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Red Cabbage Slaw

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By Snejana Andreeva

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
  • How to Prepare
  • Nonna’s Tip 💜
  • Variations and Substitutions for Red Cabbage Slaw
  • Story Behind the Recipe
  • Similar Recipes
  • Best Served With
  • Common Questions
  • High Fibre Recipes (over 15g)
  • Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe
A bowl of vibrant red cabbage slaw with finely shredded purple cabbage, carrots, and herbs, topped with a light vinaigrette. A gold fork and spoon rest beside the dish on a wooden table. - 3

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 grat er 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.

A bowl of colorful red cabbage coleslaw garnished with parsley is served in a light-colored dish. Two gold-colored utensils are placed on the side. The dish is set on a wooden surface, illuminated by natural light. - 4

Variations and Substitutions for Red Cabbage Slaw

  1. You can use any color carrots you like. I used rainbow carrots, but any variety will do 🥕.
  2. Any fresh herb will work here: cilantro, basil, oregano, or even a combination of herbs 🌿
  3. I love the subtle sweetness of white balsamic vinegar, but any vinegar will do: red wine, rice wine, balsamic, even lemon juice 🍋.
  4. 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.

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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)

Red Cabbage Slaw - 13 Red Cabbage Slaw - 14

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A New Recipe Card!!

  1. Check off each step in instructions!
  2. Add ingredients to your shopping list!

Video

Equipment

  • ▢ Julienne Peeler
  • ▢ Serrated Peeler
  • ▢ Cutting Board
  • ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • ▢ Chefs Knife

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.

Nonna’s 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.

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Red Cabbage Slaw

Equipment

  • Julienne Peeler
  • Serrated Peeler
  • Cutting Board
  • Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • Chefs Knife

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

Red Cabbage Slaw https://themodernnonna.com/red-cabbage-slaw/ April 5, 2025