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KALE + RED CABBAGE SLAW

Quick and easy, this healthy Kale + Red Cabbage Slaw salad will add some freshness to your life! Includes a light dressing and added seeds for protein and crunch! Vegan, nut free and refined sugar free recipe.

top down view of bowl with a serving of kale and red cabbage slaw with things surrounded.

Aah yes, I have a healthy slaw salad to share with you today. It’s a fresh, colorful recipe, and a much needed departure from all the cooked foods I’ve been devouring lately.

If you’re anything like me, you tend to eat more cooked foods in the fall and winter. It seems to be somewhat instinctual but a good fresh and hearty salad is a welcome change.

Kale slaw salad with cabbage features shredded kale, red cabbage, carrots and parsley tossed in a delicious dijon vinaigrette with a variety of seeds. Adapted from Martha Stewart, I had all the ingredients on hand and whipped it up within minutes.

This Kale & Cabbage Slaw is one of those salads that on the first bite may not seem so great, but after a few bites the deliciousness sets in. I ate the whole salad in one sitting, but this could serve 2 as well!

All in all, I would definitely make this again, so that says something. Now, go get out your biggest bowl and have yourself a nice big fat healthy kale salad!

top down view of ingredients used to make kale and red cabbage slaw recipe.

Kale & Cabbage Slaw Salad Ingredients

  • Tuscan Kale (aka, lacinato or dinosaur) – Full of vitamins and minerals kale is the king of the leafy greens!
  • Red Cabbage – Bitter, with a peppery flavor red cabbage is colorful and loaded with antioxidants.
  • Carrots – Adds crunch and sweetness. Use regular carrots, baby carrots, or for easy pre-shredded carrots are great.
  • Red Onion – Great in salads, red onion is relatively mild in flavor and adds color.
  • Parsley – One of my favorite herbs, parsley adds a bright flavor to this kale salad slaw.
  • Hemp Hearts – Packed with omega’s and other nutrients, hemp hearts are the perfect healthy seed!
  • Sunflower Seeds – I usually opt for raw sunflower seeds, but if you can’t find them toasted is fine too.
  • Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) – Raw pepitas are preferred, but toasted is ok too.

Dressing

  • Olive Oil – I use a light flavored olive oil for almost everything, but feel free to use your favorite neutral flavored oil.
  • Dijon – The distinct pungent flavor of dijon adds tang and a slight creaminess.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – The healthiest of all vinegars, apple cider is preferred, but you can opt to white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
  • Salt & Pepper – My favorite salt is pink mineral salt (affiliate link) which naturally contains essential minerals and trace elements the body needs. Season to taste with your favorite salt and pepper.

side by side photos of prepped veggies and dijon vinaigrette.

How To Make Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage

  • Mix the dressing and prepare your vegetables.
  • Add the veggies to a large mixing bowl, pour dressing over top and mix well to combine.
  • Toss in the seeds and mix again, or sprinkle seeds over individual servings.

And that’s all there is to it. It’s a wonderfully clean and vibrant slaw salad that’s ready in about 10 minutes!

top down view of a mixing bowl with ingredients to make kale red cabbage slaw recipe.

Tips For Kale & Cabbage Slaw Salad

  • The dressing is light and not overly drowning, if you like lots of dressing I would suggest doubling the amount. I think next time I’ll replace the oil with tahini for creaminess.
  • Heart healthy seeds like pumpkin, sunflower and hemp hearts add crunch while providing a good amount of protein and healthy omegas!
  • To add a little sweetness, toss in 1/4 cup or so of dried cranberries, dried berry mix, golden or jumbo raisins.
  • This recipe can easily be doubled and used to serve a crowd or for weekly meal prep.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

side angle view of bowl with a serving of kale and red cabbage slaw with things surrounded.

If you try this kale & red cabbage salad recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

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KALE + RED CABBAGE SLAW

Quick and easy, this Kale + Red Cabbage Slaw salad will add some freshness to your life! Includes a light dressing and added seeds for protein and crunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 small bunch tuscan kale (aka, lacinato or dinosaur), thick stem removed and shredded
  • 1/2 head small red cabbage, shredded
  • 12 carrots, grated or julienned (or use quartered baby carrots)
  • 1/3 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons hemp hearts
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Dressing

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix your dressing and set aside.

Prepare vegetables and place in large bowl, add dressing and toss to coat. Add in seeds and toss again (or sprinkle over each portion before serving). Let salad rest a few minutes before eating, this will help soften the kale a bit.

Serves 2 or one generously.

NOTES:

For a creamier dressing, replace the oil with tahini.

If you have fresh lemons on hand, this would be great with a big squeeze of lemon over top.

If serving for one, use 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons each of the seeds.

Keywords: kale red cabbage slaw recipe

Updated: Kale & Red Cabbage Salad originally published December 2014 and has been updated November 2019 with new photos and helpful tips. No changes were made to the recipe and it’s still as good as ever. Enjoy!

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8 Comments

  1. Jennifer Copeland says:

    Loved the salad. Added white cabbage, dry cranberries and almonds to give it more variety. I reduced the amount of kale to balance the cabbage and kale. I needed to add more extra virgin olive oil. Loved the recipe. Will try Tahiti next time!

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      Sounds delicious, love your additions! Cheers :)

  2. jodye @ whole pure recipes says:

    This slaw looks so wonderful and vibrant! It immediately made me think of christmas because of the colors – and so, I'll add it to the menu! Thanks for a great recipe !

  3. June Baby says:

    What a gorgeous salad! I love red cabbage, mostly for the color, but also for the lovely crunchy texture–this sounds like a great way to use it:)

  4. Sam @ PancakeWarriors says:

    Yum you really can't go wrong with kale salad in my book. Love that all these ingredients would stand up to dressing all day so I could make it in the morning before work.

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