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    Home » Salads

    Red cabbage salad

    Published: Oct 13, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    This red cabbage salad is a perfect holiday side dish and an easy lunch idea for autumn and winter.

    Crunchy red cabbage, juicy orange wedges, mixed green leaves, and nutty pinto beans make a colorful and vibrant salad.

    red cabbage salad in a white bowl
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • More winter side dishes
    • More cabbage recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best vegetable sides recipe collection!

    We love red cabbage! It's probably the crunchiest veggie in the world, and it has a slightly spicy and mustardy flavor that we really enjoy.

    We often add it to quick salads, pasta salads, and side dishes. Here, however, we'll show you how to make our favorite purple cabbage salad with thinly sliced raw red cabbage and a few other simple ingredients.

    The first thing we do is slice the cabbage as thinly as possible. You can do that with a chef's knife, mandoline slicer, or food processor.

    Then we choose a fruit to add some natural sweetness to the salad. We recommend oranges, apples, or pears.

    We then add mixed green leaves like lettuce, arugula, and pinto beans and toss everything into a quick, easy (but flavorful) mustard dressing.

    Optionally, you can top the salad with crushed nuts, chopped cranberries, or shaved parmesan cheese.

    We think it's a wholesome and tasty way of eating this incredibly healthy vegetable.

    red cabbage and orange in a bowl

    Ingredients

    Red cabbage and ingredients

    Red cabbage

    Raw red cabbage (sometimes called purple cabbage) lasts forever in the refrigerator, so don't be afraid of getting a whole head. We only use ¼ head in this recipe. However, you can shred some of it in most salads or use it in our other red cabbage recipes.

    Like most colorful veggies, red cabbage is packed with antioxidants and micronutrients, which, as you probably know, are beneficial to our health.

    Mixed leaves

    You can use lettuce leaves, arugula, romaine leaves, spinach, or any other type of leafy greens to mix with the red cabbage.

    Pinto beans

    We like to add canned pinto beans to make the salad more fulfilling so that we can also eat it as a main for a quick lunch. In addition, beans provide us with healthy carbs, dietary fiber, and a good amount of plant protein to keep us satiated and nourished for several hours.

    For pinto beans, you can substitute cranberry beans, red kidney beans, white beans, and chickpeas.

    Orange

    Orange adds juiciness and sweetness to the salad. You can substitute a ripe pear or apple for an orange.

    If you don't want to add fruit to a salad, try shaved fennel. It's delicious with red cabbage.

    Mustard dressing

    Make our mustard dressing with the following:

    • Extra virgin olive oil: substitute with avocado oil.
    • Vinegar: apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar.
    • Maple syrup: best if 100% pure.
    • Mustard: Dijon mustard or yellow American mustard.
    • Salt and pepper.

    Add-ins

    These are optional ingredients. Add one or more based on your preferences:

    • shaved parmesan cheese (or dairy-free parmesan)
    • dried cranberries (or raisins)
    • chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pecans)

    Instructions

    Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.

    mustard dressing

    Slice the red cabbage as thinly as possible, and add it to a large mixing bowl.

    You can do so on a cutting board with a chef's knife, a mandoline slicer, or a food processor with a slicing disk attachment.

    finely sliced red cabbage

    Add rinsed beans, orange wedges cut in half, mixed leaves, and optionally dried cranberries, chopped nuts, or shaved parmesan.

    mix the veggies and legumes

    Pour in the mustard dressing, toss well, and serve.

    red cabbage and orange in a bowl

    Serving suggestions

    Serve this red cabbage salad as a wholesome appetizer with:

    • Homemade focaccia with rosemary and sea salt on top
    • Easy 10-minute crostini: a perfectly crusty bread appetizer with oil, salt, and pepper
    • Flatbread pizza brushed with garlic and parsley marinade

    Serve it as a side dish for dinner:

    • Aglio e olio pasta with garlic, parsley, and olive oil
    • Easy mushroom pasta with cherry tomatoes and plenty of chewy mushrooms
    • Butternut squash ravioli with ricotta and parmesan filling, a restaurant-worthy meal!
    • Eggplant parmigiana: the real Italian recipe with loads of tender eggplant
    • vegan mushroom pasta
      Vegan Mushroom Pasta
    • butternut squash ravioli
      Butternut Squash Ravioli
    • garlic and oil pasta aglio olio
      Garlic and Oil Pasta (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)
    • eggplant parmigiana
      Eggplant Parmigiana

    Variations

    Red cabbage salad with shaved parmesan

    Red cabbage salad with parmesan cheese

    Our favorite variation is the one with shaved parmesan (or dairy-free cheese). It adds savory notes that go well with the other ingredients.

    You can add the parmesan on top or mix it in the salad.

    Red cabbage slaw

    serve the cabbage slaw on a platter

    We make red cabbage slaw with sweet and crunchy carrots, tart green apples, walnuts, and thinly sliced purple cabbage.

    You can then choose to dress it with a simple vinaigrette, or with mayonnaise. It's easy, crunchy, and comforting, just like a white cabbage slaw.

    Check out our red cabbage slaw.

    Fennel and red cabbage salad

    Fennel and red cabbage are a great match, and you can use them together raw to make a deliciously crunchy and aromatic salad.

    Shave the fennel thinly and mix it with the thinly sliced cabbage. Add the orange, pine nuts, olives, and pomegranate seeds; then dress the salad with a quick orange dressing.

    Here is our fennel orange salad you can use for inspiration.

    Storage

    Refrigerator: keep red cabbage salad leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The cabbage will lose some of its crunch, but it's still edible.

    Freezer: we don't recommend freezing this recipe.

    More winter side dishes

    If you're looking for Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish inspiration, take a look at these holiday favorites:

    • Roasted brussels sprouts with a sweet and creamy mustard dressing
    • Mashed sweet potato: a savory side dish perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations
    • Green bean salad with cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta, and a creamy vinaigrette
    • Roasted sweet potatoes: fork tender, easy to make, and a versatile veggie side
    • Easy roasted butternut squash: ready in 30 minutes with fresh herbs and spices
    • Fennel and orange salad with pomegranate seeds, olive, and authentic Italian flavor
    • Roasted sprouts with lemon and dressing
      Roasted Brussels Sprouts
    • mashed sweet potatoes
      Mashed Sweet Potatoes
    • green bean salad
      Green Bean Salad
    • Roasted butternut squash and fork
      Roasted Butternut Squash

    More cabbage recipes

    Looking for more cabbage recipes? No problem, use up your leftovers with one of these recipes:

    • Red cabbage slaw with apples, grated carrot, and walnuts
    • Braised red cabbage with apple and cinnamon, a vegetable side dish for special occasions and the holiday season
    • Shaved brussels sprouts salad with a delicious mustard vinaigrette and dried cranberries
    • Tuscan bean soup with kale, cabbage, and plenty of authentic Italian flavor
    • red cabbage slaw with apple and walnuts
      Red Cabbage Slaw
    • shaved brussels sprouts salad
      Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
    • Tuscan soup with spoon and bread
      Tuscan Soup
    • Braised red cabbage with fresh apple
      Braised Red Cabbage

    For many more salad ideas, check out our salads category page.

    Recipe

    red cabbage salad with orange

    Red Cabbage Salad

    Author: Nico
    This red cabbage salad is a perfect holiday side dish and an easy lunch idea for autumn and winter.
    Crunchy red cabbage, juicy orange wedges, mixed green leaves, and nutty pinto beans make a colorful and vibrant salad.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course salad, Side dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 - 6 people
    Calories 172 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 pound red cabbage that's about ¼ of a whole red cabbage
    • ½ can (15 oz) pinto beans
    • 2 oranges or pears, or apples
    • 6 ounces mixed leaves lettuce, arugula, spinach leaves

    Dressing

    • 1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1½ tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider, or balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon mustard Dijon, or American
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Add-ins

    • ⅓ cup shaved parmesan or dairy-free chese
    • ⅓ cup crushed nuts walnuts, pecans, or almonds
    • ⅓ cup dried cranberries or raisins

    Instructions
     

    • Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
      mustard dressing
    • Slice the red cabbage as thinly as possible, and add it to a large mixing bowl.
      You can do so on a cutting board with a chef's knife, a mandoline slicer, or a food processor with a slicing disk attachment.
      finely sliced red cabbage
    • Add rinsed beans, orange wedges cut in half, mixed leaves, and optionally dried cranberries, chopped nuts, or shaved parmesan.
      mix the veggies and legumes
    • Pour in the mustard dressing, toss well, and serve.
      red cabbage and orange in a bowl

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 portion of red cabbage salad out of 4 portions, without add-ins.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Red Cabbage Salad
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 172 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 607mg17%
    Carbohydrates 29g10%
    Dietary Fiber 6g25%
    Sugar 17g19%
    Protein 4g8%
    Vitamin A 5118IU102%
    Vitamin B6 0.3mg15%
    Vitamin C 101mg122%
    Vitamin E 1mg7%
    Vitamin K 91µg87%
    Calcium 118mg12%
    Folate 105µg26%
    Iron 2mg11%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 43mg11%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this red cabbage salad, you might also enjoy the following:

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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

    Hi, we are Nico and Louise, and we love cooking! Welcome to our blog.

    Here we share veggie-packed recipes for the whole family.

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