This healthy cabbage salad is packed with so many colorful vegetables and dressed with oil and vinegar instead of a mayo, like in a typical cabbage slaw. It's so delicious and is perfect to serve as a side dish or on top of Fish Tacos, Pulled Chicken Sandwiches and more.
This Healthy Cabbage Salad is colorful, crunchy and is perfect any time of year and complements just about any dinner. There is such a variety of vegetables that each bring their own distinct flavor. You only need to season it very simply and toss it with some olive oil and vinegar and it still tastes incredibly complex. The texture is phenomenally crisp and fresh. We all need more healthy dishes in our lives, and this is packed full of vitamins.
I love how versatile this salad is. You can switch things up depending on what you have on hand or your taste preference. I also really appreciate that this salad is one of the best for meal prepping. You can cut up everything and then all you have to do is add the dressing right before serving.
Healthy Cabbage Salad Video
Ingredients:
The complete list of ingredients and their exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- cabbage
- most varieties of cabbage will work for this recipe, but I use green/white cabbage most of the time.
- carrot
- carrots are a must in a most cabbage salads - crunchy and sweet, they add a wonderful color and flavor to the salad.
- cucumbers
- bell pepper
- radishes
- celery
- Any of the above 4 ingredients can be omitted, if you prefer. This salad is really versatile and has many flavor variations.
- apple
- Most of the time I prefer using a green Granny Smith apple for salads. It keeps its shape and doesn't discolor as easily.
- olive oil
- apple cider vinegar
- Since I use an apple in the salad, I like the flavor of the apple cider vinegar, but you can also use red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar or even distilled white vinegar.
- salt, ground black
- sugar
- Instead of the sugar, you can use honey.
- fresh herbs: parsley, dill, green onions (I often use cilantro instead of parsley too)
Healthy Cabbage Salad Recipe
- Prep all the vegetables.
- Slice the cabbage, grate the carrot (I use THIS grater), julienne the cucumbers, bell peppers and radishes. Thinly slice the celery. If you're making the salad right away, julienne the apple. If you're prepping in advance, cut up the apple right before serving. (Or submerge the apple slices in water with lemon juice to keep it from turning brown.)
- Finely mince all the fresh herbs.
- Dress the salad.
- Combine the fresh herbs with the oil and vinegar.
- MIx everything to combine.
- Season with sugar, salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Meal Prep
This is one of my favorite salads to meal prep.
- Cut up all the vegetables and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Add the apple, fresh herbs and dress it with the oil and vinegar right before serving.
Turn This Salad into Coleslaw
If you don't mind mayonnaise, you can easily make this into a delicious creamy Coleslaw. I love the additional varieties of colors and flavors.
Mix equal parts mayo and sour cream or Greek yogurt (or even buttermilk) instead of the olive oil. Dress the salad with the creamy dressing before serving.
I'll often cut up all the veggies and then make 2 different salads that week, one with oil and vinegar and another night make Coleslaw.
What To Serve With a Healthy Cabbage Salad
PrintHealthy Cabbage Salad
This healthy cabbage salad is packed with so many colorful vegetables and dressed with oil and vinegar instead of a mayo, like in a typical cabbage slaw.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 6-8
- Category: Sides
Ingredients
- half a head of cabbage, cored and shredded/finely sliced
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 2-3 small cucumbers, julienned
- 1 medium or ½ of a large bell pepper, julienned
- 8 radishes, julienned
- 1 - 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 apple, julienned
- fresh herbs (green onions, dill, parsley), minced
- 4-5 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional (or honey instead)
- salt, pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep all the vegetables. Slice the cabbage, grate the carrot, julienne the cucumbers, bell pepper and radishes. Thinly slice the celery.
- If you're prepping the salad in advance, cut up the apple right before serving, or submerge the apple sliced in water + lemon juice.
- Mix everything together until evenly combined. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.
- Add the fresh herbs, oil and vinegar. Mix to combine.
- Refrigerate. Serve cold or at room temperature.
This is an updated recipe for this Healthy Cabbage Salad was originally published on October 21, 2013. I updated the photos, clarified the instructions and added a video.
Hi Olga
Best salad I have done for my BBQ with Če apčiči ,. Just maringotka an other Lot to také away on holidays. The one ingredient I changed I used maple syrup instead honey. Great recepies.
Cheers Olga
I'm so glad you enjoyed the salad 😊. Thank you for taking the time to write.
Looks delicious! Can you make it ahead and would it stay crunchy?
Yes, this salad does really well made in advance.
This recipe has become a staple in our house. I panicked last week not finding cabbage in the grocery store because of panic buying due to the Corona virus. Third store had lots of cabbage! Thanks for the recipe.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the salad, Susan. The great thing about this salad is that you can use many different varieties of vegetables in addition to the cabbage, depending on what you have available. Thank you for taking the time to write.
Do you shred the cabbage by hand? What is your technique ?
Yes, you can shred the cabbage by hand, with a knife, or you can use a mandolin, Anita. Here's the mandolin that I like, it's inexpensive and works great. I personally prefer using a knife, though.
is there celery in it?
Yes, there is celery in this salad, one mom.
I love cabbage, and this looks so colorful, very pretty!
Thanks so much! I love all the beautiful colors in here too.
Just a question: what do you use to get your veggies so wonderfully julienned? It looks beautiful as well as being healthy.
I actually cut it by hand. I've had so much practice over the years and I actually enjoy chopping. It's so peaceful, lol. You can also use a mandolin.
Great recipe!!! Love cabbage in salads, and my kids love too, which is important for me;))) I'm going to try it tonight!!!!
By the way, I want to thank you for great and so loved by our family recipes!!! Tonight I'm making chicken kebabs, we have some guests for dinner!!!! May God richly bless you!!!!!
You're welcome, Natasha. I love sharing recipes that our family enjoys with others. Good food should be shared, in my opinion. Thanks so much for taking the time to write. Hope you guys liked the salad and the chicken kebabs.
God bless you too!
Wow, this looks so fresh and crunchy... what a great salad! I will definitely be trying this, thank you!!
You're welcome, Julia! Enjoy.
Yum, Olga this looks delicious. Thanks for another great recipe.
Congratulations Olga, your baby is such a cutie. God bless your family!
Thank you, Dina! We are so thankful for every moment that we get to enjoy him.
And you're welcome for the recipe. It's my pleasure to share it.