Red cabbage salad with pistachios
Red Cabbage Salad with Pistachios
I see lots of recipes online that I bookmark or pin with the thought that someday I’d like to try them. But once in a while, I find a recipe that really jumps out at me. When that happens, I tend to keep thinking about whatever it is until I finally throw my hands up and go buy the ingredients. Sometimes I get lucky and it’s a great recipe that I know I’ll make often. This salad is definitely one of those!
I’ve never been a fan of cole slaw and I don’t like the smell of cooked cabbage, so cabbage recipes are few and far between in my kitchen. Something about this one was different though. I loved the color right off the bat, and what a great excuse to splurge on a bag of pistachios. I had to try this salad and I’m so glad I did. Jim and I absolutely loved it! It was delicious the first time and still crisp and wonderful the next day, when we added some leftover grilled chicken to it and ate it for lunch.
And can we talk about how good for you it is? Red cabbage is loaded with vitamins and minerals, plus it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits. In short, it’s not just a back-up singer in an iceburg lettuce mix. Red cabbage is a rock star.
{one year ago: sparkling pineapple lemonade}
Recipe: Red Cabbage Salad with Pistachios
(slightly adapted from Big Red Kitchen, who found it at Cilantropist)
one small red cabbage
2 tablespoons salt
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup canola oil
ground black pepper
1- 1 1/2 cups shelled pistachios
Remove outer leaves of cabbage, rinse and dry cabbage. Cut cabbage in quarters through the stem end. Core each quarter and slice in 1/4 inch ribbons. Place cabbage in a large bowl and toss with salt, stirring to be sure all pieces are covered with salt. Place in a strainer over a bowl or the sink and let drain about 30 minutes. Meanwhile whisk together vinegar, sesame oil, canola oil, and a few grinds of black pepper. After 30 minutes take handfuls of the cabbage and squeeze out excess water then placing in a large clean bowl. Toss with dressing and top with pistachios. If not serving immediately, place pistachios in a container and toss in with cabbage just before serving.
Michelle, I am so happy you liked this recipe. We have had it so many times already! Thanks so much for the link love too! I think I am going to start making my regular coleslaw by first salting and ringing it out to prevent it from getting so watery. So I am glad to have found this salting technique.
I Might Even Be A Rockstar!!!
— A Song By The Band ” Red Cabbage “
Evie – You are so weird. : )
xo, Aunt Shell
How pretty! I love cabbage and red is my favorite. I too will add this to my long list of bookmarked recipes…
cabbage is so good for you, but yeah, can be a pain. so good on fish tacos, so if for no other reason, gotta get it for that.
cheers!
I know I am.
=) But you love me anyways, right?!
We don’t get red cabbage here but this sure does look yummy.
Temps have been so hot these passed few weeks that I have been enjoying tons of cabbage salads like this one for dinner (as I too can’t stand the smell of cooked cabbage). I would have never thought of adding pistachios though, Will definitely be doing that tonight as a have a bag of roasted pistachios in my cupboard. Thanks so much for the idea.
I love the green and purple colors here — must be so refreshing with 2 types of crunch and wonderful pistachio flavor.
I like this recipe – such a fan of cabbage, but I hate most coleslaw. Plus the red color is much better than most of the recipes you find. Might try with some french cut green beans this weekend…
i really enjoy cabbage salad, even more with the prospect of some crunchy, pretty pistachios littered around! lovely work indeed.
I loved how this salad looked and I could imagine how it was going to taste. WOW…I was shocked by how extremely salty it was, and that was after rinsing the cabbage in water after being salted. Would using sea salt have made that much of a difference? Would make this again but rather than salting the cabbage, I think I’ll just let it sit and soak up the dressing instead. I roasted the nuts and was very tasty otherwise! Thanks.
Deanne – I think I probably used a bigger cabbage than you did and that’s why you found your dish to be too salty. If you’re using a smallish cabbage, just cut back the amount of salt you’re using. Did you squeeze the cabbage out before adding your dressing?
I wouldn’t skip the salting step. The salt really releases all that extra water, so your salad isn’t diluted and the great taste of the dressing comes through. I hope you try the salad again and enjoy it. We’ve had it so many times now that I’ve lost count. : )
~ Michelle
Hi Michelle – thanks for responding. I don’t remember what size my cabbage was and yes I did squeeze it before adding the dressing. It was too good not to try again! Next time I’ll be looking for the biggest cabbage and maybe just cutting back on the salt a bit. Thanks again! deanne : )