Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
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This purple cabbage and carrot slaw is my new favorite side! It’s creamy, crunchy, a little sweet and slightly spicy, and absolutely delicious. Make it as a healthy dish for your next backyard bbq or cookout!
Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw Recipe
Summer cookouts are back, baby! And I’m celebrating by cooking all the good stuff, like this purple cabbage and carrot slaw.
It’s crunchy, sweet, lightly spicy and tangy — so it hits all the high points. This slaw is just perfect on a hot summer day. Best of all, there’s almost no work required to make it. Just prep the veggies, mix, and enjoy!
Now if you know me, then you probably already know I’m a fan of bright side dishes. I make some good ones, too, like my broccoli slaw, pickled cabbage, or corn salsa, and more!
But today, since I’m grilling a pork tenderloin, I’ll be making this cabbage slaw to serve with it. The creamy, tangy dressing goes beautifully with a rich bbq sauce, and the crunchy veggies perfectly compliment the tender meat. It’s the perfect balance of flavor and truly the best side dish!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Not only does this creamy slaw have an incredible flavor, but it’s got the most beautiful color. With just a bit of prep work, you can have a crunchy cabbage salad ready in no time:
- Fresh veggies have loads of nutritional and health benefits. Cabbage is loaded with Vitamin C and carrots are full of fiber and Vitamin A, so this carrot slaw recipe is truly a winner!
- This is an easily adaptable recipe to fit any dietary restrictions. It’s one of my favorite ways to ensure everyone gets a hearty serving of veggies no matter what restrictions or preferences they may have.
- There is no cooking required with purple cabbage slaw. This delicious recipe has the most incredible fresh flavor, crunchy texture and doesn’t even require an oven to be turned on. Perfect for summer time.
Ingredients
Of course, the main ingredient is crunchy purple cabbage but there’s a few other things you’ll need to! Here’s what you need to make this recipe:
- purple cabbage
- carrots
- red onion
- garlic
- jalapeños
- cilantro
- mayonnaise
- apple cider vinegar
- mustard
- salt and black pepper
Substitutions and Variations
Pre-shredded cabbage and matchstick carrots are going to be the biggest timesavers for this recipe. If you’d like to whip this up with almost no prep work, then look for some purple cabbage coleslaw mix at the grocery store.
If you don’t like the spice, you can omit the jalapeños! You can also use a white onion or yellow onion if you don’t enjoy the strong flavor of red onion.
To ensure this recipe is Whole30, buy a Whole30 compliant mayonnaise to use or make some avocado mayo too.
White wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar are great to use in place of the apple cider vinegar if needed.
This is a great basic recipe, so feel free to add some extras into the mix. Some diced fresh apples, sunflowers seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds are always tasty. You can also add things like green onions, a splash of lemon juice, and even some extra fresh herbs.
How to Make Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
There’s no cooking involved in this recipe, so all you need is your ingredients, a mandoline, and box grater, or a sharp knife, if you don’t have those tools handy. Here’s how to make it:
To prep the vegetables, you’ll want to thinly slice the cabbage, grate the carrots, and then mince the garlic, onion, jalapeños, and cilantro.
Add all of the vegetable together in a large mixing bowl. You can add the homemade dressing ingredients straight into the same bowl if you want, or you can mix it separately and then mix it with the shredded cabbage and other veggies.
Mix all the ingredients with the vinaigrette dressing until fully coated and combined. Give the slaw a taste and feel free to add a bit more salt and pepper or any other ingredients.
Cole slaw can be eaten immediately, but it’s best when it has a chance to sit a while before you eat it. The flavors meld together and get better over time!
Cover and set it in the refrigerator for at least two hours, up to a day in advance. Just give it a quick toss before you serve and enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers
Properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this creamy red cabbage slaw will last 3-5 days. If you use homemade mayonnaise in this slaw, it would only last up to 4 days.
What to Serve with Purple Cabbage Slaw
Cole slaw goes great with sandwiches, wraps, and any classic backyard bbq food. I like to serve it with pulled pork, ribs, wings, drumsticks, and more! I also love to put it on top of fish tacos or serve it alongside some pulled pork sliders.
You can also serve it with summer favorites like grilled chicken drumsticks and easy Mexican style pork chops. Brown sugar pork chops and Instant Pot pork butt are also great pairings.
Tips for Success
Fresh salads like this one are always a go-to because they’re so easy to make and have the most amazing flavor. But to ensure this one turns out perfect, check out these simple tips:
- Thinly slice or grate the vegetables and make sure you finely dice the jalapeños too! You’ll want to have some of each veggie in every single bite!
- For the best flavor, prepare this slaw ahead of time and then refrigerate. I like to make this the day before I plan to serve it so that all the flavors have time to meld together.
- Make sure that the veggies you use are as fresh as can be so that your slaw is perfectly crunchy. Wilted cabbage will not make for a good slaw.
FAQ
There are a few minor nutritional differences between purple and green cabbage, but the two varieties are overwhelmingly similar in flavor and texture and can often be used interchangeably in cooking. Purple cabbage will definitely alter the color of the foods it touches, so keep that in mind!
It is not recommended to freeze coleslaw. Mayonnaise will separate once frozen and the quality of the coleslaw will be significantly diminished.
More Side Dish Recipes
- Broccoli Ranch Slaw
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Quinoa Arugula Salad
Now all that’s left to do is to grab a drink, pull up a chair, and dig in!
If you like this recipe, I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom!
Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium purple cabbage
- 3 medium carrots
- 1/2 – 1 jalapeño
- 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup mayo or more, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Video
Instructions
- Use a mandolin or sharp knife to thinly slice the cabbage. Use a box grater to shred the carrots. Mince the red onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro.
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine and mix the slaw well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Keep the cole slaw covered and refrigerated until you're ready to eat! For best results, let it sit for at least 2 hours.
