cup or mason jar, add the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and honey dijon mustard. Then whisk well. Finally, pour it over the salad and enjoy with your favorite protein of choice.
Nonna’s Tip 💜
I like to add a pinch of salt before adding the dressing as it will draw out the moisture from the cabbage and help it soften.
Variations and Substitutions for Red Cabbage Slaw
- You can use any color carrots you like. I used rainbow carrots, but any variety will do 🥕.
- Any fresh herb will work here: cilantro, basil, oregano, or even a combination of herbs 🌿
- I love the subtle sweetness of white balsamic vinegar, but any vinegar will do: red wine, rice wine, balsamic, even lemon juice 🍋.
- Honey Dijon is my favorite variety of mustard, but instead you can use Dijon, spicy, or brown mustard.
Story Behind the Recipe
As many of you following along on social media know, my mom and I are on weight loss journeys. One of our keys to weight loss success is keeping things easy but delicious. Enter this red cabbage slaw. My mom and I can’t get enough! We love it as the base to a protein bowl or with our hidden veggie meatballs. It’s a rare day that there isn’t a bowl of pre-prepped slaw waiting inside our fridge.
Similar Recipes
Healthy Coleslaw Recipe
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Green Goddess Salad
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Korean Carrot Salad
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Bulgarian Salad
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Best Served With
- I love this slaw tucked inside my Easy Shrimp Tacos 🌮.
- Line a plate in this crunchy slaw and top with your favorite protein. I like meatballs or chicken 🍗.
- Pop some of that slaw in your favorite sandwich. It goes well with pulled pork on a soft bun.
- Serve as a side dish, along with some chicken and potatoes 🥔.
Common Questions
Absolutely! I love the color and crunch of purple cabbage, but you can use any variety of cabbage.
The peeler produces the best texture for the slaw, but you can also use a sharp knife and make careful, thin cuts down the cabbage.
The slaw will keep, undressed, in the fridge, in a tightly sealed container, for up to 4 days.
Please check out the nutrition info in the recipe card below.
You can serve this as a side dish, a salad, a component of a salad, as a garnish, or tucked into tacos and sandwiches.
High Fibre Recipes (over 15g)
The Best Lentil Soup
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Baba Ghanoush Recipe
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Cowboy Caviar
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The Jessica Alba Salad
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Red Cabbage Slaw
Ingredients
The Veggies
- ½ red cabbage, cut into wedges
- 4 carrots
- 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 pinch salt
The Dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey dijon mustard
Instructions
The Veggies
- Working one cabbage wedge at a time, hold onto the top (the root) and start shredding it by using a serrated y-peeler. Additionally, you can thinly slice it with a knife or use a food processor with the shredder attachment for ease.
- Once shredded, add to a bowl. Peel the carrots and julienne each one with a julienne peeler. Alternatively, you can grate them on a cheese grater or try to julienne them with a knife.
- Add the julienned carrots to the bowl along with the finely chopped fresh parsley.
- I like to add a pinch of salt on top and massage with clean hands so that the cabbage softens a bit.
The Dressing
- In a measuring cup or mason jar, add the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and honey dijon mustard. Whisk well, pour it over the salad and enjoy with your favourite protein of choice.
Video
Notes
- A Note on Salt: Red cabbage is incredibly crunchy. To help soften it a bit and make it easier to chew, I sprinkle a pinch of salt onto the shredded cabbage, massage it into the vegetable, and give it a few minutes to lightly wilt.
- Special Equipment: This recipe is very adaptable. The cabbage can be shredded with a sharp knife if you don’t have a Y-peeler. And the carrots can be shredded if you don’t have a julienne peeler.
- The Dressing: This is a simple but delicious dressing. Feel free to jazz it up with salt, pepper, fresh or dried herbs, a clove of chopped garlic, a drizzle of honey, or anything else you love in dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love the cabbage with the carrots. Thank you
My Pleasure Holly, glad you liked it 🩷
Delicious! I had cilantro on hand instead of parsley. Used red wine vinegar instead of balsamic. And added a bunch of toasted sesame seeds to the mix at the end. Thank you!!!
My pleasure, so happy you improvised and made it your own ❤️
This was absolutely delicious, will definitely make it again.
New favorite side dish! Crunchy, delicious, and healthy! I’ve been eating it nonstop!
Perfect! So simple and easy to prepare but really hits the spot.