Red cabbage, radicchio and endive join fennel, raisins and toasted walnuts in this crunchy winter salad.
I don’t know why it’s taken me quite so long to write about red cabbage. It’s a powerhouse of nutrition in a pretty package.
Its vivid color reveals a powerful concentration of anthocyanins which are believed to have anti-oxidant properties, not to mention that it delivers a pretty good dose of Vitamin C.
So how come so many people shy away from it? I have to think it may have something to do with many people’s first encounter with the cabbage family…coleslaw. Bland, soggy and dripping in mayo, this quintessential American slaw does cabbage no favors.
But I grew up eating this crunchy, cruciferous vegetable; mainly raw, shredded, spiked with spicy Dijon mustard and mouth puckering vinegar. Its vibrant color intensified and sturdy texture softened under the acidity of the vinegar while the mustard added even more heat to this brightly colored member of the cabbage family and a little olive oil rounded out the sharp edges.
I still make it that way, but lately I’ve taken to accessorizing my red cabbage salads a bit. Radicchio and endive have joined the mix for a bitter edge as well as fennel for added freshness and crunch. A handful of buttery walnuts and sweet, chewy raisins are tossed in for texture and balance while snippets of fresh flat leaf parsley add some liveliness to the color palate.
This is my winter salad, the one I come back to time and time again when I’m craving something light and crunchy in the middle of a season dominated by heartiness and warmth.
Red Cabbage, Radicchio and Endive Salad
A light and crunchy salad filled with finely shaved winter favorites like red cabbage, radicchio and endive.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- ½ small red cabbage, finely shredded (using a mandoline or the shredding disk of a food processor if possible)
- 1 small radicchio, finely sliced
- 2 Belgian endives, finely sliced
- 1 small fennel bulb, fronds reserved and finely sliced
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup/ 30g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 Tablespoons raisins (optional)
For the Dressing
- 1 ½ Tablespoons /22ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon/5ml pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml toasted walnut oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the thinly shredded cabbage, radicchio, endives and fennel in a large bowl with the parsley and chopped fennel fronds.
- Whisk the vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, olive oil and walnut oil in a small bowl. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Toss the salad with the vinaigrette just before serving, top with toasted walnuts and raisins if desired.
Notes
Gluten Free, Grain Free, Vegetarian, Vegan and Paleo
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 256Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 128mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul says
Absolutely stunning Sylvie...and what a great mix of flavours.
Shaina says
Gorgeous salad. I wish I grew up with you. Despite my parents being health conscious and dedicated to a whole foods diet, our salad selections were sorely lacking.
Vijitha Shyam says
I love red cabbage slaw with Asian dressing. I am loving your salad. Such a simple one to put together. Happy New Year to you Sylvie.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Beautiful salad, Sylvie! I love the textures and colors with the buttery walnuts!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
My husband is definitely one of those people who shies away from cabbage, but I think it's one of my favorite additions to salad. I would love to be having this for lunch today!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
Such great colors and textures for winter. 🙂
shelly (cookies and cups) says
I love cabbage salads. This really looks great!
Liz says
I love a crunchy, raw salad...and this looks perfect. And your dressing sounds divine~
Eha says
Oh, what a salad! Actually the trio madly blinking at me were the fennel, raddichio and the endives, each a strong personality!! The use of maple syrup and walnut oil somehow said 'pace' and made me really want to try the combination 🙂 !
Rosa says
A beautiful salad! So flavorful and colorful.
Cheers,
Rosa