Chopped Cabbage Salad

This fresh and crunchy Cabbage Salad is filled with colorful veggies, golden raisins, and raw pepitas drizzled with a tangy maple vinaigrette. This easy side dish is perfect for beach days, by the pool, and all your summer entertaining.

 

You will love this Salad with Cabbage!

If your goal is to make a salad that stands out among the rest, this Cabbage Salad is definitely a contender. I studied the foundations of great salad-making in culinary school, and I’m excited to pass along my wisdom to you. Spoiler alert: You eat with your eyes first!

Along with a carefully-chosen assortment of cabbage, red peppers, carrots, and green onions, I added golden raisins for sweetness and raw pumpkin seeds for crunch. But the real winner is the maple vinaigrette, tangy from a touch of Dijon mustard. It’s simple and sweet and it ties the whole salad together.

People always ask me for this recipe when I bring it to parties. Everyone loves the vibrant rainbow of veggies, and once they take a bite, the rest is history! It’s too good not to share. Enjoy cabbage salad with grilled chicken, tofu, and shrimp, or build containers during your next meal prep session.

Cabbage Salad Ingredients

• Cabbage: For a less colorful (but still tasty) salad, use all green or all red cabbage instead of a combination of both.
• Red bell pepper: Or use any color pepper.
• Carrots: For the lightest workload, buy shredded carrots in a bag. Or substitute 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated. If you love vegetable prep, feel free to julienne your carrots.
• Golden raisins: Or regular raisins. Dried cranberries, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots also add a touch of sweetness.
• Pumpkin seeds: Or the seed or nut of your choice. I think the flat pepitas complement the flat cabbage nicely.
• Scallions: I love their light onion flavor and bright green color.
• Olive oil: My favorite brand is Cobram Estate 100% California select extra virgin olive oil.
• Apple cider vinegar: Red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar are also good in this salad. You can also substitute fresh lemon juice or lime juice.
• Maple syrup: Use only pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
• Dijon mustard: To balance out the flavor of the maple syrup and emulsify the dressing.
• Garlic powder: Or substitute 1 clove minced fresh garlic, but the garlic is really important here. Without garlic, the maple vinaigrette will taste flat and overly sweet.
• Salt and pepper: Taste the dressing before deciding how much to add.

How to make Cabbage Salad

1. Cabbage Salad Dressing – In a small bowl or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste (start with a pinch of salt and pepper and increase as desired). Whisk or shake to combine.

2. In a large bowl, add both cabbages, bell pepper, carrots, scallions, raisins, and pumpkin seeds.

3. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Raw Cabbage Salad Recipe Tips

• Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups of salad, enough for 12 servings, 1 cup each. Or, feed 6 people a larger portion of salad, 2 cups each.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. The salad will soften over time, but is still safe to eat. Draining extra liquid out of the bottom of the storage container will help keep the salad crunchy.
• Veggie prep: Peel, chop, and slice the vegetables up to 2 days in advance and store them separately in the refrigerator.

How to Cut Cabbage for Salad

1. Remove any damaged or browned outer leaves and rinse under cold water. Place the head of cabbage on the cutting board and cut the whole head into quarters straight down from the top of the crown to the stem using a large chef’s knife.

2. With a knife, carefully cut out the core from each quarter.

3. Place the quarters, cut-side down, on the cutting board. Shred, slice, or chop according to your recipe instructions.

How to Soften Cabbage for Salad (4 ways)

Whether you want something easier to chew or just prefer it that way, there are a few different ways to soften cabbage for salad.

1. Make cabbage salad in advance

Due to the acid and salt in the dressing, cabbage salad softens over time in the refrigerator. Make your salad (and toss with dressing) up to 2 days in advance to take advantage of this effect.

2. Massage cabbage with salt

This is the same technique for making sauerkraut or massaging kale.

1. Add shredded cabbage to a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Start with 1 tablespoon salt, knead the cabbage vigorously, and add more salt if needed. You’ll need to knead the cabbage for at least 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Rinse the cabbage well to remove all the salt, drain well, and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

3. Drain cabbage with salt

This is the same technique for draining cucumbers and eggplant.

1. Add the cabbage to a colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss well to coat, then let sit to drain for at least 40 minutes. If salting the cabbage for more than 1 hour, transfer the colander to the refrigerator.
2. Rinse the cabbage well, then spread it on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Press down hard with a second kitchen towel to push out any excess liquid, as if you were pushing down on and squeezing a sponge.

4. Steam cabbage

Adjust your cooking time depending on how soft you want your cabbage. You could also blanch the cabbage, submerging it completely in boiling water, draining, and plunging in an ice bath to cool.

1. In a medium or large saucepan, add 1 inch of water. Add steamer basket (with feet extended) and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add cabbage to steamer basket.
2. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and steam the cabbage for 30 seconds to 1 minute (or until desired doneness is reached). Cool completely before assembling the salad.

Cabbage Salad Variations

• Customize your cabbage salad: Add all your favorite fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, or mint. Use lemon juice or lime juice instead of apple cider vinegar.
• Mixed greens: Swap out some of the cabbage for your favorite leafy greens like romaine, green leaf lettuce, or kale.
• Thai peanut dressing: This easy, delicious Thai Peanut Dressing is made from mostly pantry ingredients like peanut butter and soy sauce, and is delicious on this cabbage salad.
• Asian cabbage salad: For an international twist, substitute my Asian Salad Dressing made with rice vinegar, fresh ginger, and sesame oil. Use edamame instead of the golden raisins and fresh cilantro on top, and garnish with sesame seeds.
• Apple coleslaw: When the temperature drops, make my Apple Coleslaw Recipe with a zippy honey-mustard dressing, fresh apple slices, dried cranberries, and toasted almonds.
• KFC Coleslaw: This KFC Coleslaw Recipe is a fantastic copycat from the famous fried chicken chain. It’s crunchy, sweet, and creamy, and it’s an easy side dish made with common ingredients.

What to Serve with Cabbage Salad

• Make it a meal: Top your cabbage salad with your favorite protein. Grilled lemon chicken is my favorite here, and I always use fresh lemon juice in the salad dressing when I make this swap.
• Add it to a sandwich: This cabbage salad is excellent on a pulled pork sandwich.
• Best for barbecues: Enjoy cabbage salad as part of your next barbecued menu with barbecue ribs, barbecue chicken, bacon cheeseburgers, or grilled tri-tip.

More recipes with cabbage

Stews and Soups

Cabbage Soup

Salad Recipes

Chinese Chicken Salad

Appetizer Recipes

Hot Reuben Dip

Casserole Recipes

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls