Today I suggest the red (or purple) cabbage salad with feta, apples and walnuts. A perfect picture of colors, tastes and flavors enriched by the scent of honey and apple cider vinegar. If you wondered: can you eat purple/red cabbage raw? Or: how to remove the bitterness from red cabbage? You have landed on the perfect recipe for you! I will explain how to treat this colorful winter ingredient following my recipe to prepare red cabbage in salad!
The red cabbage, or purple as I call it, is a winter variety of this vegetable characterized by a vivid and intense color. Its broad leaves can vary from red to purple, hence the names purple cabbage or red cabbage, but they both refer to the same vegetable. This cabbage is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. It is ideal eaten raw in salads or cooked in sweet-and-sour preparations. Harvesting takes place from September to December. It is a winter vegetable, but it can last into spring depending on the season.
When love is born, a crazy love like mine for purple cabbage, nothing can stop it! I fell in love with it when I tried the purple cauliflower soup and today, after having tested this red cabbage salad recipe three times, I can say I have found my favorite winter salad!
I love contrasts: honey meeting apple cider vinegar, the saltiness of Greek feta paired with the sweetness of the apple, the crunch of the purple cabbage with the walnuts. Is there a more perfect match than this? I don’t think so! Every ingredient brings its own taste, texture and aroma to this salad that I recommend you try!
If you are a feta lover like me, you must try the recipes already published on the blog over the years. I leave the links below to read and follow the video recipes: from the watermelon and feta checkerboard, perfect for summer, to the baked feta with cherry tomatoes and basil. Simple dishes but full of taste and flavor, ideal for the whole family!
Before moving on to the purple cabbage salad recipe, I remind you that I wait for you every morning in the Facebook group and fan page of Le Ricette di Bea with the Recipe of the Day! An unmissable appointment to start the day together with a sweet or savory treat!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: No cooking required
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, Autumn, Winter and Spring
- Energy 420.95 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 22.31 (g) of which sugars 15.94 (g)
- Proteins 11.84 (g)
- Fat 32.32 (g) of which saturated 7.70 (g)of which unsaturated 2.66 (g)
- Fibers 6.25 (g)
- Sodium 695.95 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients to make the purple red cabbage salad with apples, walnuts and feta
- Half red cabbage (red)
- 7 oz feta
- 1 cup walnuts (already shelled)
- 1 apple
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp acacia honey
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
The ingredients listed will allow you to make a red cabbage salad for 4 to 6 people using simply half a red cabbage served as a side. The cabbage I found at the greengrocer yesterday weighed about 1.2 kg (approximately 2.6 lb). The apple I chose was a Pink Lady and weighed around 250 grams (about 8.8 oz) before peeling and coring. Choose a non-mealy apple, one that is firm and stays crisp, since we are preparing a cold autumn salad. If you decide to serve the purple cabbage salad as a main dish, it will be enough for 3 people. I suggest increasing the quantities according to the number of guests.
Tools to prepare the red cabbage salad with feta, apples and walnuts
- 1 Mandoline
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
- 2 Spoons
- 1 Apple corer/slicer
- 1 Plastic wrap
If you don’t have the apple slicer, you can buy it from the link above or remove the peel with a knife, as I did, then slice and dice the apple. You will also find the link to purchase the mandoline that appears in the video recipe below the first photo.
Steps to make the sweet-and-sour red cabbage salad
As anticipated in the video recipe for the red cabbage salad, this recipe is divided into two preparation steps. The first involves processing the red cabbage — slicing and dressing it in a sweet-and-sour mix — and then the second is assembling the salad after the two-hour rest at room temperature. So let’s start with the first step.
I take the cabbage whole as it is and the mandoline, setting the blade to the first level so the slices are as thin as possible. I take a bowl, or a tray or a large rectangular glass baking dish as in my case, and start slicing the purple cabbage. I’ll go about halfway through the cabbage, considering the whole head weighed about 1.2 kg (approx. 2.6 lb).
Now that I have the salad base, I can dress it with apple cider vinegar, acacia honey, salt and extra virgin olive oil. With a spoon I measure three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons of acacia honey, add some oil to taste, and sprinkle with salt.
I mix well with the two spoons and already begin to see the first color changes of the cabbage, from a darker, more intense purple that will lighten into a more delicate purple, almost fuchsia. I let it rest for 2 hours at room temperature on the kitchen counter, simply covering the tray with plastic wrap.
I used a rectangular baking dish as a tray because it has high sides and allowed me to mix the purple cabbage well. I preferred it to a bowl, honestly.
After this period of time, I can proceed with the second step of the recipe. I open the Greek feta package and discard the little preserving liquid in the bag. I cut the feta into not-too-large cubes with a knife. I break the walnuts into smaller pieces and then proceed to cut the apple. First I remove the peel with a knife, then I use the apple slicer to create wedges and finally cut into pieces or dice that are not too small.
Now I have all the ingredients ready to complete the purple cabbage salad. I pour into the baking dish where the cabbage has rested the walnuts, the feta and the apple cut into cubes. I add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, if necessary, a little more sprinkle of salt. Keep in mind the saltiness of Greek feta, so taste before adding salt and adjust accordingly.
I mix well to integrate the ingredients. You will see that the apple and the feta will quickly take on the purple color of the cabbage, fully blending and creating our beautiful and tasty winter salad.
All that’s left is to serve this tasty, fragrant dish with its intense purple-pink color and wish you a good meal! I remind you that I wait for you every day on my blog with many easy, quick and delicious recipes like this one!!!
If you like, prepare some toasted bread crostini or whole grain crackers to accompany this red cabbage. The first time I tried this recipe, my guinea pig was Veronica: it was good at first, but the cabbage slices were too large because I had cut them with a knife. The second time, I had Luca as a guinea pig and he, endorsing the use of apple cider vinegar and acacia honey, recommended cutting with the mandoline to obtain smaller slices that would soften even more after the two-hour rest.
And today the third, and I would say luckier, guinea pig was Gaia. I took some whole grain bread and crunchy whole grain crackers and we enjoyed the final result born from the two previous experiments. As I often tell you, testing a recipe three times is necessary and fundamental, especially if you need to balance flavors and contrasts of sweetness and acidity or, as in this case, the cut of the red cabbage.
Storage, tips and variations for the winter red cabbage salad
Storage of the red cabbage salad: you can keep it in the refrigerator for a couple of days, well sealed in a lidded container. However, I recommend not adding the apple or the feta before storing. So dress and let the cabbage rest first, then store it. This will prevent the apple from turning dark and the cheese from yellowing.
As recommended, do not overdo it with salt, vinegar and honey. Always try to balance these three ingredients in this and other preparations where they are used. Creating a tasty and correct harmony of flavors is not easy. So it is always better to proceed gradually, add a little at first, taste and then add more if necessary.
Recipe variations: you can replace the Greek feta with a milder cheese if you prefer. You could choose Galbanino or Leerdammer. You can swap the walnuts for peanuts, thus adding a legume, or for cashews, both classified as tree nuts. Cashews have a sweet flavor and are rich in healthy fats, while peanuts are higher in protein. If you don’t have an apple but have a pear, feel free to use it, preferably a pear that is not too mealy.
