This Red Cabbage Salad Recipe is a healthy and colorful way to incorporate more vegetables into your family diet. I certainly try to.
Table of Contents
- What is a Red Cabbage Salad?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Is Red Cabbage Healthy for You?
- How to Pick the Best Cabbage
- How to Shred Cabbage?
- How to Shred Cabbage Using a Knife
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make Red Cabbage Salad
- What Goes with Red Cabbage Salad?
- Can You Make Red Cabbage Salad Ahead of Time?
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Store Leftovers
- More Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Recipe Card
- Red Cabbage Salad Recipe (Easy to Make!)
- Comments
And this is one of the tastiest ways to do that. With bright flavors, a zesty kick from lemon juice, and packed with red cabbage goodness, this salad is perfect.
I highly recommend this pretty, colorful, light, crunchy, flavorful, and satisfying salad to be on a rotating dinner salad list in many kitchens.
What is a Red Cabbage Salad?
Red cabbage salad is a salad packed with flavor and is also easy to make. As the name suggests, it has shredded cabbage that soaks up in a delicious salad dressing to give you an unforgettable flavor.
It’s the perfect side dish and it also happens to be different from a red cabbage slaw recipe. Instead, this recipe is free of mayonnaise and is also low in sodium and calories.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Red cabbage salad is an easy way to boost your nutrient intake while enjoying a crunchy, flavorful dish!
- Rich in Antioxidants – Red cabbage contains anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and protect against diseases.
- High in Fiber – Supports digestion, promotes gut health, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
- Loaded with Vitamins and Minerals – It’s an excellent source of vitamin C (boosts immunity), vitamin K (supports bone health and blood clotting), and vitamin A (good for vision and skin).
- Low in Calories but Nutrient-Dense – Makes it a great choice for weight management.
- Supports Heart Health – The antioxidants and fiber help lower bad cholesterol and improve blood circulation.
- Aids in Detoxification – Contains compounds that support liver function and help eliminate toxins.
Is Red Cabbage Healthy for You?
Red cabbage contains more than four times the amount of phytonutrients than green cabbage and has 6-8 times more Vitamin C than green cabbage.
Moreover, red cabbage is high in vitamin K and contains some calcium, magnesium, and zinc, all of which can help build and maintain healthy bones. It's also packed with fiber, which aids digestion and keeps your digestive system healthy.
It’s the perfect veggie to include in our diet as we go through stressful times. We need all the strength we can get, and this salad is going to help your immune system stay strong and healthy.
How to Pick the Best Cabbage
Picking the right red cabbage is essential to getting the right flavor. Choose cabbages with large, dense, and firm heads. Red cabbage should feel heavy with bright, colorful and crisp leaves without any cracks, discoloration, or bruises.
How to Shred Cabbage?
Shredding cabbage is incredibly easy. Here’s how to do it step by step.
- First, remove outer damaged or browned leaves.
- Place the cabbage stem side down onto a large cutting board or work surface.
- Using a salad or chef's knife, cut the cabbage in half lengthwise through the core.
- Using a cabbage shredder, chef’s knife, or mandolin slice the cabbage into desired thickness. I recommend ⅛ inch thickness when shredding.
How to Shred Cabbage Using a Knife
Don't own a cabbage shredder, no problems. You can shred cabbage using a knife. Place half of the cabbage cut-side-down on the cutting board. Starting at the end opposite the stem, cut crosswise from top to bottom into preferred slices in thickness.
I recommend ⅛ inches thickness. Slice nearly to the core then discard the core. You can follow the exact same method using a mandolin as well.
Key Ingredients
You only need some simple veggies and pantry-staple items to make this red cabbage salad recipe at home. Here’s what you’ll need:
Veggies for the Salad:
- Green cabbage: The leaves of green cabbages have a pale green color and they taste mild with a slightly rubbery, yet crunchy texture. They will add a delicious base to the salad along with red cabbages.
- Red cabbage: Red cabbages are slightly different from regular green cabbage. It has dark reddish-purple leaves, which have a relatively deeper and earthier flavor to them. They taste incredible and will be the dominant, delicious flavor in the salad.
- English cucumber: Cucumbers add a lovely freshness to just about any salad. In this red cabbage salad recipe, we’ll be using English cucumbers because they’re smaller and have little to no seeds.
- Green onions: They add a beautiful slightly sharp touch to the salad and add a kick to it as well.
- Lemon: We’ll be squeezing the juice of a lemon to get a kick of acidity in the salad.
For the Salad Dressing
- Olive oil: We’ll be needing some extra virgin olive oil for our salad dressing to bring all the flavors together and disperse it perfectly.
- Sea salt: You’ll also need some salt to enhance the flavor and balance everything out.
- Black ground pepper: Another thing we’ll need is some black pepper to add a touch of heat to the salad.
- Fresh dill: Dill adds a lovely herbal freshness and goes incredibly well in terms of flavor with the red cabbage in this side dish. We’ll be needing one tablespoon of chopped fresh dill for the recipe.
How to Make Red Cabbage Salad
This Red Cabbage Salad recipe is so easy to make. Here’s what you’ll need to do step by step:
First, rinse all the vegetables. Shred green and red cabbage in a large bowl. Squeeze ½ a lemon over the cabbage, mix it up, and set it aside while you're chopping the rest of the ingredients
Next, slice cucumbers and chop green onions. Add to the shredded cabbage.
Finally, sprinkle with dill, salt, and pepper and drizzle with oil. Whisk to combine, and serve right away.
Note: You may also prep this salad ahead. Chop all of the salad ingredients, cover the bowl with a lid or plastic food wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, drizzle the lemon juice, sprinkle fresh dill and seasonings, drizzle the oil, mix and serve.
What Goes with Red Cabbage Salad?
This cabbage salad recipe goes really well with a lot of tasty dinner recipes, like my famous Standing Ribeye Roast and Instant Pot mashed potatoes.
It also pairs well with Crusted Parmesan Chicken Breasts and rice or buckwheat. Oh, and don't forget the most delicious Dutch Oven White Crusty Bread to go with it too.
Another dish that this salad is frequently served with is some fish tacos. You can serve them as part of the tacos, on top of grilled hamburgers, or on the side of a delicious chicken sandwich.
Can You Make Red Cabbage Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can, except that tossing the dressing in ahead of time will cause the vegetables to wilt.
So, to make this ahead of time, you can slice all the vegetables and place them into a bowl. Cover a bowl with a lid or food wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Drizzle olive oil and season the salad right before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
This salad is absolutely perfect as is if you follow the recipe properly, but there are some things you can add to customize it to your own preferences.
Here are some ideas you can try:
Protein: To make it more filling, you can incorporate some extra protein into your salad. Cooked, chopped bacon bits, chopped grilled chicken, etc., will go really well with this salad.
Fruits: To add a little fruity touch to this salad, you can add some sliced or diced apples, dried cranberries, or even some grapes. They’ll all enhance the flavor of the red cabbage even more.
Nuts: Do you like nuts? Then you can add in some extra crunch with chopped walnuts, cashews, or sliced almonds. Pecans go great too!
How to Store Leftovers
To maximize the shelf life of this wonderful salad, refrigerate it in airtight containers for up to 24 hrs.
After that period, the salad will wilt and gradually become watery and not appealing as the freshly made.
More Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Cabbage and Cucumber Salad
- Crab Salad Recipe
- Cabbage Carrots and Peppers Salad
- Tossed Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Purple Cabbage Tomato Salad
Check out the Salad Category for many more delicious salads.
Recipe Card
Red Cabbage Salad Recipe (Easy to Make!)
Ingredients
- ½ green cabbage head
- ½ red cabbage head
- ½ small lemon
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1 tbsp. fresh dill
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- This Red Cabbage Salad recipe is so easy to make. Here’s what you’ll need to do step by step:
- First, rinse all the vegetables. Shred green and red cabbage in a large bowl. Squeeze ½ a lemon over the cabbage, mix it up, and set it aside while you're chopping the rest of the ingredients
- Next, slice cucumbers and chop green onions. Add to the shredded cabbage.
- Finally, sprinkle with dill, salt, and pepper and drizzle with oil. Whisk to combine and serve right away.
Notes
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This recipe was originally posted on January 4, 2018 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
irina says
very fresh tasting and lightweight salad! we loved it!
Valya's Taste of Home says
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you for your feedback and an amazing review!
Olga says
If you cant have lemon, is it necessary?, could you replace it with vingear? And frozen dill for fresh?
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Absolutely. Enjoy!
Tanya says
How much oil is needed for this recipe?
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
It's your preference really. For this entire recipe of chopped veggies, I use 1/4 cup of olive oil.