Red Cabbage Salad

Name: Red Cabbage Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch kale (thinly sliced (about 10 cups)); 1/2 small head red cabbage (thinly sliced (about 4 cups)); 4 medium carrots (shredded (about 2 packed cups)); 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more as needed); 1 large lemon (juice); 2 cloves garlic; Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

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This 6-ingredient Red Cabbage Salad is packed with antioxidants, and takes just 5 minutes to make. Kale, carrots, and a tangy garlic dressing complement the crunchy cabbage deliciously. This recipe also includes three meal prep ideas for turning this salad into a balanced meal.

Sliced red cabbage, kale, and shredded carrots, tossed in oil dressing, in a large wooden bowl with wooden and white salad servers. Plus, a served portion in a white bowl.

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Immune-strengthening Red Cabbage Salad is a staple in my house. It's an easy way to add veggies to any meal. Make a big batch for meal prep and refrigerate it for up to 5 days. Transform this easy salad into three wholesome, protein-rich vegan dinners in just 30 minutes! (See below.)

This salad, or slaw, is made with cruciferous cabbage and kale, as well as carrots. These veggies are low in calories and a good source of fibre. Research suggests that including vegetables such as these in your diet helps increase fullness and a sense of satiation, which can be helpful in maintaining a healthy weight.

This recipe was inspired by my Harvest Bowl on this site, as well as this Quick Edamame Quinoa Salad.

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

👩🏽‍🍳 Ingredients

Three glass bowls with sliced red cabbage, sliced kale, and shredded carrots, olive oil in a glass jar, two garlic cloves, and one lemon labeled on a white marble board. — Ingredients for Red Cabbage Salad

Red cabbage, also known as purple cabbage, is a star ingredient in this slaw or salad. It contains anthocyanins, which are responsible for its vibrant purple-reddish color. A higher intake of anthocyanins have been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Plus, red cabbage is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and fiber, and low in calories. One half-cup contains about 45% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C, but just 14 calories.
Kale is a nutrition superstar with high amounts of vitamins A, K, B₆ and C, calcium, potassium, copper, and manganese. One cup of raw kale has just 33 calories and only 7 grams of carbohydrate. So, it's a very diabetes and weight-friendly vegetable.
Carrots are rich in plant compounds called carotenoids which play an important role in eyesight, and may also help maintain a well-functioning immune system.

See recipe card for quantities.

🥬 Substitutions

Kale - use shaved Brussels sprouts instead
Red cabbage - substitute with green cabbage as needed

See my Vegan Salad Recipes page for more healthy salad ideas.

Three U-Konserve lunch boxes with three different vegan meals. One with edamame noodle salad, one with crispy tofu and rice, and one with crispy chickpeas and sweet potatoes. Served with salad, peanut dressing, and sesame seeds. — Use this salad as a base to make 3 different balanced vegan meals in just 30 minutes!

Quick Vegan Meal Prep Recipes (from top to bottom):

1. Easy Thai Noodle Salad (3 servings): Mix 1 ½ cups shelled edamame, 3 ounces vermicelli noodles (soaked according to packet directions, cut into 2-inch-long pieces), ⅓ red cabbage salad recipe, and peanut dressing to taste.
2. Crispy Tofu Salad (3 servings): 14 ounces extra-firm tofu (cubed), tossed in olive oil, one-half spice mix (see below), and 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch. Roast at 425ºF for 20 minutes. Add cooked grain, one-third red cabbage salad recipe, and peanut dressing to taste.
3. Chickpea Sweet Potato Salad Bowl (3 servings): Toss 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and 1 large sweet potato (cubed) in olive oil, and one-half spice mix (see below). Roast at 425ºF for 20 minutes. Mix with ⅓ red cabbage salad recipe, and peanut dressing to taste.
Spice mix (divide into two equal parts for tofu and chickpea bowls): 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, salt, black pepper
Peanut Dressing: 1 cup peanut butter (or tahini or SunButter), ¼ cup tamari, 4 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons sriracha, 2 pressed garlic cloves, plus warm water as need to thin

📖 Instructions

Use a food processor with the slicing disc attachment to chop the kale and cabbage or chop them by hand. Use the shredding disc to grate the carrots or grate them on the largest holes of a box grater.

Sliced red cabbage, kale, shredded carrots, and finely pressed garlic in a large wooden bowl.

Transfer the chopped kale, cabbage, and carrots to a large bowl. Add the olive oil, and lemon juice. Press or grate the garlic into the bowl.

Sliced red cabbage, kale, and shredded carrots, tossed in oil dressing, in a large wooden bowl.

Mix well using your hands to massage the ingredients with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

💡 Expert Tips

Use a food processor to chop the kale, red cabbage, and carrots. This saves a lot of time. The slicing disc attachment is great for cutting the cabbage and kale, and the larger side of the shredding disc is ideal for grating the carrots.
Storage: Refrigerate leftover Red Cabbage Salad for up to 5 days. Make a big batch and use it as a side for making balanced meals throughout the week.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Can I make Red Cabbage Salad ahead of time?

Yes! Make this salad with the dressing at the start of the week and refrigerate for up to 5 days. It's the perfect healthy veggie side.

Is red cabbage healthier than green cabbage?

Colorful foods are often healthier because they contain antioxidant pigments. The colors are the antioxidants. Red cabbage may contain eight times more antioxidants than green. In fact, red, or purple, cabbage provides one of the single best bangs for your buck in terms of nutrients per calorie, so go for the brightest, deepest colors of cabbage.

Can I eat red cabbage raw in salad?

Red cabbage is delicious raw, steamed, sautéed, and fermented. This makes it easy to incorporate more into your diet. Add it to soups, stews, salads, and coleslaw. It retains the most nutrients when eaten raw, but is still highly nutritious when cooked.