This colorful red cabbage slaw recipe is bright, vibrant and incredibly crisp. It’s our go-to coleslaw recipe when we want to add crunch and fresh flavor to any meal. It’s a refreshing side dish to serve alongside fried fish or barbecue chicken, and it’s absolutely perfect for piling onto tacos or pulled pork sandwiches.
Ingredients for Red Cabbage Slaw
- Red cabbage: This slaw focuses on red cabbage’s gorgeous purple shade. One medium head should create the 8 cups of shredded cabbage called for in this recipe.
- Honey: Choose your favorite type of honey for this coleslaw dressing. We love clover honey—one of the most common options at the grocery store—for its floral aroma.
- Ground mustard: Ground mustard seeds are more potent than prepared mustard, which contains other ingredients like vinegar and spices. If you don’t have ground mustard on hand, use 1 tablespoon of Dijon or whole-grain mustard for every teaspoon of ground mustard.
- Canola oil: This neutral oil lets the honey and mustard flavors shine in the coleslaw dressing. You can swap in olive oil, but it will add a more robust, grassier character.
- White vinegar: White wine vinegar is perfect for honey-mustard dressing. It’s mellow and not as sharp or acidic-tasting as other types of vinegar.
Directions
Step 1: Make the dressing
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the canola oil, white vinegar, honey, salt and ground mustard. Shake well.
Editor’s Tip: You can make the dressing up to a week in advance. Store it in the jar in the refrigerator, and give it a good shake just before using.
Step 2: Dress the cabbage
Place the cabbage in a large bowl. Add the dressing, and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.
Recipe Variations
- Use other vegetables: Feel free to experiment with different veggies to make this a vegetable slaw. Add thinly sliced green or red onions, or include shredded carrots, beets or radishes. If the color isn’t important, swap in another type of cabbage, such as green or savoy cabbage.
- Use a different vinegar: Swap in apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar to create a tart flavor profile. You could also try mild rice vinegar or bright red wine vinegar.
- Swap out the mustard: It won’t be a honey-mustard dressing without the mustard, but red cabbage tastes great when dressed with other flavorings. Substitute celery seeds to turn this recipe into a German coleslaw, or use mayonnaise to make a creamy slaw dressing.
- Add crunch: Toss seeds such as pepitas or sunflower seeds to the coleslaw to add additional crunch. Broken ramen noodles work well, too (like we do in ramen coleslaw).
How to Store Red Cabbage Slaw
Store red cabbage slaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It lasts up to three days. The longer it sits in the fridge, the less crunchy the cabbage will be—so we advise eating it sooner rather than later!
Red Cabbage Slaw Tips
What’s the best way to shred cabbage?
There are several ways to shred cabbage. Boast your knife skills and shred cabbage into small slices using a knife and a cutting board. Others find it easier to use a handheld mandoline or the shredding attachment on a food processor. For the finest, smallest pieces, shred cabbage on a box grater.
How long should you chill slaw before serving?
Chill slaw for at least 10 minutes before serving. Chilling slaw before serving helps the flavors meld together, but extended storage times will also reduce the crunchiness of the cabbage.
What can you serve with this red cabbage slaw recipe?
This red cabbage slaw makes a fantastic side dish for fried fish or one of our barbecue ribs recipes. We also love it as a topping for tacos or sandwiches. Pile onto slow-cooker pulled pork sandwiches or scoop it on top of a fried chicken sandwich.
