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Vibrant, bright colors and flavors are combined to create this “OUTSTANDING” side dish! The no-cook, quick and easy prep scores a “RELAXED” rating on the Stress-O-Meter.

There’s nothing like a fresh, crunchy veggie dish to balance out a meal in the heat of the summer with all the cook-outs and barbeques. In this recipe, the veggies of choice are red cabbage (also known as purple cabbage) and bright orange carrots. A tangy-sweet-sour vinaigrette creates an explosion of flavor in every bite.

Some people will call this dish a salad. I call it a slaw. According to my sources (okay, Google), a salad is a food made primarily of a mixture of raw or cold vegetables usually served with a dressing. Coleslaw (slaw for short) is a salad of finely shredded raw cabbage and sometimes shredded carrots, dressed with mayonnaise or a vinaigrette. So, there you go! Call it a salad or call it slaw – whatever you call it, it’s delicious! It’s also reasonably healthy. I don’t like using mayo in the summer, especially when eating outdoors. No-mayo keeps this recipe egg-free, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free.

Cabbage wedges — Regardless of shredding method, the cabbage first needs to be sliced in wedges

Shredding the cabbage and carrots is the first step. There are three options; use a food processor, a knife, or a mandolin. My choice is a food processor as it takes just seconds. The cabbage needs to be cut in wedges to fit in the chute, and then the shredding disc does all the work. The carrots will fit in the chute without any prep.

Food processor with cabbage. Food processor with shredded carrot, onion and cabbage — The food processor shreds the cabbage, carrots and onion in seconds!

However, if you use large carrots instead of baby carrots, the ends will need to be trimmed (peeling is a personal choice). I also pop the red onion in the food processor just because it’s so easy! The shred from this method is a fine cut that I like; however, there are other options if you want a crunchier texture. A knife will make a rougher shred that will give the cabbage more crunch. To shred the cabbage with a knife, slice the cabbage in half and in half again to create wedges. Slice each of the cabbage wedges into shreds. Slicing along the vertical edge will make longer shreds; slicing along the horizontal yields shorter lengths. To use a mandolin, cut the cabbage in wedges, use the blade of the desired thickness, and run the wedge of cabbage along the mandolin with the cut edge down. Without a food processor, the carrots will require a grater, and the onion needs slicing.

Bowl with grater and garlic. Bowl and whisk with dressing. — Grate the garlic into the mustard, add the other ingredients and whisk until well combined.

Once shredded, place the veggies in a large bowl and make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, garlic, oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper; whisk until well combined. The garlic can be minced or grated. I prefer using a grater/zester to avoid getting little chunks of raw garlic in the dressing. The grater/zester creates more of a garlic paste that “melts” into the vinaigrette. Pour the whisked dressing over the cabbage and toss to combine. Let the slaw hang out in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes for the veggies before serving.

Salad in bowl. — Pour on the dressing and chill in fridge for at least 15 minutes.

There are all sorts of fun options to zhooshed up this slaw. If you want to make it heartier, add some chickpeas, kidney beans, or cannellini beans. For some chewy sweetness, raisins or dried cranberries are a great addition. Nuts and seeds (chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds) will add more crunch. Make it a meal by adding grilled chicken or grilled shrimp. Enjoy!

Salad garnished with parsley in serving bowl — If desired, garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Red Cabbage Carrot Slaw

Recipe by Jane BruceCourse: Sides, SaladsCuisine: American-DutchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Chill

minutes

Ingredients

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
10-14 baby carrots or 2 large carrots , shredded
½ small red onion , thinly sliced or shredded
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1½ tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
OPTIONAL: fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

Prep: Shred the cabbage and carrots (in a food processor or with a knife or mandolin), slice or shred red oinion. Mince the garlic (for the dressing(.
Place shredded cabbage, carrots and onion in a large salad bowl. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, garlic, oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, chili powder, salt and pepper; whisk until well combined. Pour dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.
Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Notes

Shredding the veggies in a food processor takes just minutes producing a fine shred. Using a knife or mandolin will makes a rougher shred which will produce a crunchier slaw.
Vinegar: Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or rice vinegar can be substitute for the apple cider vinegar.
Dijon mustard: Yellow mustard can also be used