A burst of vibrant colours and irresistible flavours in this Red Cabbage Slaw (a.k.a Purple Cabbage Coleslaw)! This crunchy concoction combines the purple hue of red cabbage, the sunny disposition of carrots, and the vibrant charm of spring onions. But wait, it gets even better! Our homemade dressing, featuring Dijon mustard, vinegar, honey, and a splash of lime juice, is the secret sauce that infuses so much flavour into every bite.
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Why You Will Love This Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe
- It's an easy side dish that will go with almost any of the main courses - especially the summer menu recipes (see suggestions below).
- No special equipment needed: While we typically use a food processor to shred cabbage, you can prepare this recipe with just a cutting board, a sharp knife and a large mixing bowl.
- This purple cabbage slaw is made with fresh ingredients and without mayo, boasting a zingy fresh flavor and lower calories (perfect for people on their weight loss journey)! For a creamy slaw with mayo dressing, visit our Asian Cabbage Slaw recipe. And for a wintery twist, try Parmesan Brussels Sprout Salad With Lemon Dressing.
- The best part is that it can be easily adjusted to suit various dietary requirements: it's gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free! Replace honey with agave nectar or pure maple syrup and you have a vegan version too!
- This healthy coleslaw recipe boasts a relatively long shelf life: it doesn't become overly watery and the veggies retain that extra crunch for days!
Versatility: How To Serve Red Cabbage Slaw?
If you are looking for a perfect side dish for your summer BBQ, look no further. The fresh and tangy flavours of this red cabbage slaw pair well with grilled chicken skewers and pork chops or BBQ Pork Fillet, burgers and lamb shashlik. What is more, it makes a great side dish to take to a summer potluck or cook-out hosted by your friends and family.
But there is no need to wait for a special occasion to make this delicious cabbage recipe. It is a perfect slaw to stuff into bao buns or your favorite tacos (fish tacos with this slaw are our favorite thing to eat)!
Furthermore, pulled pork and red cabbage slaw are best friends - trust us as try our Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork with Red Cabbage Slaw sandwiched in a soft and fluffy bun (our BBQ Pulled Pork Burgers With Red Cabbage Slaw here).
Ingredients
A few simple ingredients that you can get in any grocery store are needed to make this Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw. You can find the full recipe and quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- fresh red cabbage: If you wish, you can replace up to ½ of red cabbage with white or green cabbage. Note though that red cabbage has the best crunch.
- carrots: Peeled and coarsely grated.
- spring onion: Also known as green onion. They may be replaced with thinly sliced red onion, but your slaw will be more strong-tasting.
For The Lemon Dijon Mustard Dressing:
- garlic clove: peeled and minced.
- Dijon mustard.
- honey: can be substituted with agave nectar or maple syrup.
- red wine vinegar: or apple cider vinegar.
- extra virgin olive oil: can be substituted with avocado oil or cold-pressed rapeseed oil.
- lime juice: or lemon juice.
- sea salt and black pepper (optional).
Extras and Variations
- Add fresh herbs: fresh cilantro (coriander) or fresh parsley work particularly well.
- Mix in thinly sliced red bell peppers for extra crunchy salad
- Change it up with a variety of dressings next time you make it. Try this red cabbage slaw with:
Method
Learn how to shred your cabbage if you don't have a shredder and how to make the most delicious slaw dressing without mayo!
How To Shred Red Cabbage For Slaw?
Shredding red cabbage for slaw can be a bit of a challenge, and if you don't have a food processor or stand mixer with a shredder attachment, you've probably struggled with it before. However, there are different ways to make this task a breeze. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to achieve perfectly bite-sized cabbage shreds for your slaw:
- Start by removing any tough or damaged outer layers. Discard them.
- Take a large chef's knife and slice off the root end of the cabbage.
- Next, cut the cabbage in half right through its stem.
- Now, divide the cabbage into quarters.
- To get rid of the remaining root in each quarter, cut it out diagonally.
- Here's where the magic happens: For the easiest and quickest results, consider using a food processor or a stand mixer with a slicer/shredder attachment. Simply feed the cabbage quarters through the machine to achieve uniformly thin slices in a matter of seconds.
- If you prefer a more manual approach or don't have access to these appliances, you can still achieve excellent results. Thinly slice the cabbage in a short direction, using a circular motion with your knife. This technique will give you finely shredded cabbage perfect for your slaw.
Dressing For Red Cabbage Slaw
In a small jar, add the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar, olive oil and lime juice. Screw the lid on and shake the dressing vigorously for 10-20 seconds.
Putting It All Together
Place shredded cabbage, coarsely grated carrot and sliced green onions in a large bowl.
Pour the Dijon Mustard Lemon Dressing over the cabbage slaw and toss everything together.
Leave the slaw to infuse with the flavours of the dressing for at least 20 minutes (better yet, a couple of hours) before serving.
Best Tips & FAQs
This red cabbage coleslaw is very easy to make, but if this is your first time making slaw, make sure to read through the questions and tips below:
"Coleslaw" and "slaw" are essentially the same dish; the terms are used interchangeably to describe a salad made primarily from shredded cabbage and often mixed with a vinaigrette or mayonnaise. In our household, we tend to use the term coleslaw for cabbage with creamy dressing, and slaw for no mayo cabbage salad. Head to this amazing classic creamy coleslaw recipe, if this is more up your street.
To prevent red cabbage from bleeding in coleslaw, you can soak it briefly in cold water and vinegar before mixing it with other ingredients. However, I must admit, this has never been an issue with this particular recipe.
For small batches, a sharp chef's knife works well, while for larger quantities, a food processor or a stand mixer with a slicer/shredder attachment can be more efficient.
Whilst we tend to make this slaw up to 12 hours before we serve it, it is delicious the next day, so go ahead and make it in advance!
Healthy can mean different things to different people, but in our opinion... Yes, red cabbage slaw is good for you. It's healthier than traditional coleslaw recipes that contain lots of mayo! Red cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, known for its exceptional nutritional value. It's packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, providing essential nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, and dietary fibre. Red cabbage slaw can contribute to meeting your daily values of these nutrients while adding a burst of colour and flavour to your diet.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for 4-5 days. Do not freeze it!
More Red Cabbage Recipes
We hope you liked our Red Cabbage Salad recipe. More great things can be made using this often underrated vegetable. Have a look at some of our favourite recipes below:
- Slow Cooker Braised Red Cabbage
- Roasted Red Cabbage Steaks (Perfect Christmas Recipe)
- Asian Cabbage Slaw with Sesame Mayo
Red Cabbage Slaw
Ingredients
- 480 g (1 small head) red cabbage approx 1 small head, shredded
- 400 g (3) carrots approx 3 large carrots, shredded
- 4 spring onions thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Place shredded red cabbage, coarsely grated carrot and sliced green onions in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small jar, add the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar, olive oil and lime juice. Screw the lid on and shake the dressing vigorously for 10-20 seconds.
- Pour the dressing over the cabbage slaw and toss everything together.
- Leave the slaw to infuse with the flavours of the dressing for 20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
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