Red Cabbage Salad

Name: Red Cabbage Salad Recipe
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 easy Red Cabbage Salad is fresh, crunchy, and full of flavor, with crisp carrots, hearty kale, and a tangy garlic dressing. Made with just 6 ingredients in 5 minutes, it's a simple side salad that keeps well in the fridge and gets even more flavorful as it sits. I make a big batch for meal prep and serve it throughout the week, either as a colorful side or as the base for a more substantial meal. Below, I've also included three easy ways to turn this red cabbage salad into a balanced, protein-rich vegan 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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🔍 Quick Look: Red Cabbage Salad
👩🏽‍⚕️ Dietitian's Note
👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🌱 Substitutions
🫙 Red Cabbage Salad Meal Prep Ideas
📝 Tips for Making Red Cabbage Salad
✔️ Storage & Meal Prep Tips
🥣 More Cruciferous Veggie Bowls
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made this recipe?
⚖️ Convert the Recipe to Metric (g & mL)
Red Cabbage Salad Recipe
🛍️ Shop Recipe Cookware and Ingredients
💬 Comments

🔍 Quick Look: Red Cabbage Salad

⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
👥 Servings: 5
📊 Calories: ~152 kcal (based on nutrition panel)
💪🏼 Nutrition: Packed with antioxidant-rich cruciferous vegetables.
👩🏽‍🍳 Flavor Profile: Fresh, crunchy, and tangy with a punchy garlic dressing.
⭐ Difficulty: Very easy - just 6 ingredients and 5 minutes to make.

👩🏽‍⚕️ Dietitian's Note

Red cabbage and kale are both cruciferous vegetables, making this salad an easy way to eat more of this nutritious vegetable family. They're naturally low in calories and provide fiber and plenty of volume, which can help you feel fuller and more satisfied after eating. Including more fiber-rich vegetables in meals can be particularly helpful for maintaining a healthy weight.

The variety of colors matters, too. Red cabbage, kale, and carrots provide different antioxidants, vitamins, and other protective plant compounds. Red cabbage is particularly rich in vitamin C and gets its deep purple color from powerful antioxidants associated with heart health. Kale and carrots add even more vitamin C and vitamin A precursors, nutrients that support immune function, eye health, and overall health.

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

This Red Cabbage Salad is fresh, crunchy, and colorful, with a tangy garlic dressing that gets even more flavorful as it sits. It's also:

Quick and easy: Just 6 ingredients and 5 minutes are all you need to make this simple salad.
Full of texture: Crisp red cabbage and carrots pair with hearty kale for plenty of satisfying crunch.
Perfect for meal prep: The sturdy vegetables hold up well in the fridge, making this an ideal salad to prepare ahead.
Easy to turn into a meal: Serve it as a simple side, or add beans, tofu, grains, or another protein to make it more substantial.

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Below, I share ingredient notes from both a nutrition expert's and trained chef's perspective.

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.

Red cabbage: The star of this salad, with a crisp, crunchy texture, slightly peppery flavor, and gorgeous purple color. Slice or shred it thinly so it absorbs more of the tangy dressing while still keeping its crunch.
Kale: Adds a hearty texture and slightly earthy flavor that pairs well with the crisp red cabbage. Finely chopping the leaves helps them soften and blend into the salad.
Carrots: Add natural sweetness, extra crunch, and bright color, balancing the more savory flavors of the cabbage and kale.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice brightens the salad and adds a tangy freshness to the dressing. Its vitamin C also helps your body absorb more of the plant-based iron in ingredients like kale.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities.

🌱 Substitutions

This red cabbage salad recipe is versatile and easy to adapt. Below are some simple ingredient substitutions.

Kale: Use shaved Brussels sprouts instead.
Red cabbage: Substitute with green cabbage as needed.

🫙 Red Cabbage Salad Meal Prep Ideas

Make a full batch of this Red Cabbage Salad, then use it as the base for these three easy meals. Each idea serves 3 and adds a protein-rich ingredient plus a creamy peanut dressing to turn the salad into a more substantial lunch or dinner.

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.

Thai Noodle Salad: Combine ⅓ of the red cabbage salad with 1½ cups shelled edamame and 3 ounces vermicelli noodles, soaked according to the package directions and cut into 2-inch pieces. Toss with peanut dressing to taste.
Crispy Tofu Salad Bowl: Cube 14 ounces extra-firm tofu and toss with olive oil, half of the spice mix below, and 1½ teaspoons cornstarch. Roast at 425ºF for about 20 minutes, until crisp. Serve with ⅓ of the red cabbage salad, your favorite cooked grain, and peanut dressing.
Chickpea Sweet Potato Salad Bowl: Toss one 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed chickpeas and 1 large cubed sweet potato with olive oil and half of the spice mix below. Roast at 425ºF for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Serve with ⅓ of the red cabbage salad and peanut dressing.

Spice mix: Combine 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Divide evenly between the tofu and chickpea meal-prep options.

Peanut dressing: Whisk together 1 cup peanut butter (or tahini or SunButter), ¼ cup tamari, 4 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons sriracha, and 2 pressed garlic cloves. Add warm water as needed until the dressing reaches your desired consistency.

📝 Tips for Making Red Cabbage Salad

The complete recipe with exact amounts is below. These additional tips will help you get the best results.

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

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. Use the larger side of the shredding disc to grate the carrots or grate them on the largest holes of a box grater.

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.

✔️ Storage & Meal Prep Tips

These simple tips will help this red cabbage salad stay fresh and delicious:

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Stir before serving: The dressing will settle as the salad sits, so give everything a good toss before serving.
Meal prep tip: The sturdy red cabbage and kale hold up well in the refrigerator, making this salad ideal for meal prep. Turn it into a more substantial meal with tofu, beans, edamame, or grains (see Red Cabbage Salad Meal Prep Ideas above).

🥣 More Cruciferous Veggie Bowls

My Cabbage Harvest Bowl combines roasted red cabbage and crispy chickpeas with sweet cranberries, crunchy nuts and seeds, and a creamy balsamic tahini dressing.

This Edamame Quinoa Salad is crisp and colorful with 23 grams of protein and a creamy, oil-free miso ginger dressing.

These Miso Beans with Cabbage combine tender white beans, cabbage, and kale in a creamy, savory miso sauce for an easy 20-minute meal.

🙋🏽‍♀️ 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.