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I don’t know about you, but I love cabbage salads. Classic creamy coleslaw is delicious, but loaded with fat and sugar. This cilantro lime cabbage slaw is a fresh salad bursting with flavor. It is low in calories, is made with healthy fats, has zero added sugar, and is loaded with nutrients.
It makes a great side dish for any Tex-Mex entrée such as fajitas or enchiladas or a hot bowl of chili. It’s a great topping for tacos. But it is also delicious served with a bowl of rice and beans – the ultimate vegetarian combo – or with simple grilled fish, shrimp or chicken.
Ingredients
Cabbage is an exceptionally healthy food. It is a low calorie vegetable that is rich is vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, especially vitamins C and K. Eating cabbage may even help lower the risk of certain diseases, improve digestion and combat inflammation.
It seems to be readily available year around, probably because it can actually keep in storage for up to 6 months! While I don’t recommend keeping it that long in your refrigerator, it can easily last 3 to 4 weeks, if unwashed. If you don’t use it all at once, wrap up the unused portion well and store it in a plastic bag.
Red onion adds a sweet bite and color pop to this salad. If you don’t have any red onion, you can skip it or use a white or yellow onion. Red onions are sweeter and milder though and work better in this salad.
Jalapeno, cilantro and lime zest and juice are the flavor bombs that make this salad addictive.
I like to use avocado oil in this cilantro lime cabbage slaw because it has a neutral flavor that goes well with Tex-Mex dishes, but extra virgin olive oil works just as well. Both are recommended oils in the Mediterranean Diet as they are rich on healthy mono-unsaturated fats.
How to make cilantro lime cabbage slaw
The recommended method to slice the cabbage nice and thin is to use a food processor fitted with a slicing blade. I like to set mine on level 2 out of 6 thickness levels.
If you don’t have a food processor or a mandolin, then use your best knife skills and go for it! The thinner you slice, the more tender the cabbage will be in the end.
You can also buy some pre-sliced cabbage bags at the grocery store. They are a worthy time saver for busy people.
When seeding and chopping the jalapeno, be careful not to rub your eyes… I’ve been there and done that 🙁 it’s not pleasant… And if you’re afraid of spicy foods, skip it altogether.
Fresh cilantro is easy to chop as you don’t need to remove the stems, they are tender and have as much flavor as the leaves.
Once everything is sliced and chopped, toss it all together in a large bowl and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before eating. The flavors will meld together and the cabbage will soften up a bit.
If you enjoy this cilantro lime cabbage slaw, try our other recipes:
Somewhere over the rainbow there’s a salad
The Ultimate Red Cabbage Slaw for Fish Tacos
Cilantro citrus salad dressing
Cilantro lime cabbage slaw
Ingredients
- 6 cups Green cabbage sliced thin (about 1/2 a medium head)
- 1/4 cup Red onion sliced
- 1 Jalapeño pepper
- 1/2 cup Cilantro chopped
- 1/2 tsp Ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp Ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Lime zest
- 1/4 cup Lime juice freshly squeezed (about 2 limes)
- 1/4 cup Avocado oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Slice cabbage very thin, preferably using a food processor fitted with a slicing blade. I set mine on level 2 out of 6 levels of thickness.
- Place in a large bowl.
- Seed and chop jalapeno pepper. Add to the bowl
- Zest one lime with a fine grater and add to the bowl.
- Add onion, chopped cilantro, all spices, lime juice and oil.
- Toss well and refrigerate until ready to use.
- This is best made 30 minutes before eating so the cabbage softens a bit and renders some juices.
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This was the most delicious cabbage slaw I’ve ever had! It was a big hit at the gathering I held.
I have made it twice within the last two weeks and I plan on making it again in the future.
Thank you Beata! Glad you enjoyed these flavors!
This slaw is absolutely delicious! I have never made or tried anything other than traditional coleslaw, but I will be making this again! The cilantro, lime, and jalapeno just makes a delicious party in your mouth!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kim!