Easy Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe

A crispy texture and a tangy dressing make this refreshing Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe perfect for summer picnics, BBQs, or a simple zesty side dish. This refreshing slaw is an excellent accompaniment to burgers and sandwiches or a flavorful topping for tacos or air fryer cod fish.

We often eat with our eyes: food that is pleasant to look at ends up tasting better. So that’s just one of the reasons why purple cabbage recipes are so popular in my home.

What color attracts you first when you look at it?

The beautiful purple and white swirls of the red cabbage? The bright orange of the grated carrot? Or maybe the muted green of the pumpkin seeds?

All these bright colors should tip you off to another great thing about this salad: its nutritional value.

You may have heard nutritional advice recommending a “colorful diet.” That’s because colorful foods, like fruits and vegetables, are often packed with the vitamins and antioxidants that may contribute to making our bodies strong and healthy.

You’ll also love this salad’s versatility. You can swap your favorite ingredients to make it more personalized and tasty. This is great for anyone who may have allergies. This purple cabbage coleslaw is topped off with a homemade dressing, easily made vegan.

Beautiful, healthful, versatile for different diets, and best of all, delicious – I am confident this purple cabbage slaw will quickly become a staple in your household.

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes
• Prepping the recipe
• How to make this tangy red cabbage slaw recipe
• Tips
• Recipe Variations
• FAQ
• Serving suggestions
• Easy salad recipes to try
• Recipe inspiration
• What goes with coleslaw?
• Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Red cabbage: The star ingredient of the slaw. It contains nutrients, including vitamins C, K, and antioxidants.

Carrot: Adds a sweet flavor and a crunchy texture to the slaw.

Vinegar: The acidic component of the slaw. White wine vinegar helps to tenderize the cabbage and adds a tangy flavor to the slaw. Apple cider vinegar is another popular choice for its mild and fruity taste.

Salt and pepper: Enhances the flavor of the slaw by bringing out the natural sweetness of the vegetables.

The vegetables are thinly shredded and mixed with the dressing to make this slaw recipe. Many variations of the dressing can be used to customize the slaw to your liking.

Prepping the recipe

The two main components of the slaw are finely sliced red cabbage and shredded carrots. The tangy dressing combines all the flavors.

Prep the red cabbage: Begin by removing the outermost leaves of the cabbage.

Next, you need to slice off about ½ an inch of the root of the cabbage.

Then cut the red cabbage in half lengthwise, from the top of the cabbage to the stem. To make this recipe, you only need one-half of the cabbage.

Look at it, especially at the white and purple striations of color.

Notice the core in the middle of the cabbage; it should look roughly like a white triangle. We need to remove it.

Turn your half a cabbage upside-down so the flat side is on your cutting board. Then, using a sharp knife, cut it in half. Then, make a diagonal cut to remove the core. 

The cabbage can now be easily cut into thin strips. You can slice it on the long end or the short end. Since we are making a salad, cutting it on the short end makes sense. 

The strip’s exact thickness depends on your preference, but I say the thinner, the better.

Prep the carrots: Next, grab your carrots. Begin by peeling them, then grate them using the large holes of a box grater. Be careful not to get your fingers!

Prep the garlic: Remove the papery skin of 1 garlic clove and cut off the tips. Mince or press the garlic. Set aside for now. 

Finally, grab a large bowl for the salad and a small bowl for the slaw dressing. You are now ready to begin assembly.

How to make this tangy red cabbage slaw recipe

In the large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage and the grated carrots.

Add ½ cup of pumpkin seeds, ⅔ cup of dried unsweetened cranberries, and ¼ cup of hemp hearts. Combine properly together, then set aside.

To make the tangy dressing, whisk together 1 cup of light mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar, 1 minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper in the small bowl. Taste the dressing and adjust the salt and pepper according to your preferences.

Keep the dressing and the salad apart until ready to serve. Before serving, add the dressing to the salad, and mix well.

And that’s it! Assembling this red cabbage slaw could not be more straightforward!

Tips

• Vegetables always taste best when they are in season. Red cabbages happen to be harvested in two seasons, summer and winter, meaning that this refreshing salad can be enjoyed almost year-round.
• When purchasing your red cabbage, be sure to look for firm heads. A heavier head is generally a good sign. Avoid buying red cabbage with blemishes on the leaves, and be sure to avoid buying cabbage with signs of wilting along the edges of the leaves.
• Since red cabbage delivers a peppery taste, while grated carrots add sweetness, vary the ratio of red cabbage to carrot to adjust the overall taste of the salad according to your preferences.

Recipe Variations

This red slaw can be enjoyed in various ways. Try these suggested variations if you wish, or comment below with your variations.

• Use equal parts of red and green cabbage instead of only red cabbage. This will result in an overall more colorful but milder-tasting salad. This variation is great if you have some leftover cabbage that you are trying to use.
• For a sweeter overall salad without adding sugar, try increasing the amount of grated carrots. The more carrots you use, the sweeter the salad will be. The current cabbage-to-carrot ratio in this salad is approximately two-thirds to one-third (in other words, this red coleslaw is two-thirds cabbage and one-third carrot). So you can try a ratio of ½ cabbage to ½ carrot instead.
• Another way to obtain a sweeter overall salad would be to add an apple. For example, try slicing your apple in thin slivers. A green apple, like a Granny Smith, would add some sweetness and delicious tartness. If trying this variation, replace the white wine vinegar in the dressing with apple cider vinegar.
• Adding spices to the dressing is a great option for those who like a little heat. Chili flakes or powder, cumin, or cayenne pepper are a few examples.
• Feel free to replace the dried cranberries with any other dried fruit or berry. I have tried this salad with raisins, dried golden berries, and dried Goji berries with great results!
• If you do not have pumpkin seeds or are serving this salad to someone with seed allergies, you can replace them with another type of nut or seed. For example, try sunflower seeds, toasted chopped walnuts, or almond slivers.
• Replace the hemp seeds with toasted sesame seeds, or omit them from the recipe.
• The creamy dressing can easily be made with vegan mayonnaise to accommodate any vegan guests you serve.

FAQ

Serving suggestions

You can serve this colorful salad with grilled chicken or lamb chops as a side dish. Use it as a topping for fish tacos, burgers, and more. It’s also deliciously served on its own.

Easy salad recipes to try

If you are looking for more delicious and healthy, easy salad recipes, I recommend trying this strawberry salad -especially when these berries are in season! Or go with something savory like this Italian fennel salad, which is truly one of the best side salads!

Recipe inspiration

I first learned how to make this crunchy slaw salad from my daughter.

She tells me that when she first began living with her partner, he would always purchase cabbage when grocery shopping – a vegetable she had previously avoided. 

It wasn’t long before a few simple slaw recipes inspired her to try making a vegan salad. She tells me that after a few years of tweaking this recipe, she is no longer hesitant to use cabbage and that this recipe quickly became a staple in her home.

After tasting it, I can honestly say it is one of the best cabbage recipes I have tried for a tangy slaw.

This colorful salad will also become a favorite in your home.

Enjoy!

★★★★★ If you have made this red slaw recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below, and be sure to rate the recipe!

What goes with coleslaw?

Recipe

This post was originally published on January 7, 2022 and republished on May 26, 2023 with updated content and a video. Thanks for sharing!