RECIPE: This simple spiced cabbage salad is better than any coleslaw you've ever tasted

Spiced cabbage salad. Picture: Supplied

Spiced cabbage salad. Picture: Supplied

Published Jul 12, 2024

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This cabbage salad is colourful and crunchy. It is perfect any time of year and complements just about any dinner. There is such a variety of vegetables that each brings its own distinct flavour.

You only need to season it very simply and toss it with some olive oil and vinegar and it still tastes incredibly complex.

While cabbage does not have the same vibrant colours as other nutrient-packed produce, do not let that trick you into thinking it is anything but healthy.

A cruciferous vegetable, cabbage is in the same family as broccoli, kale, and cauliflower. And like other cruciferous veggies, it has a plethora of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and compounds that may help lower your risk of certain cancers.

Taken from the new digital cookbook “Savouring South Africa”, that was recently launched by African Gold, this recipe will hit the spot every single time when it comes to lunch and dinner inspiration.

You will also find recipes for hearty breakfasts, such as breakfast strata, cheese and sausage and chakalaka shakshuka, and tasty side dishes including focaccia and the spiced cabbage salad.

Flavourful main meals include a curried pumpkin seed pesto pasta and braaied lamb chops with mint sauce, while snacks feature biltong and olive tapenade bruschetta and Rooibos-infused hummus.

Last, but certainly not least, do not forget to try the spiced olive oil chocolate truffles as well as the quick-to-make crumbled koeksister ice cream sundae.

Spiced cabbage salad. Picture: Supplied

Spiced cabbage salad

Ingredients

3 cups shredded cabbage

2 carrots, grated

1 red onion, thinly sliced

3 tbsp African Gold extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp coriander

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

In a large bowl, toss together shredded cabbage, grated carrots and thinly sliced red onion.

In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, brown sugar, ground cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the dressing over the shredded vegetables and toss to coat. Allow it to marinate for a while before serving.

From a quick weeknight soup dish to healthy-filling wraps, here are a few other ways to get more cabbage on the lunch or dinner table.

Raw cabbage wraps

Wraps do not always have to be made from flour or corn. Cabbage as a wrap gives a lovely texture from its crunch and fresh taste.

Make a rainbow cabbage wrap by using a red cabbage leaf filled with your favourite vegetables and peanut sauce.

Roasted cabbage with bacon

If you are a bacon lover, feel free to add cooked, crumbled bacon to the pan towards the end of cooking time. This will help bacon stay crisp.

This simple side dish is a fun way to up your roasting repertoire. The high heat from the oven mellows the cabbage until it is mild and sweet. But the real treat is the way the bacon fat seeps into the leaves, permeating every bite with its smoky flavour.

Add it to soups

Toss cut-up cabbage into your favourite soups towards the end of cooking so you can control the level of tenderness.