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Cabbage Salad is a crunchy, no-mayo side made with shredded green cabbage, bell pepper, and onion in a sweet and tangy vinegar dressing. It’s made a day ahead, so the cabbage softens just enough while it chills. That makes it a favorite for cookouts, picnics, and potlucks.
More crunchy side salads: Napa Cabbage Salad | Asian Cucumber Salad | Broccoli Slaw
Before You Get Started
This salad is simple to put together, but a few things make the difference between crisp and tangy versus tough and harsh.
- Make it at least 24 hours ahead. This isn’t optional. The cabbage needs that time in the fridge to soften and soak up the dressing.
- Pour the dressing on while it’s still hot. The heat takes the raw edge off the cabbage and helps it absorb the flavor instead of just sitting in it.
- Slice the cabbage thin. Thick pieces stay tough even after resting. Thin shreds soften evenly and are much easier to eat.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How to Make Cabbage Salad
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
There’s no cooking involved beyond a quick simmer for the dressing. The rest is chopping, tossing, and waiting.
Step 1: Shred the cabbage and chop the veggies
Slice one medium head of green cabbage into thin shreds. Seed and dice a green bell pepper, and dice a small onion. White onion is what I use most often, but red works beautifully too and adds nice color.
Combine everything in a large bowl.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage is the classic option here and holds its crunch the longest. Red cabbage, savoy, and napa all work if that’s what you have, and a mix of two gives you different textures in every bite. A bagged coleslaw mix will save you the prep if you’re short on time.
Step 2: Toss with sugar and let it stand
Sprinkle the cabbage mixture with ½ cup granulated sugar and stir to coat. Let it sit while you make the dressing.
Use sugar here, not salt. Some cabbage salads call for salting to draw out water, but the sugar does that job in this recipe while balancing the vinegar. Salting on top of the celery salt in the dressing would push it too far.
Step 3: Boil the dressing and pour it on hot
Whisk the white vinegar, canola oil, yellow mustard, celery salt, and pepper together in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and let it bubble for 3 minutes.
Pour it over the cabbage right away and toss until everything is coated.
Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, or red wine vinegar all work in place of white vinegar and each shifts the flavor slightly.
- Prefer the creamy, classic version instead? My Coleslaw Recipe uses a mayo-based dressing.
Step 4: Cover and chill at least 24 hours
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a full 24 hours before serving. Up to 48 hours is even better. The hot dressing softens the cabbage while the cold fridge keeps it crisp, and that combination is what gives this salad its texture.
If you taste it right after mixing, it will seem sharp and raw. That’s expected. The flavors mellow and settle overnight.
Step 5: Stir, garnish, and serve
Give it a good stir before serving to redistribute the dressing that settles at the bottom.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and add toasted sesame seeds or sliced almonds if you want a little extra crunch on top.
This is also the point to add extras if you want them. Shredded carrots, a second color of bell pepper, or sliced green onions all fold in well without changing the dressing.
How to Shred Cabbage for Salad
Shredding a whole head is faster than it looks once you know the order of operations.
- Rinse the head of cabbage and pull off any loose or wilted outer leaves. Slice off the bottom stem so it sits flat on your cutting board.
- Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom, then cut each half again to make four quarters. Trim away the tough core and stem from each quarter.
- Turn a quarter so one flat side rests on the board and slice it into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining quarters.
- For shorter shreds, gather the long strips together and cut them in half.
What This Goes With
This is a side dish through and through, and it’s happiest next to something hot off the grill. The bright vinegar cuts through rich, smoky, and heavily seasoned mains, so it works especially well with barbecue and anything with a spice rub.
Great alongside: Grilled Tri-Tip | Grilled Chicken Thighs | Grilled Hamburgers | Cajun Grilled Pork Chops | Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Cookout season means I’m always hunting for one more side to round out the table. See my collection of Cookout Side Dishes for Summer for more of my favorites.
Storage Tips
Storing Leftovers
In the fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. After that the cabbage starts to lose its crunch and turns soggy.
Freezing: Not recommended. The cabbage breaks down completely once thawed.
Making it further ahead: You can prep the vegetables and mix the dressing separately up to 2 days before you plan to combine them. Once combined, count the 24-hour rest from that point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a bagged coleslaw mix instead of shredding a whole head?
Yes, and it’s a solid shortcut. Use about 8 cups of the mix in place of the shredded cabbage. Bagged mixes are usually cut a little finer, so they’ll soften faster. Check it at the 12-hour mark and serve once the texture is where you want it.
My salad tastes too sharp. How do I balance it?
That usually means it hasn’t rested long enough. Give it the full 24 hours before deciding, since the vinegar mellows considerably overnight. If it’s still sharper than you like after resting, stir in a tablespoon of sugar at a time until it evens out.
Can I use less sugar?
You can cut the ½ cup down to ⅓ cup and still get a balanced result. Go much lower than that and the vinegar takes over, since the sugar is doing double duty here by both sweetening the salad and softening the cabbage. If you’re reducing it, taste after resting rather than right after mixing.
Does this hold up for a potluck or picnic?
It does, and that’s one of the best things about it. Because there’s no mayo in the dressing, it handles time on a buffet table far better than a creamy salad. Transport it in a covered container with a slotted spoon so guests can leave the extra dressing behind.
More Easy Cold Salads
Simple Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 8 cups shredded green cabbage one medium head
- 1 cup diced white onion about 1 small
- 1 small green pepper seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley plus some for garnish
Dressing
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon celery salt can substitute regular salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine the shredded cabbage, onion, green pepper, and parsley in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the ½ cup sugar and stir to coat. Let stand while you make the dressing.
- Whisk the vinegar, oil, mustard, celery salt, and pepper together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 3 minutes.
- Pour the hot dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss until evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving.
- Stir well and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- The 24-hour chill is required, not optional. The cabbage needs that time to soften and absorb the dressing. Up to 48 hours is even better.
- Pour the dressing on hot. This takes the raw edge off the cabbage and helps the flavors soak in.
- Slice the cabbage thin. Thick pieces stay tough even after resting.
- The sugar goes on the cabbage, not in the dressing. It sweetens the salad and helps soften the cabbage as it rests.
- Cabbage swaps: Red, savoy, or napa cabbage all work, as does a bagged coleslaw mix (use about 8 cups).
- Vinegar swaps: Apple cider, champagne, or red wine vinegar can replace the white vinegar.
- Add-ins: Shredded carrots, extra bell pepper colors, or sliced green onions all work well. Top with toasted sesame seeds or sliced almonds for crunch.
- Reducing the sugar: ⅓ cup is the lowest that still balances the vinegar. Taste after resting, not right after mixing.
- Storage: Airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
hi Kristin,
I have rated this allready as I know it is going to be good, I love cabbage and I love salads but I think the dressings are what make it, ps I love japanese dressings plus any dressing that I think will be good. so keep them coming. PS I think I spelt japanese wrong oops.
Regards
Ellen
Hi Ellen, Thank you so much for dropping by. Love the feedback.
I have trouble following a recipe exactly and this was no exception. I added a half of a head of red cabbage, and changed the green peppers to yellow peppers, I accidentally bought cilantro instead of parsley so I used it and then added another teaspoon of dried parsley. Also I used a red onion. Further I was confused about the half cup of sugar. It was listed under the dressing but then was told to put it over the cabbage. I put it over the cabbage and then added a fourth a cup of sugar to the dressing. That was not necessary. Overall everyone was very pleased with the results. Next time I will not add the extra sugar and may even try artificial sweetener to cut calories.
Awesome feedback Pam! Thanks for stopping by.