Red Cabbage Salad
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Crisp and vibrant red cabbage salad recipe. A refreshing blend of textures and flavors. Easy to make, perfect for a wholesome and colorful side dish.
This recipe is also naturally vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free.
How to make red cabbage salad
Ingredients:
- Red/purple cabbage
- Mandarin oranges
- Carrots
- Apples
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
Tools:
- Chopping board & knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Medium size bowl – either for mixing or serving.
- Spoon & fork – or salad hands, tossers – anything to toss the ingredients around.
The process:
The whole preparation is easy. After you have peeled and grated carrots and apples, finely slice the cabbage. Drain mandarins, or peel when using fresh ones.
Next, get a large serving or mixing bowl and throw everything in. Add olive oil and seasoning. Toss and serve.
It is like a light version of coleslaw without mayonnaise.
Note: This is only a simple break-down of the recipe. To see the measurements and a detailed method, check the printable recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
Storage:
This simple salad with cabbage and carrots should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. This way, it should last up to 2-3 days. Note that the apples will discolor over time.
What to serve with it?
You can enjoy it on its own as a light snack or lunch.
Or, serve it alongside roast chicken or pork. It also goes well with grilled meats. Try and pair it with grilled chicken thighs or chicken kabobs.
Expert tips
Mandarins – use either fresh or canned. You can peel the skin off of the fresh ones or simply use those that come in a can to save you time. Or, leave the skins on! I like to chop them into tiny pieces.
Cutting the cabbage – I use a chef’s knife but you can use a mandolin or a food processor with the shredding disc.
You want to use a good quality olive oil. Extra virgin is the best, but the good ones can be too strong for some so feel free to use the regular kind. I don’t recommend substituting it with another type of oil, but if you really want you can.
Always wash your produce, especially when making fresh salads!
A drizzle of lemon juice and honey can be also added!
Frequently asked questions:
Is red and purple cabbage the same?
Yes, it is. You can also know it as red kraut or blue kraut. Fun fact: The color of its leaves changes according to the pH of the soil.
Does red cabbage need to be cooked?
No. It can be enjoyed raw in salads and side dishes like red cabbage slaw.
Do you need to wash red cabbage?
Yes, you do. You want to get rid of any dirt and possible insects that might still be hidden inside.
More easy cabbage recipes you might like to try:
- Braised red cabbage – This is a delicious side that goes so well with all kinds of meats from pork to turkey, or duck.
- Cabbage and bacon – Pair it with potatoes and serve it with roast chicken or pork loin.
- Cabbage and sausage foil packets
This is an old post that has been updated recently (2024). It is a simple recipe aimed to provide some nutrition for your body. It is fresh, natural and simple, but can be tweaked to your liking.
Red Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ head red cabbage (240 grams/8 ounces), thinly shredded, see note 2
- 4 mandarin oranges (fresh or canned), see note 3
- 3 carrots (medium, peeled & shredded)
- 2 apples (medium, peeled & shredded)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium serving bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss well.
- Serve right away or keep refrigerated until ready to eat.
Notes
- Wash all the produce first!
- To shred the cabbage use either a chef’s knife, mandolin or food processor with shredding disc.
- You can use as much as you like. 1 mandarin has about 9 segments so you would need about 30-40 segments. Count with 1.5-2 cups of mandarins. When using fresh, I recommend cutting them into small pieces.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best enjoyed fresh but can be consumed within 2 -3 days.
- A splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice and honey can also be added.
I’m sure the flavor would be different, but do you think this recipe would be good by substituting green cabbage for the red cabbage? Just wondering because I have some green cabbage ready to harvest from our garden.
You can try, Peggy. I would say it will be fine, just not so colorful.
Just made this quick, simple and very tasty salad. We enjoyed it alone followed by some ooey, gooey, chocolate brownie; the perfect way for a lazy, gray Sunday afternoon lunch. Healthy and hearty.
Thank you for your feedback, Stephanie! I am happy to hear you enjoyed this salad.
I’ve made this salad a bunch of times and I LOVE it! Naturally sweet and a wonderful flavor combo. And its super healthy. I made a few small changes – I don’t peal the carrots & apples – the skin on gives it a bit more flavor. I use a can of no sugar added mandarins – drain the juice and add them after you’ve tossed the oil in.
Using the canned mandarins makes it a really fast, easy salad to make. Thank you for such a great recipe!!!!!
It’s so good to hear you love this salad. Canned mandarins are a great substitution and definitely a way to go to save time. Thanks so much for finding time to write the feedback, Leslie! :)
This salad looks amazing…I love how colorful and healthy it is…I’ll be trying it soon! :)
Thanks Wajeeha! I hope you’ll like it. :)
This really does look totally yummylicious! I LOVE mandarins and any excuse to eat them, really ;)
Gabriella, the mandarins there are the key ingredient :) – the more the better! :)
I’ve never used red cabbage before. I think I’m going to try it with a hint of apple cider vinegar. On another note, I make my lunch grapefruit the way you peeled those mandarins. It is tedious, but oh so worth it!
Oooh, apple cider vinegar, how interesting – I think it will go well with the cabbage. Let me know when you try it! Hahaaa, yes peeling mandarins is a tedious task but you are totally right, it’s worth it! However, not sure I will be doing it again any time soon!
We buy red (purple!) cabbage all the time, but we mostly use it for an Asian salad or stir fry. Now we definitely have to try your salad! The colors are so vibrant and beautiful- yum!
I am glad you like this recipe! I must try using the cabbage in stir fry – never tried before! :)
This cabbage salad sounds delicious!! Never buy red cabbage, but will now. Lol. I like how there is no mayonnaise involved. Less calories that way.
Thank you, Olivia! :) Let me know if you give it a go! Hope you’ll like it!:)