Red Cabbage & Carrot Slaw with Cranberries, Mint & Honey

This Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw practically screams fall – punctuated with sweet-tart chewy dried cranberries, a little extra crunch from the almonds and a zing from the cumin and mint, it really leans more towards Moroccan cuisine than Mexican or Asian or “good ‘ol” American like some of my other slaws. The flavors, though, adapt to a number of cuisines!

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If you look at my Salad Menu, you might think I’m a little slaw crazy, but I’m always looking for ways to use up a cabbage when I buy one – they keep forever, even after being cut, but don’t let cabbage languish – keep trotting out new, inventive ways to eat it by changing the flavorings up.

Besides, simple slaws of all kinds are just full of all kinds of good for you stuff – and this one is loaded with antioxidants, omega three’s and tons of fiber.

If your cabbage becomes discolored or spotted or wilty, just pull off the outer leaves, or if, after being cut, you notice discoloration on the edges, simply cut those edges off, wiping your knife clean between cuts. You’ll reveal perfectly beautiful cabbage underneath – and realize why so many cultures have depended on cabbage to  get through long winters.

This recipe (slightly adapted from the original – I thought it needed more zing and a touch more sweet) was pulled from Fine Cooking’s “Cook Fresh” magazine – the same one that inspired my Roasted Cauliflower and Chick Pea Salad recipe. While it’s fantastic with the mint (even for this non-mint fan) I didn’t happen to have any when I made this at my folk’s house – and it was still excellent without. Frankly, I’d rather leave it out than substitute dried in a recipe like this.

Fine Cooking suggested serving this slaw with grilled, roasted or sautéed chicken breast, but I like it with almost anything  (it was very good with the Cumin Pork Chops and Salmon Burgers I served recently and will post later) and leftovers are wonderful with sandwiches for lunch the next day. Like many slaws, the high acid content preserves them well and they just get better over the next few days.

Red Cabbage & Carrot Slaw with Cranberries, Mint & Honey

  • Servings: 6 - 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon any white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey (to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp. (scant) ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (from about 1/2 medium head)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into a julienne (grate if desired)
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, vinegar, honey, cumin, and cayenne. Whisk in the oil in a slow stream. Add the cabbage, carrot, cranberries, mint, and half of the nuts, and toss to combine well. Season to taste with salt. Serve right away, sprinkled with the remaining nuts, or let sit for up to 2 hours for a more tender slaw.

From the kitchen of http://www.frugalhausfrau.com

nutrition information (per serving):

Calories (kcal): 200; Fat (g): fat g 14; Fat Calories (kcal): 130; Saturated Fat (g): sat fat g 2; Protein (g): protein g 2; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 10; Carbohydrates (g): carbs g 20; Polyunsaturated Fat (g):2; Sodium (mg): sodium mg 320; Cholesterol (mg): cholesterol mg 0; Fiber (g): fiber g 3;

10 thoughts on “Red Cabbage & Carrot Slaw with Cranberries, Mint & Honey

  1. This sounds so good! I love the color and flavor combination. I bet it has a nice crunch with all the vegetables and almonds, too. Coleslaw is one of my favorite things, and this is a really fun version for the holidays. Thank you for sharing it!

    • I’ve made it several times and just love it – I meant to share it this summer, but it is a great recipe because it really seems appropriate in the fall, too!

      I try to eat a lot of cabbage – it’s one of the best of the inexpensive common veggies we have around in the “nordland!”

  2. this is perfect for my vegetarian thanksgiving table…love the freshness and the colors. i still have plenty of mint in the garden and cumin happens to be a staple. thank for sharing and hope you have a great thanksgiving weekend.

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