Red Cabbage Salad

This Red Cabbage Salad is easy to make and full of flavor from the homemade vinaigrette dressing! The apple and pecans add extra crunch for a delicious side dish.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Diet Low Calorie

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 15 minutes

Resting 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 176kcal

Author Nora

Ingredients

Dressing

4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon apple juice OR more vinegar
2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
salt & pepper to taste

Salad

6 cups shredded red cabbage
1 large carrot peeled and coarsely grated
1 large apple cored and diced
1/3 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

Combine dressing ingredients in a measuring jug and whisk until combined.
Place cabbage in large bowl and add dressing. Massage dressing into cabbage, then set aside for 10-15 minutes.
Once cabbage is ready, add carrot, apple and pecans. Check for seasoning and adjust olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Notes

Lowering carb count

Leaving out the apple will remove approximately 3g of carbs per serving
Leaving out the carrot will remove approximately 1g of carbs per serving
Leaving out the honey will remove approximately 1g of carbs per serving
The tablespoon of apple juice has just a small impact on the carb count, but feel free to leave it out if you're concerned over the sugar

These are all estimates and you need to make your own calculation for accurate nutrition facts for the specific alterations you're making to the recipe.

Ingredient notes

Cabbage: If you’re shredding the cabbage yourself, make sure to slice it fairly thin. Pre-shredded from a bag works great if you’re short on time.
Apple: For ultra-low carb, feel free to skip the apple. You can also use a tart variety like Granny Smith over a sweeter variety to lower the sugar content a little.
Apple juice: This is a great option for people who do not like a lot of vinegar in their salad. For low carb, stick to all vinegar.
Honey: This helps the dressing to thicken, but you can leave it out for a lower carb count. Use a teaspoon of your favorite powdered sweetener in its place, if you like.
Mustard: Whole grain mustard adds great flavor and texture, so I love using it here. I always add smooth mustard as well (forgot to add it to the photo!), because it helps the dressing to thicken, too. If you’re skipping the honey, I strongly recommend you add smooth mustard.

Recipe tips

Make sure you don’t skip massaging the cabbage, it helps soften it and makes for a more delicious salad!
Add the apples right before serving the salad so they don’t brown beforehand.
If you’re bringing this to a potluck or a cookout, I recommend keeping it in a cooler bag. It gets limp and watery when it sits out in the warmth.

Nutrition