- Servings 3
- Prep time 15 minutes
Red Cabbage Salad
Red Cabbage Salad stands out for its striking color and nutritional value. When you’re next navigating the aisles of your local grocery store, keep an eye out for a delicate head of red cabbage. Red Cabbage is not only a feast for the eyes but is packed with vitamins and minerals, making it a powerhouse of nutrition. Moreover, red cabbage is known for its longevity, staying fresh in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Ingredients Red Cabbage Salad
- One small red cabbage or half of a head of big red cabbage
- One red or white onion
The salad dressing:
- Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon
- 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup of good-quality white rice vinegar
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black or white pepper, to taste
Preparation
- In a small bowl, mix all salad dressing ingredients
- Shred cabbage and onion. You can use a food processor or any tool for vegetable shredding
- Place shredded cabbage and onion in a salad bowl and toss with the dressing
Tips
- Choosing Your Cabbage: Opt for a small red cabbage if available, as it tends to be more tender. If you’re working with a giant head, use only half. Look for cabbage with crisp, colorful leaves without any signs of wilting or browning, which indicates freshness.
- Prepping the Cabbage: Before chopping, remove the outermost leaves of the cabbage, which are often tricky and dirty. Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the core. Then, slice it as thinly as possible to achieve a delicate texture in your salad. A mandoline slicer can be extremely helpful for getting uniformly thin slices.
- Onion: Whether you choose a red or white onion, aim for one that is firm and has a shiny outer skin. The onion’s sharpness can be reduced by slicing it thinly and soaking the slices in cold water for about 10 minutes before draining and adding them to the salad. This technique mellows the onion’s bite without losing its flavor.
- Making the Dressing: Combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and white rice vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk them together until well blended. Your olive oil and vinegar quality can significantly affect the salad’s flavor, so choose them carefully.
- Seasoning: Start with a modest amount of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then adjust according to taste. Remember, adding more seasoning than fixing an over-seasoned salad is always easier.
- Tossing Red Cabbage Salad: After adding the dressing to the cabbage and onion, toss the salad gently to ensure every piece is lightly coated. Letting the salad sit for a few minutes before serving can enhance the flavors, as it gives time for the cabbage to soften and absorb the dressing slightly.
- Serving Suggestions: This salad is versatile and can be served as a refreshing side dish to complement various main courses. Add toasted nuts, seeds, or dried fruit for extra texture and flavor.