By Kathryn McLean
Summer is nearly here, and that means lots of eating outdoors with picnics, barbecues and lunch on the deck. Cabbage salad is an easy and delicious dish to add to the menu!
It’s a versatile option because it keeps for days, you can add or take away ingredients to suit what you like or have in the kitchen, it acts as a side dish, but can also be added to sandwiches or used to top tacos. If you add some protein, it can become an entree salad.
The starting point for a cabbage salad starts with shredded or finely sliced cabbage. Choose green cabbage, savoy, Napa, or even red (purple) cabbage. You will get a lot of salad from one head, so start by using half.
Thinly slice the cabbage by hand or use a mandolin or the slicer blade attachment in your food processor. Next, add the additional ingredients. Choose as many or as few as you like. The amounts are approximate because you may like lots of raw white onion in your salad, or you may like just a few flecks of chives. Take the amounts as a suggestion.
The key is that cabbage is the predominant ingredient, and all ingredients are sliced very thin. Some can be prepared by using the large holes on the side of a box grater, similar to grating cheese.
Additional Ingredients:
- Carrot (1-2)
- Onion: red or white, green or chives (¼ to ½ onion, 2-3 green, 6-8 chives)
- Bell pepper or jalapeno or chilis (½ to 1 pepper, 1 jalapeno/chili)
- Radish (3-4)
- Snap peas (6-10)
- Fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, dill or basil. But if you like tarragon, oregano, thyme, add those. (3-5 sprigs)
- Cucumber or zucchini (½)
- Apple or pear (1-2)
- Orange or other citrus fruit (1-2)
- Pickles or olives (4+ pickles, 8+ olives)
- Dried fruits (¼ cup+)
And maybe a handful of something crunchy for topping, like nuts or seeds.
As for dressing, you can buy any number of varieties of bottled dressing at the store. Shake the bottle well before using and be generous with it. Add the dressing in advance and mix everything well. The salad should rest in the fridge for at least an hour before serving so the vinegar in the dressing can break down the cabbage a bit.
If you want to make your own dressing, here are two suggestions.
Vinegar and lemon dressing: Combine ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup plain yogurt or sour cream with ¼ cup white or white wine vinegar and ¼ cup lemon juice in a small dish or container with a tight-fitting lid. Add ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Mix well or add the lid and shake well.
Creamy dressing: Combine ½ cup olive oil with ¼ cup white or white wine vinegar and ¼ cup lemon juice in a small dish or container with a tight-fitting lid. Add ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Mix well, or add the lid and shake well.
For both types, pour half of the dressing over the salad and mix well. Everything should be coated. Add more dressing, as needed, and mix again. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat.
Go ahead and try variations of this salad throughout the summer by mixing up the optional add-ins to suit your menu. Enjoy!