Crunchy, versatile, and incredibly delicious, this purple cabbage and carrot salad is a great summer staple that you can team up with any of your favorite mains.
It takes just a few minutes to make, needs just a handful of pantry staples to put together, and still tastes insanely delicious.
It is gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and quite frankly, an incredible side dish for your potlucks and outdoor grills.
I’m one of those rare souls that doesn’t like coleslaw.
Somehow I feel that the bright flavors of cabbage, carrots, and other fresh veggies get toned down when you add mayonnaise or something creamy into the mix, which is why I really wanted to try my hands at a salad that lets the flavors of the veggies shine through.
And that’s exactly when I tried this simple recipe and teamed up the salad with some of my other summer favorites including my watermelon and Tajin salad, a spicy and crunchy Thai cucumber salad, and my Asian-style spicy cucumber salad.
Jump to:
- What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Ingredients For the Purple Cabbage Carrot Salad Recipe
- How to Make Purple Cabbage Carrot Salad
- Substitutions & Variations
- 💭Top Tip
- Equipment
- How to Store the Leftover Salad
- Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- How to Serve the Cabbage and Carrot Salad
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Recipes
- Purple Cabbage Carrot Salad
What's So Great About the Recipe?
My favorite part about this delicious cabbage and carrot salad is the fact that it is actually super easy to make.
It takes about 10 minutes from start to finish, and you can actually make the salad in advance too.
Plus, you can tweak and adjust the ingredients that go in the salad and the vinaigrette to your liking as well.
Ingredients For the Purple Cabbage Carrot Salad Recipe
You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make this cabbage and carrot salad.
Carrot: Fresh, crunchy carrots are one of the key ingredients for this salad. When choosing carrots, look for ones that are firm to touch.
Purple cabbage: Purple cabbage is another must. Choose one that looks fresh and bright.
Green onions: Chopped green onions, with their slightly pungent flavor and bright green color, also make for a great addition to this crunchy salad.
Apple cider vinegar: The fruity tanginess from apple cider vinegar really brightens up the salad like nothing else! Just a dash can do the trick.
Olive oil: Olive oil forms the base for the salad dressing. Use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
Garlic: Minced garlic adds a beautiful depth of flavor to the salad. Use garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic.
Honey: Honey brings a nice sweetness to the salad dressing, balancing out the tanginess from the vinegar.
Seasonings: To season, I used only some salt and pepper.
Parsley: I also used some freshly chopped parsley to bring some freshness to the salad.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Purple Cabbage Carrot Salad
Got everything ready? Here’s what you’ll need to do to make this recipe.
Step 1: Prepare the grated carrots, shredded cabbage, and chopped green onions.
Step 2: In a small mixing bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients.
Step 3: Whisk and set it aside.
Step 4: Add the veggies to a large bowl.
Step 5: Add the dressing to it and mix well.
Step 6: Allow it to rest for a while before you serve this salad.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can also try and make this salad with other kinds of cabbage like green cabbage or napa cabbage.
- To add a kick of heat to the salad, you can also add some chopped jalapenos into the mix.
- Don’t have apple cider vinegar? Use regular vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice instead.
💭Top Tip
Remember that the mixture should come to a rolling boil- it should keep boiling even when you're stirring it. This will ensure that the peppers cook well, and the jelly reaches the right consistency.
Equipment
How to Store the Leftover Salad
Just like most fresh salads, it is best to finish this one up within a day or two, max.
If you do have some leftovers that you want to store for later, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
And if you’re planning on making this recipe in advance, you can store the shredded veggies and the salad dressing separately, each in a clean container in the refrigerator, until you’re ready to mix and serve. It should stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- To cut down the prep time for this easy recipe, you can grab a pack of matchstick carrots and shredded red cabbage on your next trip to the grocery store.
- The tangy dressing is another great make-ahead option. You can batch-make it over the weekend and refrigerate it in a glass jar, and it should stay fresh for weeks.
- To get the perfect shredded carrots, use a box grater.
- To add to the flavor of the salad dressing, you can also add a dash of your favorite seasoning mix. I like to add a bit of my homemade peri peri seasoning sometimes to bring a bit of variation to it.
- You can also experiment and try using different salad dressings if you want to. A spicy jalapeno vinaigrette can work wonderfully with this salad.
- For an extra punch of flavor, swap the olive oil in the dressing for some lemon-infused olive oil.
- Make sure you cut the cabbage into thin shreds. Use a sharp knife to do this.
- Don’t add the salad dressing into the mix until you’re ready to serve. Combining it too early will cause the veggies to become soggy, and the salad to lose its crispy and crunchy texture.
- You can also add some thinly sliced bell peppers of your choice or even some finely chopped cucumber into the salad to bring a bit of variation to it.
How to Serve the Cabbage and Carrot Salad
This healthy carrot and cabbage salad is perfect to pair with almost any of your favorite mains- that’s how versatile it really is.
Serve it as a side dish, just as you would a simple slaw.
I personally love teaming it up with my Italian chicken cutlets and my garlic butter-baked shrimp. The subtle flavors of the salad work so beautifully along with the simple, summery flavors of both these dishes.
You can also pair this salad alongside a wholesome meal like a honey sriracha shrimp rice bowl or some baked Sumac chicken.
I also think the simple flavors of this salad could make it a great teammate to my chicken malai tikka.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re planning to have this salad as a light meal, you can also add some cooked shredded chicken into the mix, along with an extra dash of the salad dressing.
Fancy a bit of extra texture and deliciousness? You can top the salad with some roasted sunflower seeds or sesame seeds, right before you serve.
Yes, they’re essentially the same. The commonly known red cabbage is sometimes also called purple cabbage because of its deep purple color.
You sure can! Use green cabbage instead of purple cabbage, and follow the exact same recipe, and it’ll turn out just as delicious.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Purple Cabbage Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 2 carrots
- 1 purple cabbage
- 1-2 spring onions
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the grated carrots, shredded cabbage and chopped green onions.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients.
- Whisk and set it aside.
- Add the veggies to a large bowl.
- Add the dressing into it and mix well.
- Allow it to rest for a while before you serve this salad.
