I think of this Holiday Salad with Cabbage and Kale as a winter coleslaw! It’s packed with delicious ingredients and is a perfect side or potluck dish this holiday season!
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I love making big chopped salads that can easily work as a dinner side salad and a hearty lunch. This Holiday Salad with Cabbage and Kale is perfect for both!
This Holiday Salad is great to bring to a holiday potluck this time of year. It’s packed with lots of nutritious ingredients with tons of flavor and texture!
Holiday Salad with Cabbage and Kale Ingredients and Substitutions
- Green Cabbage – I like to use a small- or medium-sized green cabbage. You can also get a bag or two of shredded cabbage. I used green cabbage in my salad, but purple cabbage works just as well and is pretty!
- Kale – I used some curly kale from the garden, but you can also use Dino or purple kale. If you don’t like kale, you can substitute spinach or leave it out and add a little extra cabbage.
- Chickpeas – Chickpeas are optional and not as needed if you’re making this as a side salad, but I like to add a can or two of chickpeas to make this salad hearty enough to eat for lunch.
- Apple – I used a sweet red apple, but a tart Granny Smith would also be great! I liked the pop of red the apple gave the salad!
- Red Onion – I put red onion in almost all of my salad recipes, so this was no different! It adds some crunch and a nice onion bite. You can omit them or run them under cold water after chopping to take some of that strong flavor away.
- Feta Cheese – The feta cheese and apples go together well in this salad! You can use any kind of cheese you like; just cut it into small chunks. Parmesan would be great, too! If vegan, use a vegan cheese or omit the cheese.
- Toasted Nuts – I add some toasted walnuts, but any kind of nut/seed would be great. You could use sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, toasted pecans, or any candied nut would be good too.
- Dried Cranberries – The dried cranberries are chewy and tart. They go great with the apple and the fall/winter flavors!
- Dressing – I made an easy dressing using olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper.
Why Your Body Will Love This Winter Salad
- Magical Cabbage – Or were beans the magical fruit? Like beans, cabbage is full of fiber, aiding digestion and regular bowel movements and helping us feel full longer (contributing to weight loss). It’s also known to prevent cancer (thank you, sulforaphane), boost the immune system (vitamins C and K), reduce the risk of heart disease (thanks to anthocyanins), and boost brain and bone health.
- Chickpeas are super(food!) – Chickpeas contain saponins, which help fight cancer, and calcium, iron, and other nutrients that contribute to bone health. Chickpeas help the brain and nervous system function properly and contain vitamins A, C, E, folate, and magnesium.
- Immune Health – Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach are high in antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation in the body. Excess inflammation can lead to many illnesses, including cancer.
How To Make The Best Holiday Salad
- Start by chopping your cabbage and kale into small, bite-sized pieces. You want to make sure each piece is similar in size, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Add cabbage and kale to a large bowl.
- Next, add all salad dressing ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix until combined. Pour dressing over cabbage and kale and mix together. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to let the dressing soften the cabbage and kale.
- Add the chickpeas, apples, feta cheese, walnuts, red onion, and dried cranberries. Mix everything together well until it is fully combined.
- Holiday salad can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Enjoy!
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this Holiday salad gluten-free? Yes!
- Is this recipe vegan? No, I used regular feta cheese, but it can easily be made vegan by using vegan cheese or omitting the cheese.
- Can I make the salad ahead of time? Yes, you can make the salad to completion and serve it later in the day or the next day. If needing to make more than one day in advance, I suggest adding all ingredients but making the dressing in a separate bowl and waiting until you’re ready to serve the salad to dress it.
- Is there a bottled dressing I could use? Yes, I suggest honey mustard, onion poppyseed, or mild Italian. Really, you can use anything you like!
- What can I use besides the kale? I recommend using fresh spinach or omitting the kale.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will reply ASAP!
Holiday Salad with Cabbage and Kale
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Holiday Salad with Cabbage and Kale is perfect for a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish but is also hearty enough to eat for lunch!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 small-medium sized green cabbage
- 1 small bunch curly kale
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 large apple, cored and diced (red or green)
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, or nut of choice
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Remove a few of the outer leaves and core from the cabbage and chop it into bite sized pieces. Remove the stems from the kale and chop the leaves into bite sized pieces. You want to make sure each piece is similar sized but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Add cabbage and kale to a large bowl.
- Next, add all salad dressing ingredients to a medium sized bowl and mix until combined. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over cabbage and kale and mix together. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to let the dressing soften the cabbage and kale.
- Add in the chickpeas, apples, feta cheese, walnuts, red onion and dried cranberries. Mix everything together well until it is fully combined.
- Holiday salad can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Salad, Lunch, Vegetarian
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
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