Cooked and Loved Cabbage Salad (Printable Version)

Tender sautéed cabbage meets crisp vegetables in a zesty herb dressing for a vibrant warm dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium green cabbage (about 2 lbs), cored and thinly sliced
02 - 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
10 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
11 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

12 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds
13 - 1 oz feta cheese, crumbled

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced cabbage and sauté for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cabbage is just tender but still vibrant.
02 - Remove the cabbage from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
03 - Add the julienned carrot, red onion, bell pepper, and parsley to the warm cabbage.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly to combine.
06 - Allow the salad to rest for 5 minutes to let flavors meld. Top with walnuts or sunflower seeds and feta cheese if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Cabbage actually tastes like something when you treat it with respect—sautéing it first transforms it from boring to genuinely delicious.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can make this on a weeknight without the usual fuss.
  • It's naturally vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free, so there's no compromise needed when cooking for mixed dietary tables.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the cabbage in the initial sauté—you're not trying to make sauerkraut here; you want it just barely tender so it still has character and doesn't turn into mush.
  • The salad tastes even better the next day because the warm vegetables fully absorb the dressing overnight, so if you have leftovers, that's actually a gift to your future self.
03 -
  • Toast your own walnuts or sunflower seeds in a dry skillet for just 2 to 3 minutes—the difference between store-bought and freshly toasted is honestly staggering and worth the extra minute.
  • Make the dressing in the same small bowl you'll use for mixing so you're not creating extra dishes, and whisk it vigorously so the mustard can do its emulsifying job properly.
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