Learn how to make a delicious, healthy Greek Lahanosalata -shredded raw cabbage salad. Grated carrots and a Mediterranean dressing add flavor and some extra color.
If Horiatiki salad is always present at my table during summer, then this Lahanosalata is never missing from my dinner table during the winter. I just love all the crunch and the vibrant colors that remind me all of the different nutrients I fuel my body with.
Green and red shredded cabbage, some grated carrots and an easy dressing with olive oil and wine vinegar (or lemon juice), are the basic ingredients for a healthy, crunchy salad that satisfies me and helps me feel full. My favorite thing about this salad is that I can add some cooked chicken (or two hard boiled eggs) and it’s instantly transformed into a light and filling lunch.
How do you make cabbage salad?
The basic ingredients are:
- Shredded Green and red cabbage. (Green is also called white and red is also called purple)
- Grated carrots
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar (or white)
- salt and black pepper
Optionally you can add:
- Walnuts
- Raisins
- Grape syrup (or maple syrup or honey)
The Ratios
For my personal taste, the best proportions of the main ingredients are 2 parts shredded green cabbage, 1 part shredded red cabbage and 1 part grated carrots. The dressing is a lot similar to the dressing for this arugula, strawberry and chicken salad. To make it I just mix 2 parts of olive oil, 1 part red wine vinegar and 1 part grape syrup. However, l always recommend to taste and adjust it to your liking. Greeks are very forgiving so if you like Lahanosalata with more red cabbage or without any carrots, or with hazelnuts instead of walnuts, then just do as you please, no one will be upset!
How do you shred cabbage for this salad?
- Using a sharp knife
- Using a mandolin
- Using some kind of gadget (I usually see those online)
How thin should you shred it? Traditionally, it should be very thin, so a mandolin is probably the best tool for this job. For the carrots, a box grater is ideal.
How do you keep cabbage crisp?
Because I want to preserve as many nutrients as possible I like to store the cabbage in the fridge whole and cut the quantity I need each time I need it. But I have also found that cabbage can be preserved shredded inside a zip lock bag for at least 2-3 days (after that it can start to develop dark spots). If you don’t add any salt or dressing it will remain crisp and crunchy. Add the dressing just before serving.
Another way to enjoy this healthy salad is to leave it in the fridge with the dressing for one day or overnight, so that the cabbage has some time to wilt and the salad to transform into something even more delicious because all of the flavors blend together harmonically.
Is cabbage salad healthy?
I once read that cabbage is the soap that cleanses our body from the inside. Cabbage belongs to the cruciferous vegetables which are full of beneficial nutrients. Its diuretic properties help our body to get rid of excess liquid, carrying toxins along with it. Like other cruciferous veggies, cabbage is also sulfur-rich, helping your liver break down those bad toxins (so they can be more easily expelled). It’s also full of fiber, rich in Vitamin K and C, it has anticancer properties and it help you lower your cholesterol levels (protecting your heart).
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup crashed walnuts optional
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2– 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
- 1– 2 tablespoons grape syrup (or maple syrup or honey)
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Mix the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl.
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Transfer the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk with a fork until homogenized. You can also trasnfer it to jar, close the lid and shake very well.
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Add the dressing on top of the salad and mix well to combine. Taste and adjust according to your liking. Eat!
- If you add the walnuts the calories will be 259
- You can enjoy this cabbage salad in two different ways: If you want it as crisp as it gets, don’t add the dressing until the last moment (the cabbage will be very crunchy but the flavors will lack punch). Otherwise, mix the salad with the dressing and store it in the fridge for some hours (the cabbage will get softer – but still crunchy enough – and all the flavors will mix and get stronger). I find that even after two days it’s still delicious.
- Use lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar.
- Add some Sultana raisins for a sweet surprise.
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This salad sounds like the healthier and the lighter version of coleslaw. So good !!!
It’s a favorite here, thanks!
I’ve actually been eating a lot of cabbage lately to stay healthy since I have been neglecting my veggie intake, so I’m happy I found this! I can finally switch up the way I eat cabbage now!! 😀 Yippeeee!
I’m doing the same thing! ☺️
This looks awesome! I just started shifting my everyday diet to a Mediterranean based one and this looks like such a great LIGHT option! Can’t wait to try it out!
Thanks Kat! This is a staple here, because it’s easy and very filling at the same time 🙂
This is a classic salad to eat in my household, especially during the winter months. I personally love to dress my Greek cabbage salad with plenty of olive oil and lemon juice!
Hi Nick, I think I can’t decide between lemon juice or vinegar. I used to like lemon juice more, but now it’s 50-50!
I grew with this salad made by my mom, she would add dried mint, typically with lemon juice but also made it with vinegar. It is an awesome salad that tastes even better with time. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Armine 🙂
Yes, it definitely tastes better with time!