Our favorite side dish in winter.
I’ve told you before how we like to stash away some big, late-season cabbages to enjoy throughout the winter, so I thought I’d share a little dinner tradition we look forward to!
There are just a couple of things we do that turn a humble vegetable like cabbage into something special that everyone at the table looks forward to.
First, slice the cabbage as thin as possible! I’ve used a cheese slicer, a mandoline, and now my Saladmaster, which I love for quickly slicing vegetables into thin, even ribbons.
Second, make it feel special! We bring out our little individual salad bowls for everyone. We eat almost all our meals family-style, so having our own little dishes feels like an extra treat! If you were joining us for dinner, I’d simply add a couple more bowls to the lineup.
We fill each bowl with thinly sliced cabbage (you can certainly add other vegetables, but honestly, many nights it’s just cabbage in our house). Then we sprinkle seeds and nuts over the top and drizzle our favorite dressing over everything, letting it work its way down through the cabbage and settle at the bottom of the bowl.
It’s such a simple way to celebrate good, homegrown food. Nothing fancy, just fresh ingredients, a little extra care, and a meal we genuinely look forward to sharing around our family table.
Winter Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
Cabbage, green, red cabbage, or a combination, thinly sliced
Shredded carrots - optional
Sliced green onions - optional
Chopped colored bell peppers - optional
Sliced almonds - toasted
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Micro greens for topping - optional
For the Dressing
½ cup oil
¼ cup honey or maple syrup or white sugar
⅛ cup red wine vinegar
⅛ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
Instructions
1. Prepare the vegetables.
Thinly slice the cabbage. If using, shred the carrots, slice the green onions, and chop the bell peppers.
2. Make the dressing.
Whisk together the oil, honey or maple syrup, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, salt, and chicken bouillon until well combined.
3. Assemble the salad.
Combine the cabbage and any additional vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss well to coat.
4. Add the crunch.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds just before serving.
5. Serve and enjoy!
For the freshest crunch, add the dressing and seeds shortly before serving.
A little Homestead tip: Try serving this salad in individual bowls with the seeds and nuts sprinkled on top and a drizzle of dressing running through the thinly sliced cabbage. It's a simple way to make an everyday vegetable feel special! Use your favorite vinegars, and oils, to switch up the flavor profiles.
Remember, to use this recipe as a guide and source your ingredients to suit your diet needs.