Purple Cabbage Slaw

This bright and tangy Purple Cabbage Slaw steals the show with its beautiful colors.

I have to get something off my chest: I was one of those kids who picked out the pieces of purple cabbage in all the iceberg salad mix that ever ended up on my plate. I didn’t like its weird, crunchy texture, especially when it contrasted with the easy-to-eat (and tasteless) iceberg lettuce. To be fair to my younger self, raw cabbage is generally a hard sell to kids. But raw purple cabbage? That’s a heck no from most small humans under ten.

The first time I had coleslaw and liked it, I was nearly out of high school, and the slaw was the creamy, sweeter type that could pass as a strange dessert. Eventually, I learned to love vinegary foods and realized that there are way more varieties of coleslaw when you add in the vinegar-soaked types.

This purple cabbage slaw is squarely in the vinegary category, but it sort of transcends categories a bit because of the overall sweetness in the dish. The Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar add tangy notes, while the honey and carrot flavors mellow out the acidity. The beautiful colors in this slaw will dazzle any plate it ends up on!

Is This Purple Cabbage Slaw Healthy?

Yes! Purple cabbage is known for its antioxidant properties. It’s low in fat and calories, and it’s a source of fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin A, and iron. Carrots also contain antioxidants, are a source of vitamin A, and contribute some vitamin K, potassium, and fiber as well. As written, this recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free (though you may want to check the label on your Dijon mustard to be sure it’s gluten-free and plant-based!). To suit a vegan diet, swap out the honey for your preferred substitute. Maple syrup works great, but it does have a distinct flavor, so keep that in mind.

Popular Categories Of Slaw

Technically, a slaw is a salad consisting of shredded or julienned crunchy vegetables, and even though slaw is commonly made of mostly cabbage, it doesn’t even have to include cabbage. But most of the time, slaw is tossed in a dressing of some kind, and these dressings most commonly fall into one of two varieties.

Mayo-based: Most of the slaw you’ll find at restaurants, delis, and supermarkets here in the United States is in a mayo-based dressing. These are commonly more on the sweet side, but they can also be more salty or vinegary in flavor.

Vinegar-based: Slaws with vinegar-based dressings typically have a level of sweetness to them and commonly use sweeter vinegars, such as apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar. That said, like mayo-based slaw, the vinegar types can be more on the salty end of the flavor spectrum as well. This purple cabbage slaw is in the middle of salty and sweet and is vinegar-based.

Serving Suggestions

When I think of slaw, I think of barbecued or smoked meat. That’s because slaw is the best side for barbecued chicken, pork, or beef, and it makes an excellent topper for barbecue sandwiches! Try this Smoked Brisket recipe for excellent Brisket Sandwiches topped with purple cabbage slaw, of course. And you can’t do a proper barbecue plate without some classic Baked Beans.

If you aren’t feeling the barbecue vibe, there are plenty of other options to choose from. Try a side of slaw with this Turkey Chili or on top of these Air-Fryer Bratwursts, for example.

Recipe