For a coleslaw perfect for a holiday table, try this Festive Red Cabbage Slaw! This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. It’s always a good idea to eat seasonably as much as possible so that fruit and vegetables are as fresh as they can be. Autumn is a fantastic time of year for seasonal recipes that are heavy in stunning vegetables. To celebrate the bounty of this year, I am making dishes that do just that, letting fresh and seasonal vegetables shine in all their colourful, crunchy glory! The idea for this rainbow slaw came to me at night as I was wondering what to do with a new pile of vegetables in my fridge. This slaw has been created to show off the beautiful vegetables in the full range of colours, crowned with a vibrant dressing. The combination of slightly bitter cabbage, spicy onion and sweet beets, carrots and apples is lovely. They all bring something special to the mix, with a diverse range of flavours that meld beautifully. The no mayo dressing is designed to add to the autumn flavours. The light nuttiness of tahini and fresh lemon juice with floral olive oil adds to the taste of the slaw while still letting the fresh flavours shine. The result is a slaw that looks as tastes as good as it looks, making it a stunning addition to the dinner table. It’s a fresh side dish that is a perfect match with savoury meat dishes like roast chicken or pork loin roast.
Making Rainbow Slaw
I am sure I won’t be the only one thinking that preparing vegetables deters us from recipes like this one. It takes a while to peel and cut them, doesn’t it! That is why I am such a huge believer in the right equipment for the kitchen. I don’t love gadgets but I do love useful appliances like a food processor. I’m a huge fan of mine and use it almost daily. This pile of vegetables took a whole FIVE minutes to turn into a slaw. Why would you buy a store ready-made mix that costs double and comes out dry or, worse yet, discoloured! If you don’t have a food processor, then a mandoline will help you to have evenly cut vegetables. Of course, you can cut the vegetables by hand if you really must! Just do you best to cut them thinly and evenly.
Coleslaw ingredients
Any salad made of crunchy vegetables can be called a ‘slaw’. But to be a ‘coleslaw’ the salad needs to be made with cabbage. Any crunchy vegetables such as broccoli, radishes and even turnips can be included too. For this coleslaw, I mixed a number of vegetables together that would be a tasty mix with lots of colours together for visual appeal. They also add a nutritious boost as different coloured vegetables are rich in various vitamins and minerals. One last word about beets, or beetroot as it is called in England. They are a polarising vegetable that people either love or hate. If you love it, you are already with me. But if you hate beets, I suggest trying them raw as they are in this rainbow slaw. Raw beets are delicious in salads and taste surprisingly similar to carrots!
The dressing recipe
For many people, classic coleslaw is made with a mayonnaise dressing, but I love the chance to try something different. I’ve created this rainbow slaw as a no mayo coleslaw option, which also happens to make it vegan! This version is a very healthy option, made with all natural ingredients. I built the dressing around tahini, the same ingredient that gives hummus its great taste. I’ve then added lemon, garlic and olive oil to really add some punch!
More fresh side dishes
Tomato Salad with Herb Vinaigrette Lemon Garlic Green Beans with Parmesan Cheese Winter Salad with Red Cabbage, Kale and Pomegranate Walnut Beet Salad with Garlic Mayonnaise
