This HEALTHY SLAW RECIPE is a new fave for good reason; it’s delicious!

When most of us think of a vegetable slaw, the traditional mix of cabbage, shredded carrots, and a creamy, mayonnaise-based dressing comes to mind. Well, I’m here to tell you there’s that classic coleslaw and then there’s this modern take on a HEALTHY SLAW RECIPE. We know you’ll soon be making it again and again, on repeat all year. Why are we giving it such high praise? Because it’s easy to make, loaded with healthy vegetables, and can be enjoyed as a simple side dish, sandwich filler or topper for a favourite main course.

Before listing some of the highlights about this amazing salad recipe, how about a solid lead on other great salad ideas worthy of your attention? Here’s a round-up of our very best, most POPULAR SALAD RECIPES. Within you’ll find everything from our famous CAESAR SALAD to a CLASSIC COBB SALAD and this GRILLED STEAK SALAD. We also have two other coleslaw recipes we know you’ll enjoy, like this CREAMY COLESLAW RECIPE and a tangy, ginger and soy-flavoured ASIAN SLAW, both simplified by using store-bought coleslaw mix.

Let’s continue with this HEALTHY SLAW RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS

One look at the photo of the ingredients needed to make this, and you’ll hopefully see how this homemade coleslaw recipe is going to be good. Trust us, it sure is. Like so many of our vegetable-forward recipes, this one comes with a suggestion. If possible, make the recipe using locally grown organic vegetables. We find they taste better, and of course, supporting local farmers and growers is always a good idea. We’re going to discuss the fresh veggie combinations we used to make this recipe next; think of it as a coleslaw with enhancements.

KALE, CARROTS AND PARSNIPS

So, although coleslaw, or in this case simply slaw, is made with finely shredded green cabbage, red cabbage or Savoy cabbage, we instead crafted ours using shredded kale; it has a similar texture and crunch. Just to be clear, kale and cabbage are in fact related. Kale is a non-heading, loose-leaf cultivar in the Brassica oleracea family. Kale is distinct, though, having edible leaves that do not form a tight head. Added to the kale are two big-flavoured root vegetables, carrots and parsnips. From a nutritional perspective, kale is high in vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese and calcium, while carrots and parsnips deliver vitamin A, potassium, folate, thiamine and zinc. This slaw recipe certainly packs a healthy punch.

Preparing these veggies for this salad recipe will be way easier if you use a food processor or handy chopper. If so, simply strip the curly leaves away from the woody stems of the kale leaves. Then rip the leaves up a bit and place them into the canister of the processor fitted with a blade attachment. Zip for a few moments and voilà, instant chopped kale. Julienne the carrots and parsnips using the same device fitted with a grater blade. You can also use a box grater too. Watch this VIDEO to see how easy it is.

ONTARIO GREENHOUSE VEGETABLES

Next up, the enhancements for this HEALTHY SLAW RECIPE, Ontario greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet bell peppers. The first thing we thought about as we incorporated them into this recipe was about presentation. Adding these vibrant green, red, orange and yellow veggies gives the slaw a nice pop of colour. Next, they’re easy to work with. Cucumbers get quartered and cut into chunks, the tomatoes quartered, and the bell peppers, seeded and diced. I’ll leave you with this last amazing point about Ontario greenhouse vegetables: they’re available throughout the entire year. So this salad can be enjoyed 24/7, 365. Just goes to show, good things grow in Ontario!

Adding the prepared greenhouse veggies into the big salad bowl further proves our point about the pop of colour. Remember the adage, “The eyes eat first”? Serving a salad as appetizing as this always gets guests excited to try. Healthy, easy to prepare and pretty too? Look for the Foodland Ontario signs or stickers at your local grocers when you purchase. What’s not to love?  

ASSEMBLE

Pulling this salad together involves putting all of the prepared vegetables into a large bowl and then adding some diced red onion, lemon juice, and a combination of fragrant spices including cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. The spices lend a pleasing flavour and aroma to the salad, as do some freshly chopped herbs. Feel free to add your favourites into this coleslaw recipe — I like flat-leaf parsley and mint, but fresh chives, dill, cilantro, basil and even tarragon work too.

TOSS EVERYTHING TOGETHER

Last few things to finish off this salad is to toss it in a homemade dressing and serve. But before making the dressing, let’s do a toss first. Why? During the testing of this recipe, we realized that tossing the vegetables, herbs and ground spices before adding the dressing yields a slaw with evenly distributed flavours. So toss, add some dressing, toss again, add more dressing, toss once more, then serve. You’ll see when you make this at home how this simple technique mixes everything together while keeping the slaw light and fluffy.

DIJON VINAIGRETTE

We crafted this simple Dijon vinaigrette a few years back and enjoy it not only with salads, but also drizzled on veggie side dishes and even main courses. Seriously, drizzle some on a simple ROASTED CHICKEN for a hit of punchy flavour. Though we could have made a mayonnaise-based coleslaw dressing, we knew this vinaigrette would be perfect for this recipe. We did make one tiny change, adding a splash of pure Canadian maple syrup instead of honey. The maple syrup adds just a tiny bit of sweetness that plays well off the Dijon mustard and the tang of lemon juice.

SLAW DRESSING

So let’s review how to dress this simple, HEALTHY SLAW RECIPE. Everything first gets tossed together in a big salad bowl. Then we drizzle half the quantity of dressing onto the bowl and gently toss. Then we drizzle the balance of the dressing and toss gently one more time. Add kosher salt and black pepper to taste, if needed, but we honestly don’t think it needs more seasoning. Sometimes things are perfect just as they are.

HOW TO ENJOY

Having made this easy coleslaw recipe a number of times now, we discovered there are a bunch of tasty and creative ways you can enjoy it. First, it’s excellent on its own served as a light meal. Of course, it can also be enjoyed as the perfect side dish or a combo plate with other salads. 

We’re going to suggest you remember it as a snack option and try it spooned onto crackers — fab! It also makes a surprisingly good filling for sandwiches and tacos. Most recently, I’ve been adding it as a healthy, flavourful topping onto a piece of seared or BBQ’d fish, or on a crispy breaded chicken, pork or turkey cutlet. Incredible! We know you’ll be finding your favourite ways to enjoy this improved classic coleslaw recipe at picnics, barbecues, summer potlucks and every gathering in between.

Depending on the number of guests you’re serving, there may be leftovers. You can keep the remaining quantity in an airtight container in the fridge, enjoying it within five days. It won’t be difficult!

Before you head off to prepare his must-make recipe, a reminder to save it for future reference. Click that BOOKMARK tab at the top of your browser and also PIN it to one of your PINTEREST boards for easy access. Good idea to also forward it to friends; everyone loves a good, healthy salad recipe, no?

Something delicious is in the works with this HEALTHY SLAW RECIPE. Enjoy!

More like this

Related by Recipe Type

• Salads
• Side Dishes

Related by Ingredient

• Black Pepper
• Carrots
• Cinnamon
• Dijon Mustard
• Flat-leaf Parsley
• Fresh Mint
• Garlic
• Ground Allspice
• Ground Cloves
• Kale
• Kosher Salt
• Lemon Juice
• Nutmeg
• Ontario Greenhouse Cucumbers
• Ontario Greenhouse Peppers
• Ontario Greenhouse Tomatoes
• Parsnip
• Pure Canadian Maple Syrup
• Red Onion
• Vegetable Oil

For More Great Ideas Visit:

• YouTube
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest