This light and fresh Purple Cabbage Citrus Slaw made without mayonnaise is the perfect healthy side dish. Its delicious and vibrant.
I just thought this head of cabbage was stunning. Only nature could provide such an amazing thing as a head of cabbage. I’m being totally serious. Have you ever cut into a head of cabbage and studied how each leaf fits perfectly with the next? If you’ve ever shredded a head of cabbage, you know what I mean. How else can a tiny little head of cabbage produce so much cole slaw? I also think the colors are spectacular. Different shades of purple and green on the outside, and when you shred it, all you see is purple and white. How does that happen?
See what I’m talking about? The photo above and below don’t look like the same plant. I used my spiral cutter to shred up this cabbage. Its the same little device I used to make my angel hair cole slaw and my pesto zoodles. Its a junky piece of plastic, but it does this particular job well. You see, the thinner you can slice your cabbage, the more it can absorb the wonderful dressing you prepare. The even texture of the thin slices is just wonderful.
Is it just me or does the photo below look like it could be passed off as art? Sheesh, that’s pretty.
The trick to this wonderful purple cabbage citrus slaw is to let it sit, coated in sugar and a bit of salt, to allow some of the liquid to extract. This is how you get a delicious cole slaw and not something that resembles cole slaw soup. I thank my friend of 25 or so years, Heather, for her recommendation on how to make this.
We served up this amazing slaw on top of the most delicious slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches (recipe to come), topped with my favorite whiskey BBQ sauce. Oh dear, now I’m hungry.
Purple Cabbage Citrus Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 head purple cabbage shredded
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toss cabbage with sugar and half of salt and allow to sit in colander for 1-4 hours. Discard any liquid that is created.
- Whisk oil, lemon juice, celery seeds, remaining salt, and fresh ground pepper (if desired) in large bowl. Add cabbage and toss to coat. Chill 1 hour or up to 3 days.
I adore purple cabbage and just got a head of it from the organic farmer’s market. I can’t wait to use it for a batch of this slaw!