Cabbage Salad Recipe with Sweet Poppyseed Dressing

In this cabbage salad recipe, thinly sliced cabbage and grated carrots are combined with a sweet and tangy dressing. The resulting dish is a satisfying crunchy side dish salad.
Homemade Salad Dressing
I am a firm believer in having homemade dressings on hand to enjoy over vegetables, raw or cooked, at any moment. This sweet and tangy poppy seed dressing is made with pantry ingredients, and is a great use for poppy seeds besides muffins (what else does one use them for anyways?). The flavor reminds me of store-bought, full-of-junk coleslaw dressings, but without all the crazy junk.
Cabbage Recipes
A little bit goes a long way with cabbage, and I only end up using 1/2 head of cabbage for this salad to serve 6. If you are having a larger gathering, go ahead and use a whole head of cabbage and double all the other ingredients as well. For the almonds, if you have slivered almonds on hand that are often used for baking, you can go ahead and use those. The almonds add a nice flavor and more crunch, but can be replaced with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or another type of nut.
Serving Suggestions
This cabbage salad recipe makes a great dish to serve with Smoky Black Bean Chili. Make it a main course salad by serving alongside Garlic and Lemon Zest Shrimp. Also try topping with shredded rotisserie chicken, white beans, or fried tofu.
Cabbage Salad with Sweet Poppyseed Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 green or red cabbage
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion (I used a mandolin)
- 1/2 cup almonds
Sweet Poppyseed Dressing
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons dark amber maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons poppyseeds
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Cut cabbage half into thirds. Slice each third thinly, starting from the top, cutting crosswise. Place shredded cabbage in a large bowl, along with grated carrots, and onion.
- Toast almonds in a dry saute pan over medium heat until fragrant and browning slightly. Watch closely, do not let burn. Immediately pour into a small bowl or dish and let cool. Roughly chop and add all but 2 Tablespoons into bowl with cabbage.
- Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl to combine. Pour dressing (to taste) over cabbage mixture and toss to evenly coat. There may be some extra dressing. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with remaining 2 Tablespoons toasted chopped almonds.
This recipe is going to be my “go to” for all those events I am asked to bring a salad. A fresh, delicious recipe for a slaw.
We all need a new “go-to” sometimes, right? I’m happy this cabbage salad fit the bill for you.