Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe {with apple!} - Belly Full (2024)

Published: July 15, 2021Updated: February 1, 2023Author: Amy

Light, crunchy, slightly creamy, sweet and tangy, this Red Cabbage Slaw is very easy to make and a fantastic side dish that pairs so well with all your summer favorites. Bring it to a potluck and watch it disappear!

We love serving it with pulled pork, grilled chicken, burgers, fish tacos, and more.

Quick and Easy Coleslaw

There are so many varieties of coleslaw – some with green cabbage, some red, some with a combination. You can mix it with a creamy dressing or a vinaigrette, chop the ingredients or shred them, and so on. And honestly, we love them all, with our copycat KFC Coleslaw being at the very top of that list. But I make this Red Cabbage Slaw recipe most often because it’s so quick and simple, with just the right flavor to pair with our grilling favorites.

Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe

With a combination of beautiful red cabbage, apple, and a simple creamy, flavorful dressing, this coleslaw recipe will liven up anything you serve it with. Here’s what you’ll need:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• Red Cabbage: Red cabbage is a little deeper and earthier than green cabbage, and so pretty! Note: Red cabbage and purple cabbage are the same thing. The leaf color is determined by the pH value of the soil it grows in, sometimes more reddish, while other times more purple.
• Apple: We include an un-peeled Granny Smith apple for this slaw, which is a great contrast to the cabbage in flavor and color. A sweeter variety like Pink Lady or Honey Crisp would also be wonderful.
• Scallions: For a subtle onion and peppery flavor.
• Greek Yogurt: As much as we love mayonnaise, we went with Greek yogurt for this dressing, which lightens it up and makes it a little tangy. You can use sour cream instead, if preferred.
• Honey: This gives the dressing a subtle sweetness.
• Apple cider vinegar: Adds acidity and a delicious zippy flavor, which balances out the honey. White wine vinegar also works if that’s what you have on hand.
• Celery seeds: These seeds taste like concentrated celery, with an earthy note, but pretty mild. They’re really common in pickling mixes and a great addition to this coleslaw.
• Salt: A must to enhance all the other flavors and bring the dressing together.

How to Cut Cabbage for Coleslaw

Whether you’re using red, green, savoy, or napa cabbage to make coleslaw, the way to cut them is typically the same.

1. Remove outer leaves, which tend to be thin, wilted, bruised, and dirty.
2. Cut the cabbage into quarters, and then cut out the core.
3. Slice each cabbage section into thin shreds, either using a sharp Chef’s knife, mandolin, or a food processor with the shredding attachment.
4. Leave in long strands or chop into smaller pieces – up to you!

Make Ahead and Storing Leftovers

• This coleslaw recipe is easy to make ahead of time. Simply prepare the cabbage, apple, and scallions the day before serving and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. If doing this, we recommend drizzling a little lemon juice over the shredded apple to prevent it from browning.
• Make the dressing ahead. For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together and store in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge up to a few days prior.
• To serve. Combine the cabbage, apple, and scallions with the dressing the night before or the day of serving.
• Storing leftovers. If you have any leftovers, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days. Keep in mind the longer the coleslaw mixture sits, the softer it will be. We prefer the cabbage and apples to be crunchy.

What to Serve with Red Cabbage Slaw

This red cabbage apple slaw recipe is packed with fresh, zippy flavors that liven up anything you serve it with. Try it with some of these:

• Grilled Chicken
• Turkey Burgers
• Barbecue Onion Burgers
• Fish Tacos
• Fried Shrimp Tacos
• Pulled Pork

More Summer Staples:

• Macaroni Salad
• Potato Salad
• Fruit Salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Mexican Street Corn Salad

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onTikTok,Facebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!