This hearty Red Cabbage Salad is packed with red cabbage, crisp celery, fresh apple, sweet golden raisins, toasted walnuts, and tossed in an easy lemon vinaigrette. A simple and inexpensive side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken, beef and seafood.
In my opinion, the best salads have a variety of flavors, colors and textures. This red cabbage salad, for example, has the perfect mix of textures due to all of the fresh, crisp, vibrant ingredients. Crunchy walnuts with sweet bites of raisins mixed with the apple, cabbage and celery make for a party in your mouth.
Red cabbage salad ingredients:
This salad is not only beautiful, but it includes plenty of nutritious ingredients. It’s naturally gluten & grain-free, vegan, and might just be your new favorite side dish. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Red cabbage – Adds gorgeous color, fresh crunch and nutrition to this salad.
- Celery – For added texture and crunch.
- Apple – I’m using a green apple, but feel free to use your favorite apple variety.
- Golden raisins – Golden raisins are nice and plump and have more moisture than regular raisins. Either will work though! You could even sub with dried cranberries.
- Nuts – For the perfect nutty crunch, you can use any variety of nuts. I love pecans, walnuts or pistachios.
- Dressing – This salad is tossed in a tasty homemade lemon vinaigrette. It’s a simple mix of lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt & pepper. Easy and delicious!
How to make red cabbage salad:
This healthy cabbage salad starts with sliced cabbage, which is mixed with sliced celery, diced apple, golden raisins and toasted walnuts. A simple lemon dressing is whisked together and poured over the top, and the salad ingredients are all tossed together. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Customize this salad:
This salad is delicious as-is, but you can absolutely add other ingredients to the mix to use what you have available and customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein. Make it a meal by serving this salad alongside cooked chicken, fish, shrimp or burgers.
- Plant-based protein. Add in a can of drained chickpeas or a cup of cooked quinoa for a little more heartiness and plant-based protein.
- Veggies. Feel free to add other vegetables such as shredded Brussels sprouts, julienned carrots, or green onions.
- Healthy fats. Toss in a chopped avocado for additional nutrition and healthy fats.
- Dressing. The homemade vinaigrette is super easy to mix up and adds the perfect light, bright flavor, but feel free to swap it out with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of your favorite bottled vinaigrette.
Ways to serve this cabbage salad recipe:
- Straight out of the bowl. Add some chickpeas and this salad is plenty filling for a light meal. You could also add diced grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken for a little more staying power.
- With fresh greens. For even more veggie goodness, toss this red cabbage salad with fresh greens, then drizzle on a bit of extra vinaigrette to create a fresh green salad.
- As a side dish. The way I usually serve this salad is as a side dish to grilled meats, burgers or sandwiches.
Quick tips:
- The ingredients you use matter. Make sure to get a good, ripe apple and fresh cabbage or the salad won’t be as good texturally or taste wise. Good olive oil and fresh lemon juice make all the difference in the dressing.
- Cut the apple just before serving. Even with the lemon vinaigrette, the apple will brown faster than you’d like. Cut it up and add it to the salad as close to serving time as possible.
- To save time, you can purchase nuts that have already been toasted. Or you can toast your own by placing them on foil in the toaster oven for 2-3 minutes on the toast setting, or by toasting them in a dry pan on the stove. Watch carefully because they cook very quickly and can burn easily.
- Season. Don’t forget a little sprinkle of salt at the end; it will intensify and balance all the flavors going on in the salad.
Make ahead & storage tips:
- This salad doesn’t keep well for a long period of time because the apple will brown and the walnuts will become soft. However, it can be made in advance and stored as long as ingredients are stored separately. (Cabbage and celery together and raisins and walnuts in separate containers — slice up the apple right before serving).
- Dressing stays good for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be made ahead of time — just shake it up before adding it to the salad.
There’s nothing more satisfying than a fresh, crisp salad on a hot day. They’re so refreshing and contain all the best nutrients your body needs to keep pushing through the summer. I make this salad often and have no doubt I’ll be making it again soon!
More easy salad recipes:
If you make this red cabbage salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment and ★ rating below letting me know how it turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).
Red Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 head of medium red cabbage about 6 cups
- 3 stalks of celery sliced
- 1 green apple cut into small chunks
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1-2 cloves garlic crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, garlic, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Give it a quick whisk and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine cabbage, celery, apples, raisins, and walnuts. Drizzle the dressing over the top and gently mix until everything is well incorporated. Enjoy!
Notes
- This salad doesn’t keep well for a long period of time because the apple will brown and the walnuts will become soft. However, it can be made in advance and stored as long as ingredients are stored separately. (Cabbage and celery together and raisins and walnuts in separate containers — slice up the apple right before serving).
- Dressing stays good for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be made ahead of time — just shake it up before adding it to the salad.
Comments
Laura says
Hello,
Thank you for this fun and easy recipe! I just made it as a cool contrast side dish to go with my chili and beer bread (and to use up some red cabbage in the refrig).
It is very tasty, and I think it’s good even for people who don’t love cabbage!
Dani Spies says
So glad this was a hit for you! It’s definitely a favorite for me as well.