Classic Cabbage Salad Recipe | Julie Blanner (2024)

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Cabbage – You can take the easy route and buy a simple 14 ounce bag of mixed coleslaw. I like using this shredded cabbage mixture because they come with a delicious crunchy mix of green and red cabbage, carrots, and even radishes! You can of course use just green cabbage, but I think the purple is such a beautiful addition!

• Apple Cider Vinegar– I love Apple Cider Vinegar for a touch of sweet fall flavor, but any of your favorite vinegars will do! Rice Vinegar or a red or white wine vinegar would also be delicious here.
• Olive Oil– High quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil is important here. In salad dressings, quality really shines!
• Dijon Mustard– a little goes a long way. Dijon mustard is tangy, strong and has a sharp finish. I like to keep it easy and use this one, but any brand will do.
• Salt and Pepper– I like using my salt and pepper grinders for big, flavorful flakes.
• Minced Garlic– To be perfectly honest, this is one area where I LOVE a shortcut! The grocery store jar of minced garlic works perfectly here- but feel free to mince your own cloves.
• Sugar– The sweetener in this recipe is the perfect foil to the tangy edge of the vinegar and mustard. You can absolutely substitute with a sweetener of your choice. However, you can make it Keto-friendly by simply eliminating the sugar!

How to Make this Simple Cabbage Salad

1. Make Cabbage Salad Dressing – Simply whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until they are combined. Better yet? I like to add them to a lidded jar and then just shake it up until the sugar is dissolved and the dressing is ready to serve. (Side note: I bought this salad dressing jar lid years ago, and it’s been discontinued. These are very similar, though!)
2. Prep Salad – If you’re anything like me, this involves tossing your pre-washed bag of coleslaw mix into the bowl or shred your own.
3. Toss – Add dressing and toss to ensure it thoroughly coats all the cabbage.
4. Serve– How easy was that? My favorite kinds of salads are the ones that take very little effort at all! Placing these ingredients in a large bowl means you’re basically done before you even got started – yes!

Variations

• Add Protein– adding easy protein such as chicken or salmon would be perfect for this cabbage salad.
• Fresh Herbs– you can never go wrong with adding fresh herbs from your garden into your cabbage salad dressing! Rosemary, oregano or even basil would be beautiful here.
• Ramen Noodles– this is such an easy way to give the salad even more crunch, and a retro Asian coleslaw spin!
• Mandarin Oranges– another classic Asian coleslaw idea.
• Apples– grate an apple and add it to this salad for a delicious fall twist.
• Nuts– pecans or almonds would be perfect additions to this salad!
• Toasted Sesame Seeds – for a little bit of an Asian spin.

Serving Suggestions

Because this cold cabbage salad has such a simple flavor profile, it serves beautifully as a side dish with so many entrees! I love that it’s such a colorful, vibrant addition to potlucks and barbecues!

Try this cabbage salad alongside some of these faves:

• Honey Glazed Ham
• Lemon Chicken
• Picnic Sandwiches
• Ham and Cheese Sliders
• Simple Baked Chicken Breast

How to Store

• Room Temperature – You can leave this cabbage salad out at room temperature for up to two hours while serving.
• Refrigerate – Store covered in an airtight container 2-3 days. If you like your cabbage a little more wilted for more of a coleslaw vibe you can store up to 4 days.

Salad Recipes

Explore More