Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw

Crisp, colorful, and tossed in a bright orange sesame dressing, this red cabbage and carrot slaw is the side dish that goes with everything. Easy to make and perfect for barbecues and picnics!

Why You'll Love This Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw

• Goes with almost everything. Burgers, grain bowls, tacos, or straight from the bowl.
• No mayo. Lighter and fresher than classic coleslaw, and it holds up much better at room temperature.
• A dressing that stands out. Toasted sesame oil, fresh orange, and coconut aminos give this slaw a depth of flavor you won't get from a basic vinaigrette.
• Ready in 20 minutes. Quick to make and easy to scale up for a crowd.
• Great for making ahead. This slaw actually improves after a rest in the fridge as the flavors come together.

Ingredients for Red Cabbage Carrot Slaw

For the slaw:

• Red cabbage — About half a small head, finely shredded. A mandolin gives you the thinnest, most even shreds, but a sharp knife works fine. Pre-shredded cabbage from the store is a perfectly good shortcut if you're short on time.
• Carrots — Shredded with a julienne peeler for the best texture. Pre-shredded carrots also work.
• Scallions — Green parts only, thinly sliced. They add a mild onion flavor without being sharp.
• Fresh parsley — Adds freshness and a little color contrast.
• Fresh cilantro — Pairs beautifully with the orange and sesame in the dressing. If you're not a cilantro fan, just use more parsley.
• Hemp seeds — For a subtle nutty flavor.
• Sesame seeds — To echo the sesame oil flavor in the dressing.
• Sunflower seeds — For a heartier crunch. Feel free to swap in other seeds or use more hemp or sesame seeds instead.

For the orange sesame dressing:

• Apple cider vinegar — The base acid for the dressing.
• Fresh orange juice and zest — Use fresh here, not bottled. The zest especially makes a difference.
• Coconut aminos — A mildly sweet, savory sauce made from coconut sap, that adds depth to the dressing without any soy or gluten. Look for it near the soy sauce at most grocery stores or health food stores. Gluten-free tamari or soy sauce are the closest substitutes if you can't find it.
• Toasted sesame oil — Use toasted, not plain. It's the backbone of the dressing's flavor.
• Extra-virgin olive oil — Rounds out the dressing and helps it coat the slaw evenly.
• Fine sea salt — Just a quarter teaspoon. Taste and adjust once the slaw is dressed.

How to Make Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw

Step 1: Make the dressing

Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl or measuring cup until combined. Taste it before dressing the slaw. It should be tangy, a little savory, and just lightly sweet from the orange.

Step 2: Prep the vegetables

Finely shred the red cabbage on a mandolin or with a sharp knife. Shred the carrots with a julienne peeler or the large holes of a box grater. Thinly slice the scallions. Roughly chop the parsley and cilantro.

Step 3: Combine the slaw

Add the cabbage, carrots, scallions, parsley, cilantro, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds to a large bowl. Drizzle over enough dressing to coat and toss well. Taste and add more dressing as needed.

Step 4: Rest and serve

For the best flavor, let the slaw sit for 15-20 minutes before serving. The cabbage softens just slightly and the dressing soaks in. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Tips for the Best Carrot and Cabbage Slaw

• Shred the cabbage as thinly as you can. Thinner shreds mean better texture and more even coating from the dressing. A mandolin on its thinnest setting is ideal.
• Shred the carrots as thinly as you can. A julienne peeler gives you the finest, most delicate strands and the best texture in the finished slaw. Pre-shredded carrots from the store work as a shortcut, but they tend to be thicker.
• Dress it lightly at first. It's easy to add more dressing but hard to take it back. Start with about three quarters of the dressing, toss, then taste and add more as needed.
• Toast the sesame seeds if you have a moment. A dry pan over medium heat for two to three minutes deepens the flavor noticeably.

Continue to Content

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Elevate your summer slaw with this red cabbage and carrot slaw with sesame orange dressing. Easy to make and perfect for barbecues and picnics!

Print

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 2 teaspoons/10ml apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon/15ml fresh orange juice
• The zest from half a small orange
• 1 Tablespoon/15ml coconut aminos 
• 2 teaspoons/10ml toasted sesame oil 
• 1 ½ Tablespoons/22ml extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

For the slaw:

• 8oz/227g about half a small red cabbage, finely shredded on a mandolin or with a sharp knife
• 8oz/226g shredded carrots
• 2 small scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 Tablespoons/20g hemp seeds 
• 2 Tablespoon/14g sesame seeds
• ¼ cup/28g sunflower seeds 

Instructions

1. Whisk together dressing ingredients.
2. In a large bowl combine red cabbage, carrots, scallions, parsley, cilantro, hemp seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, drizzle in enough dressing to coat and toss to combine. Taste and season with additional dressing if needed and serve.

Notes

Dietary Notes:

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Go Raw Sunflower Seeds with Sea Salt, Sprouted & Organic, 14 oz. Bag | Keto | Vegan | Gluten Free Snacks | Superfood
• 
  Nutiva Organic Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds
• 
  Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos (2 Pack) - 8 fl oz - Low Sodium Soy Sauce Alternative, Low-Glycemic - Organic, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Kosher - Keto, Paleo - 96 Total Servings

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 134Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 130mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please rate it, leave a comment below, or Pin it for later.

Sylvie

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.