Purple Cabbage Slaw

This tangy purple cabbage slaw is a simple healthy side dish and pairs well with tacos, sandwiches or grain bowls. It adds a beautiful pop of color to any meal!

Can we take a minute to acknowledge the awesomeness that is purple cabbage? What a freakin’ beautiful vegetable this is.

Purple cabbage adds a bright pop of color to just about anything. Fish tacos and peanut noodles practically scream for it, but it also goes well diced up in a summer salad. Use it to scale up a burrito bowl while you’re at it.

One of my favorite ways to clean out the fridge is to come up with a way to transform produce into something that we can eat for lunches during the week. Herbs go into sauces and dressings, fruit gets chopped and thrown into salads. Cabbage now turns into slaw.

Ingredients for Purple Cabbage Slaw

• purple cabbage, sliced with a mandoline if possible
• carrots, peeled and shredded
• dino kale, chopped
• extra virgin olive oil
• vinegar (I prefer red wine or golden balsamic)
• brown sugar
• coarse mustard

Prepping the Vegetables

How to Slice Cabbage

To make a homemade slaw, the first step you’ll need to master is thinly slicing the cabbage. I used to just kind of chop it up into small little pieces because it was easier, but then I discovered how well a mandoline works and I’ve never turned back.

Here are the steps:

1. Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice a head of cabbage in half, then remove the core (important!)
2. Adjust your mandoline to 1/8″ and run the long edge of the cabbage down the blade to get thin slices.

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Shredding Carrots

I have a peeler (see above) that makes shredding super simple, but you could also use a box grater or the shredding attachment on your food processor.

Chopping Kale

I love the “dino” kale for this recipe (instead of the curly kind), but either will work just fine. I love how vibrant it is, and the texture is better in salads. To chop it, remove the tough stem and then chop into bite-size pieces.

The dressing is simple to throw together. It’s a bunch of staples that you probably already have in your pantry and fridge.

Toss the salad and dressing together and let the slaw sit for at least 30 minutes so the vegetables have a chance to break down a bit. You’ll be amazed at how beautiful the color is.

How to Use Purple Cabbage Slaw

While this certainly makes a great side dish on its own, it is so versatile and can also be incorporated into some of your favorites:

• Load it on sandwiches or wraps
• Use it on top tacos (I especially love it with fish or shrimp)
• Add it to your favorite grain bowl
• It’s great on burgers (meat or vegetarian!)
• Top it with protein for a light lunch

More Purple Cabbage Recipes:

• Vegetarian Tostadas with Creamy Purple Cabbage Slaw
• Rainbow Quinoa Salad Jars with Peanut Miso Dressing
• Nourish Bowls

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This post was originally published in July 2018. Post, photos and recipe was updated in September 2021.