Red Cabbage Slaw

This red cabbage slaw is crunchy, tangy, lightly sweet, and made without mayo, so it is perfect for summer cookouts, BBQ dinners, tacos, burgers, and potlucks. The cabbage stays crisp, the dressing is bright and simple, and the whole recipe comes together in about 10 minutes.

Lovely salad. I made a huge bowl, we’ve been eating it for 3 days now, it gets better and better.

Adina

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Key Ingredients

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Red Cabbage: Fresh red cabbage gives this slaw its best crunch and color. It may also be labeled purple cabbage. Slice it very thinly so the dressing coats the cabbage evenly and the slaw is easy to eat. Green cabbage works too, but it is milder and less colorful. Bagged coleslaw mix is fine for a shortcut, though freshly sliced cabbage stays crispest.
• Jalapeno or Fresno chili: You can choose how much heat you want in your slaw. Be sure to remove the seeds and ribs from your pepper and dice it finely.
• Carrot, Green Onion, Fresh Parsley: Shred the carrots, thinly slice the green onions, and roughly chop the parsley so everything mixes evenly with the cabbage.
• Red Cabbage Slaw Dressing: A simple mixture of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, and spices gives this slaw a tangy and balanced flavor.

How to Make Red Cabbage Slaw

1. Prepare the Veggies: Start by shredding the cabbage and carrots. I use a mandoline to make quick work of this task. Use a chef’s knife to dice the chili or jalapeno and chop the spring onions. 
2. Make the Dressing: Mince the garlic and place all of the sauce ingredients into a small jar, and shake until well combined. You can also make the dressing in the bowl, and mix it with a whisk. I think it’s more fun (and less mess) to use a jar. 
3. Mix Together: In a large bowl, add the vegetables and toss them with the dressing until combined. Taste the slaw and adjust seasonings if needed. Chill the slaw in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Substitutions and Variations

This red cabbage slaw is easy to adjust depending on how you plan to serve it.

For extra crunch, add thinly sliced red onion, bell peppers, radishes, cucumber, or sugar snap peas. For a taco-style slaw, use cilantro instead of parsley and add a squeeze of lime. For a milder slaw, leave out the jalapeño and cayenne.

You can sweeten the dressing with maple syrup, honey, or another liquid sweetener. Maple syrup keeps the recipe vegan.

Try this slaw recipe, but if you’re looking for a traditional coleslaw recipe, I have one for you! You should also try my Daikon Radish Slaw for something new and exciting. Daikons are massive radishes, and they’re very delicious!

What to Serve with Red Cabbage Slaw

Serve this red cabbage slaw anywhere you want something fresh, crunchy, and tangy. It’s especially good with grilled shrimp, grilled BBQ chicken, and grilled burgers. You can also pile it onto crispy chicken sandwiches like this Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich or serve it with BBQ crockpot pulled chicken for easy pulled chicken sandwiches. For a summer potluck, pair it with red potato salad or browse more summer recipes.

Make Ahead and Storage

This red cabbage slaw is best after it chills for at least 30 minutes. That short rest gives the cabbage time to soften slightly while still staying crisp.

You can make it several hours ahead for a BBQ or potluck. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and stir well before serving because the dressing will settle at the bottom. For the crunchiest slaw, keep the shredded vegetables and dressing separate, then toss them together 30 minutes to 2 hours before serving.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

4.97 from 33 votes

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Red Cabbage Slaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 0 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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Print Rate Recipe

This no-mayo red cabbage slaw is crisp, colorful, and tossed in a simple apple cider vinegar dressing. It’s perfect as a summer side for BBQ, burgers, grilled shrimp, tacos, and sandwiches.

6 servings

This no-mayo red cabbage slaw is crisp, colorful, and tossed in a simple apple cider vinegar dressing. It’s perfect as a summer side for BBQ, burgers, grilled shrimp, tacos, and sandwiches.

Equipment

• Mandoline
• Box grater
• Chef’s Knife
• Small glass jar

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 head red cabbage about 2 pounds in total, finely shredded
• ▢ 2 medium carrots peeled and shredded, about 3 cups
• ▢ 1 jalapeño pepper or Fresno chili seeded and finely diced
• ▢ 2 green onions thinly sliced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For the dressing:

• ▢ 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions 

• Add the cabbage, carrots, jalapeño, green onions, and parsley to a large mixing bowl.
• Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, garlic, salt, and ground black pepper to a small glass jar.
• Seal the jar and shake until the dressing is well combined.
• Pour the dressing over the vegetables.
• Toss until the slaw is evenly coated.
• Taste and add more salt or ground black pepper if needed.
• Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• Slice the cabbage very thinly so the dressing coats it evenly and the slaw is easy to eat.
• A mandoline makes quick work of the cabbage, but a sharp chef’s knife works too.
• For a milder slaw, leave out the jalapeño or Fresno chili and skip the cayenne pepper.
• Use maple syrup to keep this recipe vegan. Honey also works if vegan is not needed.
• Fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar can be used instead of apple cider vinegar.
• This slaw keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Toss again before serving.
• For extra crunch, add thinly sliced cucumber, bell pepper, or sugar snap peas just before serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 126kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 390mg, Potassium: 470mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 5297IU, Vitamin C: 91mg, Calcium: 84mg, Iron: 2mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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