This purple cabbage slaw with carrots will add a burst of color and flavor to your table. Tossed in a sweet and tangy orange vinaigrette dressing, this slaw is gluten-free and naturally sweetened, plus it’s easily prepped ahead of time. With just 8 ingredients, it’s the perfect side dish for your next family dinner or weekend cookout.
If you’re ready to try something different than traditional coleslaw, this purple cabbage slaw is for you.
Don’t get me wrong, I love coleslaw. From apple broccoli slaw to kale coleslaw and everything in between, it’s one of my family’s favorite sides – particularly in the summer.
We even love to make our own homemade coleslaw dressing (it’s so much better than the sickly sweet stuff you can get at the store).
Speaking of dressing, instead of the typical mayo-based dressing, this coleslaw uses a vinegar-based citrus dressing. It adds a brighter flavor and keeps the coleslaw light and fresh.
One of the best parts? This coleslaw can be prepped the day before. It actually tastes better when eaten the next day.
Now I know you’re interested.
Read on to see how it’s done!
Gather these ingredients!
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
For the slaw
- Purple cabbage – also called red cabbage. You can grab a very small one or a larger one and use half of it. If you find you need to use it up, try it in my ground beef and cabbage stir fry.
- Carrots – you want shredded or matchstick carrots. You can absolutely shred them yourself, but it’s much easier to buy a bag of pre-shredded carrots at the store.
For the dressing
- Cara Cara orange – this recipe specifies a Cara Cara orange as they are known for being sweeter than your typical navel orange. If you use a navel or other type of orange you will have to up the amount of honey you use.
- Apple cider vinegar – as this is a fruit-based vinaigrette I like using apple cider vinegar for it. Other vinegars you could use are champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.
- Honey – you only need a little, but it helps sweeten the dressing just a bit more. Any kind of plain honey is fine – use what you have in your pantry.
- Dijon mustard – the mustard adds some savoriness and a little tang to the dressing, as well as acting as an emulsifier, encouraging the oil and vinegar to stay together.
- Oil – a mild oil is best so it doesn’t overpower the flavor of the orange. I like to use avocado oil but if you prefer the taste of a good olive oil that will also work.
- Kosher salt – this recipe calls for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you’re using another brand of salt, use this conversion chart from Epicurious to determine how much salt to use.
Does purple cabbage taste the same as green cabbage?
While purple and green cabbage taste very similar, purple cabbage tends to be just slightly more bitter and peppery than green cabbage. This makes it a great option to be used in coleslaw where the dressing is sweeter and helps soften the texture and flavor of purple cabbage.
How to make purple slaw
(Note: please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the complete written instructions.)
There are two basic steps to this recipe:
- making the dressing, and
- making the coleslaw.
I’m providing instructions for making the dressing here, but check out this post for my honey orange vinaigrette if you want more details (and tips for zesting an orange!).
Making the dressing
Making the slaw
How do you cut purple cabbage for coleslaw?
There are two main ways to cut purple cabbage for coleslaw – either with a knife and cutting board or with a mandolin. While a mandolin will give you more control over the thinness of your cabbage slices, it’s not necessary. I always use a knife and cutting board and the cabbage slices turn out just fine.
What to serve purple cole slaw with
While the typical recommendation for serving coleslaw is pulled pork sandwiches, there are lots of other options too! Some foods we like to serve this purple coleslaw with are:
- grilled pork tenderloin: similar to pulled pork but takes much less time on the grill.
- gluten-free burgers: serve the slaw on the side or as a burger topping!
- grilled dijon chicken breast: the marinade for this breast has dijon and citrus as well so the flavors play really well together.
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Purple Cabbage Slaw with Orange Vinaigrette
Equipment
- A 16 oz mason jar with a lid
- Kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- ½ Cara Cara orange small- to medium-sized or about 2 tbsp fresh orange juice plus zest
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp mild oil I like avocado oil
- 1 tbsp honey more if you like your dressing sweeter
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more to taste after the slaw is mixed
- 1.25 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 lb head of purple cabbage 1 small head or half a large head
- 5 oz shredded carrots
Instructions
- First zest the orange. This will be easier to do when the orange isn’t cut, so just make sure you zest only the half you’re using. Take out a microplane or other zester, as well as a medium bowl. If using a microplane, place it against the rim of the bowl. Zest the orange by rubbing it against the microplane in short swipes, scraping just the vibrant orange skin off into the bowl and not the lighter pith underneath. You may need to wipe the zest off the bottom of the microplane with your finger to get it all off.
- Once the zest is off, use a sharp knife and cutting board to cut the orange in half, then if necessary cut the half you’re using into quarters, depending on what type of juicer you’re using. Juice the orange into the same bowl as the zest, discarding the used parts of the orange.
- Take out a 16 ounce mason jar and measuring spoons and add the apple cider vinegar, oil, kosher salt, and dijon mustard into it. If your honey is very fluid go ahead and add it to the jar as well. If not, put it in a small microwavable bowl and warm it for about 10 seconds, then add it into the mason jar.
- Pour the juice and zest into the jar, add the lid, then shake vigorously to combine all of the ingredients together. Set aside while you make the slaw.
- Using the same knife and cutting board, thinly slice the cabbage. If you're starting with a small whole head, cut it in half, otherwise start with the half you have. Cut out the thick internal stem in the bottom middle of the cabbage by making two deep cuts along the edges of the stem into the cabbage. Angle the cuts as best you can so they point into the cabbage and not straight back. The resulting piece you cut out should be triangular in shape (see the pictures in the above blog post). You may have to make several cuts to get the internal stem all out.
- Next cut the cabbage half in half again (so you have a quarter of a cabbage). Set one of the quarters aside and lay the other quarter on the cutting board with one flat side down. Start making small slices with your knife on the other flat side of the cabbage, cutting as thin as you like and are able to with the knife. Keep slicing until all of the cabbage is cut, then put the sliced cabbage into a large bowl. Do the same with the other cabbage quarter.
- Add the shredded carrots to the bowl with the cabbage as well. Take the jar of dressing out and give it a shake to make sure the ingredients are combined, then pour the dressing over the carrots and cabbage. Use a pair of kitchen tongs to stir everything together, coating the veggies with the dressing.
- Take a bite of the slaw and see if it needs more salt. I typically like to add anywhere between ¼ and ½ tsp more kosher salt to it. Stir again with the tongs to combine. The slaw can be served right away, though does taste better the next day (when the cabbage has softened and the flavors have melded) after being stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- The slaw will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- This recipe makes 4 ounces of dressing, all of which is used in the slaw.
- The recipe specifically calls for a Cara Cara orange, as they are one of the sweetest oranges. If using a different type of orange, like a navel, you will need to add more honey to the dressing to sweeten it.
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