This seasonal red cabbage salad looks wonderfully festive and it adds plenty of crunch and colour served as a side dish for a special occasion dinner.  Red cabbage is a great staple ingredient to keep in your fridge as it keeps good for a long time and you can throw together a quick salad such as a light red cabbage coleslaw using only olive oil and lemon juice as a dressing and leaving out the mayonnaise. 

Why you’ll love this crunch red cabbage salad

This salad is more than just a side dish; it’s a celebration of seasonal ingredients. Red cabbage is not only visually stunning with it’s deep, jewel-toned hue, but it’s also packed with nutrients, making it a nourishing little addition to your holiday menu. Plus it’s perfect for brightening up your holiday table, and provides a refreshing contract to your heavier main dishes!

How to make this crunchy red cabbage salad

Ingredients list – Serves 6

For the dressing

2 tbsp walnut oil ( you can use extra virgin olive oil instead)

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tbsp maple syrup

For the Salad

1 small red onion, peeled and sliced thinly 

1 tbsp cider vinegar

¼ tsp sea salt

1 small red cabbage ( approx 500g) 

2 apples halved, cored and thinly sliced

2 oranges peeled, halved and thinly sliced 

50g walnut halves 

Method

First make the dressing.  Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Next, toss the onion with the cider vinegar in a bowl adding the salt.  Set aside.

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut into quarters and trim out the core, 

Shred the cabbage finely.  You can use a large sharp knife or mandoline.

Transfer the cabbage, apples, oranges, walnuts and marinated onion into a large bowl.  Just before serving, fold gently with the dressing.

To Serve

Place in a large serving dish and serve immediately.  Do not let the salad sit for long as the cabbage goes soft quickly and the fruit turns purple.

Looking for more seasonal recipes using fresh ingredients from the garden?

Check out Misa Hay’s A Year in My Shetland Garden. Where you can find a collection of simple, seasonal recipes for nourishing dishes, inspired by my beloved garden, local Shetland produce and wild plants.

Photo credit: Susan Williams