Kale Slaw With Red Cabbage and Carrots Recipe (With Video)

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

15 mins

Servings:

4

Our vibrant, crunchy Kale Slaw combines shredded kale, carrots, and red onion with seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, and hemp for a colorful take on the standard side. A simple mixture of olive oil, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar adds tanginess and pulls all the crunchy components together. Packed with nutrients and full of fun textures, it’s the perfect side to bring to cookouts, picnics, and potlucks all year long. (It can also hang out outside longer than mayo-based sides can thanks to the vinegar-forward dressing.) This salad can be easily doubled to feed a larger crowd, and can be made ahead for ease.

Shredding Red Cabbage for This Recipe

First, core the cabbage: Begin by cutting it in half from top to bottom. Next, angle your knife and cut through each side of the core to free it, then pull it out and discard the core. Next, decide which process you'd like to use for shredding the cabbage:

By Hand

To shred cabbage by hand, place one-half cut-side down on your cutting board, then slice crosswise into thin shreds. If your cabbage is large, cut each half into quarters to make shredding easier.

Food Processor

Cut cabbage into large chunks and run them through a food processor fitted with the shredding blade. Always use the plunger—not your fingers—to push ingredients down toward the blade.

Mandoline

Cut cabbage into quarters. Being extra careful, slice the quarters using a mandoline to form fine shreds. If your mandoline came with a finger guard, use that to slide the pieces back and forth. Otherwise, you can protect your fingers by wearing a cutting glove or using a folded dish towel to secure the cabbage while slicing.

Make Ahead

Thanks to its hardy ingredients, this slaw recipe can be made up to 1 day ahead. Prepare it according to the instructions, but leave out the parsley until you're ready to serve to keep the delicate leaves from wilting. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To cut down on prep time, you can use pre-cut matchstick carrots from the grocery store for this recipe.

A Word on Storing Seeds

Due to their higher fat content, it's best to store seeds somewhere cool and dry to keep them from going rancid. We recommend storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer, which will prolong their shelf life.

Directions

Make dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, mustard, and apple-cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine remaining ingredients:

In another bowl, combine kale, cabbage, carrot, parsley, and red onion with sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp seeds.

Save a pinch of each type of seed for sprinkling on top as a garnish.
Season, drizzle with dressing, and serve:

Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with dressing, and toss to coat.

Variations

While this salad is delicious as is, it's also endlessly customizable:

Try swapping in other produce like julienned red or orange bell pepper, sliced apple, or chopped broccoli.
Mix up the seeds by adding in pepitas (a variety of hull-less pumpkin seed), sesame seeds, or chopped pistachios.
In place of the red cabbage, try adding shredded green cabbage or savoy.
A handful of cilantro leaves or a mix of herbs like cilantro, basil, and mint can be swapped in for the parsley with beautiful results.
In place of the apple cider vinegar, try adding red-wine vinegar, white-wine vinegar, or unseasoned rice vinegar for a slightly different tang.

Storage

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

More Slaw Recipes to Try:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe with store-bought slaw mix?

Yes, you can swap in store-bought slaw mix for the cabbage and carrot portion of this recipe. Be sure to still include the kale, which helps set this slaw apart and gives it its leafy, lofty texture.
Should I wait to dress this slaw if I am making it ahead of time?

No, we wouldn't recommend waiting to dress the slaw if you're making it one day ahead of time. Since cabbage and kale are on the hardy side, they can be dressed ahead without any worry of wilting.
Do I need to massage the kale for this recipe?

No, you do not need to massage the kale with your hands for this recipe, though we do recommend mixing the dressing in very well to ensure all the greens are evenly coated.