This modest-sounding salad always gets rave reviews in my classes. The beans and thinly sliced cabbage create a hearty salad, and the light dressing is simple yet flaorful.
Cabbage Salad with Mustard-Lime Dressing
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 (makes about ⅔ cup dressing and 10 cups salad)
Ingredients
- For the salad:
- 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 2 medium)
- 1 can cooked garbanzo beans (15 ounces; about 1½ cups), drained and rinsed
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled or unpeeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 ribs celery, sliced (about ⅔ cup)
- 3 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 medium, ripe avocado, chopped (optional)
- Mustard-Lime Dressing:
- ½ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup mustard (I like Dijon or stone ground)
- 1 medium clove garlic
Instructions
- Place the cabbage, carrots, beans, bell pepper, cucumber, celery, green onions, basil, and avocado (if using) into a large bowl.
- Place the dressing ingredients (lime juice, mustard, and garlic) into a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Toss the dressing and the salad.
Notes
To create an even more colorful salad,: substitute 1 cup of red cabbage for 1 cup of the green cabbage.
Herbs: I often use basil in this salad, but you can also use parsley, oregano, thyme, cilantro, or any other fresh herb you like. Adjust the measurement down if using oregano or thyme; I'd use a couple teaspoons (minced) since they have such strong flavors.
Dressing: If you're not a lime fan, feel free to use lemon or grapefruit juice. You can also substitute with a combination of water and brown rice vinegar.
For fun: Add in a small handful of raisins, walnuts and/or pumpkin seeds.
Herbs: I often use basil in this salad, but you can also use parsley, oregano, thyme, cilantro, or any other fresh herb you like. Adjust the measurement down if using oregano or thyme; I'd use a couple teaspoons (minced) since they have such strong flavors.
Dressing: If you're not a lime fan, feel free to use lemon or grapefruit juice. You can also substitute with a combination of water and brown rice vinegar.
For fun: Add in a small handful of raisins, walnuts and/or pumpkin seeds.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ⅙ recipe, 1.5 cups Calories: 157 Fat: 3.4g Saturated fat: 0.4g Carbohydrates: 26.6g Sugar: 8.5g Sodium: 79mg Fiber: 8.4g Protein: 6.9g Cholesterol: 0
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please share a comment below or on my Facebook page. If you’d like to print this recipe, use the green “Print” button near the top-right of the recipe. Learn more about the Straight Up Food Cookbook here. Thank you!
I love your recipes. This looks like the perfect dish to serve at the Memorial Day cookout 🙂
I finally got around to making this dish and wanted to confirm that it is indeed spectacular! Rave reviews from my family. Today, I tossed the leftovers with some fresh garden tomatoes and it’s even better 🙂 Thank you!
Yeah! Thanks, glad to hear that! 😉
I made this Thursday night and had a bunch for lunch the next day. Very yummy. Next time I think I will put some horseradish in the dressing to give it a little kick. For dinner, I made a black bean and brown rice mixture, topped with grilled veggies with some of this on the very top – quite delicious. Thanks!
Thank you guys! 🙂 Happy Memorial Day!
Delicious! The lime and mustard dressing was surprisingly creamy and had a terrific tang. This is something I will bring to a summer cookout for certain. Thank you.
My kids and I had this for lunch today! It was soooo good! Amazingly fresh and flavorful, perfect for a hot, summer day!! And it was quick and easy to throw together, love that!! 🙂
I made this tonight for dinner and it was wonderful. Hubby loved it too!
I can’t wait to try this! Your recipes all look great 🙂 thank you 🙂
Awesome salad, the second time I made this, I added a Tbs of honey to the dressing, I liked it better with a little sweetness.
Cathy,
I love this salad!
Please write a cook book!
I love this salad!
Thank you very much for a great salad!
Thanks Ken. 🙂 I’m on it!
Thanks for all the great reciipes. I love the avocado and chickpea spread and the cabbage salad. I started this because my cholestrol is 397 and I don’t eat much bad, but doc said I needed to figure something out, so friends shared your website. Thanks for helping make this a great transition. I am just worried about loosing weight. I am 5′ 6 and weigh 110 lbs. I work out and run daily, yoga morning and night. 7 marine corp marathons under my belt. Maybe i’ll live a healthier life. What about pasta? Thanks from a newbe. Ann
Hi Anne, great note, thank you! 🙂 I am 5’7″ and 118 lbs. so I hear you. Pasta is fine, just use whole-grain. You work out a lot, so you’ll need to eat more calories via more food or more calorie-dense food, or both. Keep experimenting and you’ll find your groove.
OMG, I was looking in the kitchen for food that need to be used before it goes bad and made a list including basil, avocado, cabbage. Right, like I am going to find a single recipe using those ingredients. So I went to my favorite sites to search on those terms and I found this recipe.
This was amazing and has a unique flavor. Thankfully, I made enough to eat yesterday, today, and probably a little tomorrow. That’s okay because I don’t see myself tiring of this any time soon.
Hi Charlie, it was meant to be. 😉 Thank you, glad to be one of your favorite sites!
Made this today and we loved it! I added rairins to balance out the lime. YUM
I just made this for dinner tonight – I’ve been meaning to o it all week – and it was delicious! Thank you so much! I also made your carrot cake donuts tonight….Wow! It is indeed a happy Friday!!
Peanut Blossom, I love that name! 🙂 Thanks for the comment, yay! Mm, a donut.
This is so eye-catching! It looks good and has a wonderful fresh taste. I am confident that I could take this to a potluck or summer cookout with any group.
Yes, this is a great one for a potluck, very pretty! 😉 And tasty!
For those who are looking for a little sweetness, try some finely sliced apple. Choose a variety with a crisp texture and sweetness like Jonagold or Braeburn… Thanks for the great recipes, Cathy!
I just love your website!! I made this recipe tonight for dinner. I didn’t have any avocado, but added some pumpkin seeds and raisins. It’s delicious!! A definite keeper!!
Another great recipe, Cathy! Thank you! I made this today for the first time and it was absolutely super. Added some purple cabbage to the mix and doubled up on the garlic powder in the dressing. Also, snipped in a bit of dill with the basil… A very yummy salad.
I have one slight quibble (just an fyi, really) and that is with the 15-minute prep time you mention. I did not use any machines, just sliced and chopped and grated by hand and it took me a bit more than 30 minutes.
Since I knew we would have some left over, I served the chopped avocado separately so that the next day there would not be brown chunks mixed in the salad.
I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful food ideas on this site. THANK YOU!
Kris
Hi Kris, thanks for the comment! 🙂 I will adjust the timing, thank you!
I am making this today for the first course of our Thanksgiving dinner. It’s going to be great. The pumpkin pie is already done. It was easier than it looked.
WOW! This salad is amazing! I made it tonight as I had cabbage that needed to be used and was so surprised at how good it was. Love the basil in there. So glad to have left overs for tomorrow 🙂
Cathy I LOVE your recipes. You’re the best of the best.
Aw, thank you! 😉 Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Cathy, what dijon mustard do you use here please? Thanks!
Alrighty, thank you!! 🙂
This is the most delicious salad I have ever eaten! I vary the ingredients each time I make it. Thank you!
I love this salad!!! I make a new batch every few days. So many wonderful recipes on the website. I just came back from True North and am now SOS free, so your recipes are just lifesavers. Looking forward to receiving my copy of your new cookbook. Thank you!!!!
Thank you Ida! 😉
This received mixed reviews at our place. My hubby loved it! I wanted to love it but wasn’t a fan of either lime juice or the basil (not sure which). I’ll totally be trying this again, likely with lemon juice and parsley.
I’d like to try this. I am trying to lose weight. But I can’t tolerate mustard. I love lime though. Is there a substitute for the mustard?
Hmm, not sure of a good sub for mustard. Maybe just use another dressing or avocado?? 🙂
Just made this recipe for a neighborhood party. Our theme is Mexican so I changed up the basil for cilantro and didn’t add all the veggies. The mustard-lime dressing is AMAZING! Thank you for the recipe!
Also, I just met you in LV for the UWL conference and so glad I bought your book! So many recipes and I love how you start out each chapter with a “basics” section.
Delicious, loved it.
Can you recommend a mustard recipe without salt or wine?
I don’t have a recipe, but I like Westbrae Natural mustard w/o salt. 🙂
I made this salad this morning planning to let it marinate until dinner. I added currants, a touch of agave, and small frozen green peas (thawed). It was SO good, 2 of us ate the entire thing before dinner. Yum! Thanks, Cathy
Yum! Thanks Jill! 😉