Move over, coleslaw! There’s a new cabbage salad recipe in town. Crisp, colorful, and tossed in a tangy dressing, this is an easy and delicious side dish.
I can’t get enough of this cabbage salad recipe! It’s colorful and colorful, crunchy and refreshing, made with red and green cabbage, crisp bell peppers, carrots, herbs, and toasty pepitas. But the real star of this cabbage salad recipe is the dressing. It’s a tangy, nutty vinaigrette. A few tablespoons of peanut butter gives it a lightly creamy texture, and the apple cider vinegar adds a wonderful zip. This makes a very lively and unexpected cabbage salad. Serve this as a side dish at your next summer cookout, and everyone will be asking for the recipe!
Cabbage Salad Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cabbage salad recipe:
- cabbage, of course! I’m using a mix of red cabbage and green cabbage here because I love the combination of colors, but if you’d rather buy just one cabbage (totally get it!), feel free to choose one or the other. Napa cabbage or Savoy cabbage also works, though it has a softer, less crunchy texture. You will need 2 small heads of cabbage or 1 medium to large to make this recipe.
- Red bell pepper – It adds a natural sweetness and juicy bite.
- Carrots – Like peppers, they add a great earthy sweetness to this salad. I like julienne the carrot so that they are incorporated evenly into the shredded cabbage.
- Fresh cilantro – It adds fresh flavor and enticing bits of green.
- Roasted pepitas – For the nutty crunch! Toasted sliced almonds would also be delicious here.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Cut Cabbage for Salad
You will need to shred, or thinly slice, the cabbage for this cabbage salad recipe. This is very easy to do with a sharp knife and a cutting board.
- Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage, and cut it in half through the core. Then, cut the half into four wedges.
- Place a wedge cut-side-down on the cutting board, and slice and discard the hard core.
- Thinly slice the wedge crosswise. Cabbage will be broken into small slices.
- Repeat with the remaining wedges until you have enough shredded cabbage to make this salad.
For step-by-step photos and additional tips on cutting cabbage, see my guide to how to cut cabbage!
You will also need these ingredients to make the cabbage salad dressing:
- Avocado oil – Or any neutral oil of your choice.
- Apple cider vinegar – For a bold, tangy flavor.
- Creamy peanut butter – This makes the dressing slightly creamy and adds a nice nutty flavor. Roasted sesame oil the nutty flavor deepens!
- MAPLE syrup – For sweetness. Honey will also work here.
- Garlic – For a delicious bite.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Cabbage Salad
This cabbage salad recipe is so simple to make!
Start by tossing the vegetables. Cut the cabbage, julienne the carrot, and slice the peppers into thin strips. Chop the cilantro. Put everything in a large bowl and toss to combine.
Next, mix the dressing. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together avocado oil, vinegar, peanut butter, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and salt.
Then, dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture, and toss to coat.
Set the salad aside for 10 minutes. It may be tempting to skip this step, but please, don’t! Raw cabbage and carrots soften and soak up flavor as they sit in the dressing. These 10 minutes turn into a delicious salad!
Finally, season to taste and serve. Sprinkle toasted nuts or seeds over the salad before you dig in. Toss again, and enjoy!
Delivery Suggestions
This easy cabbage salad is a fantastic side dish for a picnic or cookout. Pair it with veggie burgers, black bean burgers, vegan hot dogs, BBQ tofu…whatever you’re grilling! Round off the meal with one or two more summers you like. Any of these classics would be great in this cabbage salad recipe:
This cabbage salad recipe also makes a great lunch! Increase it by pairing it with my baked tofu o air fryer tofuor add a scoop to a grain bowl with quinoa and like protein tempeh.
Do you want to prepare this recipe or make it ahead? Go for it! It keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just wait to garnish it with pepitas or almonds until right before serving. If you add them too far ahead, they will be soggy in the dressing.
More Summer Salad Favorites
If you love this cabbage salad recipe, try one of these summer salads next:
Crazy about cabbage? Check out our 17 Best Cabbage Recipes!
Cabbage salad
Serving 6
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage
- 4 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and very thinly sliced
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup toasted sliced almonds or pepitas
getting dressed
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 spoon creamy peanut butter
- 1 spoon MAPLE syrup
- 1 spoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 garlic cloves, grated
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
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In a large bowl, combine the green cabbage, red cabbage, red pepper, carrots, and cilantro.
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Make the dressing: In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together avocado oil, vinegar, peanut butter, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and salt.
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Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften the cabbage.
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Season to taste and top with almonds. Toss and serve.