Detox Apple Cabbage Salad

One of the possible security questions I had to fill out the other day was "What was your least favorite vegetable growing up?". It's funny how taste buds must change with age, because I'm certain I hated all cabbage varieties growing up (except in sauerkraut form - thanks Papa). I don't think my parents even prepared dishes with cabbage, I just automatically assumed I disliked them because everyone hates cabbage, right? The first time I realized I actually like cabbage was when my mom made a fantastic Thai cabbage salad for a friend's bridal shower. It turns out I really enjoy vinegar-based cabbage salads. That was almost exactly 10 years ago, and even though Williams-Sonoma took the recipe off their site, I still make that salad.

This detox apple cabbage salad comes from Candice Kumai's Cook Yourself Sexy, of the dijon-braised Brussels sprouts fame (full disclosure: Gjelina's Brussels sprouts win). Candice's apple cabbage salad isn't just for people on a detox diet - it stands on its own as a refreshing slaw perfect for warm weather. It's an excellent and easy alternative to the standard lettuce salad and perfect for when you happen to have a huge tub of Greek yogurt and half a head of cabbage to use up.

I hate raw onion, so I didn't use it to make my salad, but feel free to include it if you're into that kind of thing. No judgement. This detox apple cabbage salad is very open to your interpretation and you should absolutely play around with the flavors and mix-ins. Candice calls for Savoy and red cabbage plus a Fuji apple, but since I had green cabbage and Granny Smith apples in my fridge, those are what I used. As long as you pick a firm apple and some kind of cabbage, you'll be well on your way to a refreshing and addictive salad. Seriously - I went back for thirds. It's good.

I've made Candice's detox apple cabbage salad twice now, once with a teaspoon of fennel seeds, freshly-ground, and once with a teaspoon of Chat masala spice powder. The original recipe with fennel took the salad in a sweeter direction, balanced by the cayenne pepper, while the Chat masala spice steered it towards a much spicier place. I liked both versions, but I preferred the heat from the Chat masala, especially the second day after the flavor had plenty of time to develop.

The most time-consuming part of throwing the salad together is thinly slicing the cabbage(s) and apple (and onion if you decide to use it). I was lazy and elected to use a knife to slice my cabbage and apple, but I did miss a few large-ish pieces. Given a day to rest in the dressing, they were tender, but if you're going to eat this right away I'd recommend taking the time to finely slice your cabbage.

Detox Apple and Cabbage Salad

A super satisfying, much healthier version of coleslaw. This salad is very amenable to adaptation, feel free to substitute in what you have on hand.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Vegetarian

Cuisine: American

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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Dressing

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt nonfat
• 2 teaspoons honey*
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds*
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Salad

• ½ small head Savoy* cabbage
• ½ small head red or green cabbage
• 1-2 medium Fuji, Granny Smith, or other firm apple
• Optional:
• ½ cup roughly chopped walnuts
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ¼ red onion

Method

 

Dressing

1. Grind the fennel seeds. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.

Salad

1. Core the apple and cabbage. Use a mandoline, shredder blade on a food processor, spiralizer, or simply a sharp knife to thinly slice the cabbage(s), apple, and onion (if using) into extremely fine strips. Add to a large bowl.
2. Add the raisins and walnuts to the large bowl. Toss gently to combine.
3. Top the salad with the dressing. Use tongs (or two forks) to toss until evenly dressed. It might seem like there's not quite enough dressing, but the yogurt will continue to loosen up and eventually the dressing will completely cover the salad.
4. If possible, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the dressing marry and soften the cabbage.
5. If storing the salad for later, it should keep for up to two days in the fridge once dressed. Raw shredded cabbage will keep even longer.

Notes

*Feel free to change up these ingredients. I made this the first time with chat masala spice mix in place of the fennel, and I really liked it. The fennel makes the slaw slightly sweet, with just a hint of heat from the cayenne. My chat masala version had a lot more heat, which built over time, and was really satisfying.

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