Curried Cabbage Salad

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Crunchy and delicious Curried Cabbage Salad is a healthy alternative to vegan coleslaw, and comes together quickly. It's packed with antioxidants, and easily made into a complete meal. Make a big batch for the week and add it to sandwiches, wraps, or bowls to increase your veggie intake.

Curried cabbage salad with roasted chickpeas in a white bowl.

This Curried Cabbage Salad recipe is so versatile. Omit the cashews, raisins, and red onion as needed, and substitute the dill for mint or cilantro. Think of this dish as a healthy alternative to vegan coleslaw, easily transformed into a complete meal with roasted chickpeas. It is perfect for barbecues, potlucks, and picnics.

The creamy dressing is made with plant-based yogurt which is packed with gut-healthy probiotics. There is very little vegan mayonnaise in this vegan coleslaw, making it light and wholesome.

This dish was inspired by my quick and easy Curried Chickpea Salad on this site, as well as this 15-Minute Couscous Salad.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🥬 Substitutions
📖 Instructions
💡 Expert Tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Cashews, grated carrots, nondairy yogurt, red onion, golden raisins, vegan mayonnaise, grated cabbage, roasted chickpeas, curry powder, lemon, and dill on a gray backdrop.

Cabbage has so many health benefits. It's high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fiber, and contains antioxidants that may have beneficial effects on cancer prevention, inflammation, and heart disease. Plus, it’s cheap and widely available. It also lasts longer in the fridge than most vegetables. This Curried Cabbage Salad is made with green cabbage.
Chickpeas are high in protein, fiber, and iron. They get deliciously crispy in the air-fryer or oven, making them the perfect addition to transform this vegan coleslaw into a complete meal.
Raw cashews are a good source of healthy fats, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Dairy-free cashew yogurt is my preferred substitute for the animal-based yogurt in traditional coleslaw. It adds a welcomed tang and creaminess that works well in this Curried Cabbage Salad. However, coconut and soy yogurt also good options. Just make sure to go with the unsweetened varieties.
Golden raisins (sultanas) are a type of dried grape that is made from green or yellow grapes. They have a milder and sweeter flavor compared to dark raisins. They are optional, but add a delicious touch of sweetness and a chewy texture to the recipe.
Curry powder is a blend of various spices, such as turmeric, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and fenugreek. The health benefits of curry powder are largely associated with the individual spices it contains. For example, its vibrant yellow color comes from turmeric which contains a compound called curcumin, a powerful antioxidant. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties and may help reduce inflammation in the body.

See the recipe card for quantities.

🥬 Substitutions

Green cabbage - use a mixture of red and green cabbage instead
Red onion - adds a kick to this Curried Cabbage Salad, but omit as desired
Nondairy yogurt - use unsweetened cashew, coconut, or soy plant-based yogurt for this Cabbage Salad
Golden raisins - substitute with Thompson raisins, or omit them entirely
Cashews - use a different nut or seed for a crunch, or omit entirely
Dill - substitute with fresh mint or cilantro as desired

Omit the chickpeas and use this Vegan Coleslaw in my Tofu Vegan Pastrami Sandwich recipe. Visit my Vegan Salad Recipes page for more healthy and easy salad ideas.

📖 Instructions

Crispy za'atar roasted chickpeas in a white rimmed baking sheet.

Step 1. Optional: Transfer the chickpeas to a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, a dash of curry powder, and salt to taste. Roast for 15 minutes, and then change the oven setting to broil. Cook for about 2 minutes more, or until crispy.

Vegan mayonnaise, nondairy yogurt, and curry powder in a white bowl with a gold spoon, next to a bowl with grated cabbage.

Step 2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, and curry powder.

Sliced green cabbage, grated cabbage, golden raisins, red onion, and chopped cashews in a white oval bowl with creamy curry dressing.

Step 3. Mix salad ingredients: Transfer the cabbage, carrot, red onion, raisins, cashews, and dill to a large bowl.

Vegan coleslaw in a large white oval bowl with salad servers.

Step 4. Combine: Transfer the dressing to the salad and mix to incorporate. Top with the crispy chickpeas, if using.

💡 Expert Tips

For extra crispy chickpeas, rub them between the layers of a kitchen or paper towel to remove the skins. Either bake or air fry. For baking, use a large rimmed baking sheet and place them in a single layer for 15 minutes. Change the oven setting to broil, and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until they reach the desired crispiness.
Save time and use a food processor with the shredding disc to chop the cabbage and carrots.
To reduce the sharpness of the red onion, soak the cut onion in water for 10 minutes before adding it to the salad.
Storage: Refrigerate any leftover Curried Cabbage Salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For extra freshness, meal prep this salad and store the chickpeas, dressing, and salad mixture in three separate airtight containers.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Why pair black pepper with turmeric?

Even just a pinch of black pepper boosts the bioavailability of curcumin, the bioactive compound in turmeric. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant with a range of health benefits. Curry powder typically contains black pepper, but if yours does not, add a pinch to the dressing to increase the bioavailability of curcumin.
Piperine is the compound in black pepper that may boost blood levels of curcumin from the spice turmeric by up to 2,000%!

Is raw cabbage healthier than cooked cabbage?

Cooked cabbage may supply more antioxidants, such as carotenoids and ferulic acid, to the body than they do when raw. However, the downside of cooking cabbage is it can destroy the vitamin C.

Can I make Cabbage Salad ahead of time?

This Curried Cabbage Salad lasts in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I make a big batch for the week and use it in sandwiches, wraps, or add chickpeas for a complete meal.