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.
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
- 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
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I would love it if you would ⭐️ rate this recipe and leave a comment. Thank you in advance.
📖 Recipe
Red Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale thinly sliced (about 10 cups)
- ½ small head red cabbage thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 4 medium carrots shredded (about 2 packed cups)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- 1 large lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chopping note: 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.
- Combine: 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.
- Massage and season: Mix well using your hands to massage the ingredients with the dressing. Add more olive oil as needed to soften the kale. Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
- 1. Easy Thai Noodle Salad: 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: 14 ounces extra-firm tofu (cubed), tossed in olive oil, one-half spice mix (see below), and 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch. Roast 425ºF for 20 minutes. Add cooked grain, ⅓ red cabbage salad recipe, and peanut dressing to taste.
- 3. Chickpea Sweet Potato Salad Bowl: 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 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 needed to thin
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Kate E
Haven't made this yet, but looks amazing. I love the idea of using this recipe in the meals you've suggested ... such a timesaver!
Nisha Melvani
Hi. Yes, it really helps with meal prepping! Thank you.
Jam
This salad is great! I made sweet potato and chickpea option and it's going to our favorite. The sauce is good too!
Nisha Melvani
Yay! I love that one too! Thank you:)
Laura
I tried all three of the salad variations and they were delicious and filling. I was so excited about it that I put together lunch packs for my husband and sister and they loved it as well. Thank you!
Nisha Melvani
I'm thrilled you tried them all and enjoyed them Thank you for leaving a comment.
Deirdre
Overall, the flavors are really good but the ingredient list does not have lemons although they are mentioned in the instructions for the kale. I used 1 and 1/2 juicy lemons but 2 would be good too. The peanut dressing is too thick to use as a dressing. I thinned mine with water but next time would add even more as it is not pourable. I only made the chickpea/sweet potato mixture so far and will try the other 2 in the next week or so. It was a great lunch at work today and I love the meal prep and would really give it 4 1/2 stars.
Nisha Melvani
Hi. Thanks for letting me know. The peanut dressing is supposed to say, 'plus warm water to thin' at the end, but I somehow left that out. My intention is to create individual posts for each of the recipes and link them to the red cabbage salad. This is just temporary. This month is so busy I haven't had time! I updated the post now. Enjoy the other recipes!