I know that on the surface, peering in from your side of the computer screen, this looks like a pile of shredded cabbage, a poorly lit one (look, it was late, okay?). But from my site, from my seat right here, this is pretty much the best thing ever, a yearly event I like to call First Slaw of the Season.
Yes, friends, rooftop grilling season is back (or it was, er, briefly last Saturday afternoon but not really by Saturday evening, when we shivered around the actual grill; details) and I could not possibly be more excited. That means summer is coming. That means Jacob and I get to go to barbecues as separate human beings this summer (aw). That means that this one, the adult one, gets to have a beer (yay).
And I know this is old news to some of you, but still, I must underscore again: We are slaw people. We really, really love our summer slaws. Not Your Mama’s Cole Slaw, Dead Simple Slaws, Green Onion Slaw, Tartar Sauce Slaw, slaw on tacos, Broccoli Slaw and Salads That Are Distinctly Slaw-Like. I even wrote an article about my slaw devotion. And then had a baby that looks like a cabbage (patch kid). I need help, I know.
I also have a serious thing for the Lee Bros., those Charleston guys that got stranded for a few years on the lonely island of Manhattan and were forced to sell boiled peanuts and other wonders to their fellow displaced Southerners to stay warm. Okay, perhaps that’s a wee bit of a dramatic retelling but I do get carried away when I see their approach to cooking. And that they have a new cookbook out. I flipped it open in Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago and it landed on this page, exactly, with the prettiest peanut-ed slaw I’ve ever seen and literally, on the basis of that photo alone (see above: unhealthily obsessed with slaw), I bought the book. It was when I got home that I saw the pudding cakes and pudding parfaits and the, look, I just said pudding twice. How could you need to hear anything else before falling in love with this book?
Cabbage and Lime Salad with Roasted Peanuts
Adapted from the Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern
Right, so, about the slaw: Lime. Peanuts. Red and green cabbage. Slivers of spinach. The lime is awesome, although I really have to advise against the whole lime segments they suggest in the original recipe (which I omit here) as we lovelovelove lime around here and it was still too much lime, by far. Peanuts are wonderful, even better if you can find some of those giant Virginia peanuts I sometimes see at stores (these, sadly, were not). The spinach is definitely a little odd in the slaw department; it is not the most stable lettuce thus not the kind of thing I’d want to eat hours after it had been tossed with dressing but in this, it works. And it makes the salad even prettier, which in my book counts too.
1/2 small red cabbage, trimmed, cored, and shredded (about 6 cups)
1/2 small green cabbage, trimmed, cored, and shredded (about 6 cups)
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 bunch fresh baby spinach, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch wide ribbons (about 4 cups loosely packed)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 small limes)
1 tablespoon Dijon or other salty prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, toss the shredded red and green cabbage with the salt. Transfer the cabbage to a colander and let it drain for two hours. (I was in a rush and did this in one. It was still nicely wilted, but of course could have been even softer.)
If you’re worried about the cabbage being too salty when you’re done with the salting process, taste a piece of cabbage and if it concerns you, rinse and drain the cabbage well. This is not a suggestion in the original recipe, but something I suspect might bother some people.
Put the salted, drained cabbage back into your (rinsed and dried) large bowl and add the spinach. In a medium bowl, whisk the lime juice, mustard and cumin together. Add the peanut oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until the ingredients are thoroughly emulsified. Toss the salad with the dressing and add the roasted peanuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
This salad is best served immediately, but it does keep surprisingly well in the fridge for a day or two.
I made my very first slaw over the winter when I experimented with crock pot pulled pork, but it left a lot to be desired. I’ll have to try one of your recipes! And I hear you about last Saturday, the outdoor beer garden I went to seemed like such a good idea at 4pm…
This looks delicious! the colors are vibrant and I am determined to eat nothing but this yummy Slaw all day tomorrow!
Now that I’ve been reading smitten kitchen for over a year I have come to associate slaws with summer. This looks so refreshing! Must make tartar slaw again soon..
I keep seeing recipes from this cookbook. It must be a winner (and a sign to pick up a copy). I’ve never been much of a slaw gal after run-ins with way too much mayo in the slaw of my youth, but this recipe and your beautiful broccoli slaw are tempting me to give it another chance.
(psst! The Lee Brothers cookbook links are broken.)
Giovani — Aargh, thanks! Fixed now.
This is one seriously fantastic slaw. I am not so much a fan of the creamy variety, but this I could (and will!) eat (and soon!).
You’re a mind reader! I’ve been obsessed with peanuts lately. I’m tired of the “super food” nuts. Fancy almonds, fancy pistachios, I’m over it. Peanuts are back, baby! :)
Hmmm, I don’t know if I can do the cabbage thing…
i love this salad and interestingly have posted a red cabbage recipe on my blog too.
This slaw is like an Indian salad called cabbage khaman …you pictures are breathtaking as always..
mmmmmmm that cabbage looks delicious!
This sounds perfect. You really can’t go wrong with peanuts and lime. Yum, bring on summer cabbage!
looks SO yummy. i’m making this, despite my qualms about the spinach (thank you for giving a nod to my qualms in your description). i might even toss the peanuts in some cayenne or something zippy… what did you serve with the slaw?
you are on a posting roll! new post everyday this week. i like it.
I am so happy to see that I am not the only person obsessed with slaw! I guess I should have known there were others out there like me, scurrying around town, looking for the biggest, prettiest heads of cabbage. We should form some type of ‘secret slaw society’. — In all seriousness, this probably sounds silly, but I have actually gone to bed at night and fell asleep thinking about what type of slaw I am going to make for the weekend BBQ. I will definitely try this one, it looks so pretty. Also, I prefer non-creamy slaws. I’m so glad it’s finally slaw season!
I also like slaw a lot. This one sounds really delicious and easy. Thanks.
I love these pictures. Colors are amazing !
Thanks a lot for… it looks absolutely delicious!
I wonder if you could replace the spinach with kale. I have a salad recipe that I love where you let the kale and the dressing hang out in the fridge for a bit and it gets oh-so-delish. May be a good way to jazz up the limpy spinach issue.
This slaw looks divine, but the JACOB? I cannot handle how cute that kid is!
I think tomorrow I might have to make this. I’ve been roasting every nut I could think of to put on salads and in dishes, but I have completely overlooked the humble peanut. Not for long!
Nope, not fixed. Sorry Deb. Love your writing and (mostly) recipe choices!!! Thank you for my favorite blog.
I’ve been trying to cut back on the sweets and when I saw that you posted something new I thought, “Uh-oh. Here comes another delicious sweet-something that I’m not gonna be able to say no to.” But this looks healthy. Thanks:)
P.S. Just made your Shakshuka and it’s Buh-nanas! But of course you know that:)
It’s great waking up each morning knowing there’s a new post from you. Thanks so much for doing this! Last night I made your pound cake with coulis; the Germans had problems understanding why it’s called a pound cake but never mind.. I love slaws and can’t wait to try this.
Perfect timing. I was looking for a slaw for my Cinco de Mayo lunch on Sunday, to go with carne asada soft tacos. I might divert a tad and pepitas. thanks!
How is it that babies mouths with no teeth still have those luscious, pouty lips; but adults mouths with no teeth, look like Jacob mouth in that picture? Keep that handy for him as a reminder to brush.
Slaw is good.
.
I love the slaw links, but I DEMAND MY JACOB LINK! I know I can go right to flickr, but that takes the treasure-hunting fun out of it!
Mea cupla. I saw Susan’s post right after mine, so I went back with a finer-tooth comb and found the link.
Now I’ve had my slaw fix, my treasure-hunting fix, AND my Jacob fix. My evening is complete.
(Thank you!)
This looks tasty! I made up something like this to go with a ginger pork loin awhile back, except with no spinach, a teensy bit of cayanne, and a couple tablespoons of peanut butter stirred in. Even the peanut sauce hating boyfriend (I don’t know how we make it work, sometimes) loved it. I’ll have to try this one next time, since we can both agree on spinach.
I love slaws. I just got called a coleslaw whore yesterday. This one sounds fantastic. I’m trying to find a coleslaw recipe that doesn’t seem to exist. So if you need inspiration or an excuse to come up with a new slaw recipe please please please consider this: A creamy Asian coleslaw. I am so sick of the brown sesame dressing. There must be some way to make a creamy Asian slaw dressing.
Beautiful. I’m not sure if I am more inspired to cook or get better at photography. But definately inspired:)
You’re a cooking/posting madwoman this week–I love it! And I also love your obsession with slaw and the Lee Bros.–they’re super amazing. I can’t wait to check out their new book and this slaw.
mmm can i have such one bowl? :)
Peanuts in slaw..now that’s what I’m talkin’ about..yum!
grrr … the book isn’t available on Amazon-UK, yet … will need to keep an eye out for it … (not to mention, am trying to limit myself to 1 book/month) … which leads me to ask the musical question:
Deb – when is YOUR book coming out???
This looks so fresh and appetizing! Another variation we like a lot is very finely slicing kaffir lime leaves and adding to the slaw. Now I’m thinking I want to add peanuts. Thanks!
I love slaw, esp. with red cabbage. Slaw means summer bbq for me too, but I was eating slaw all winter long too. Shredded cabbage, beets, carrots, tossed with yogurt-lime-honey vinaigrette and pomegranate seeds. Love the crunch and color of red cabbage.
The colors are amazing! How beautiful. I love sunlight :)
Hi Deb,
I recently found your website and just love it!! I have devoured the desserts and have just recently made your carrot cake, wow! It was so easy and I couldn’t not resist eating the generous amount that I left in the bowl. The mapel cream cheese icing sounds mouth-watering. I am making this cake for my hubby’s morning tea tomorrow, so they had better enjoy it. Thanks for all the time and effort you take to organise and make these great recipes.
Cheers!!
Oh my husband, addicted to all things slaw like, would love this. Must hide it from him!
That is a nutrition packed slaw Deb!
Love these bright colors! Lime and red cabbage? I’m in!
I’m not a cabbage fan, but those COLORS make me want to try this!
the prettier a dish is, the better it tastes!
love the daily posts, we will now forever expect them!!!
Have you started planning your first Mother’s Day yet, so exciting?
I love the photo of the halved green and red cabbages–gorgeous! I also love slaws, so glad to see this one. I sometimes put apple in mind, but the corn maybe delivers a similar sweetness?
Hi! Recipe sounds smashing. When I do this I think I will use the colander part to my salad spinner for the draining step. Then when that is over (and being a bit saltophobic, I will probably rinse it also) I can just pop the whole thing right in the salad spinner and whirl all the excess water away. Thanks for the inspiring recipe!
This is pretty with all the vibrant colors! Slaw definitely reminds me of summer. I like all the flavors in this one. This is definitely not your average slaw! I will have to make this one.
This is really a beautiful slaw. I have never made one with baby spinach, but I must try it. I have a beautiful bag I just received from my CSA. Displaced Southerners. I love it. Did you find the White Lily flour you needed? I could mail you some!
Teacher Cooks — Thanks, not yet. I know I can mail-order it. I had queried on Twitter because I was in hope that with all of the wonderful stores we have in NYC, that I could find those things locally. So far, I only made it to Kalustyans. Found white cornmeal but they only had a very fine grind (closer to corn flour but oddly, labeled as ‘meal’)… I’m still a-huntin’ based on tips!
The peanuts and cumin are a nice touch, something different… I keep trying to come up with ways to re-dress cole slaw, especially since my daughter will not touch mayonnaise. (At least not from a jar.) When I saw the photo and the word “lime,” though, I assumed those dark green shreds were basil. Basil sounds better to me, honestly, although we’ll get it in fresh just about the time the cabbages get woody, but I still think I’ll try it that way this summer.
I love slaw! I love peanuts! I love the Lee Brothers! Now where is my Jacob fix?!
I take it back, I found him :-)
Beautiful! I love the colors of this light and healthy dish. I actually make a similar slaw and add grilled corn in place of peanuts…maybe an idea for those with nut allergies!
Yum…looks scrumptious!
BTW-Jacob is the cutest baby on the planet! :-)
My partner and I love slaw too – and we especially love citrusy, vinegary, no-mayo slaws. This is the slaw that we’ll be having whenever our first bbq opportunity rolls around this year!
I love that cookbook! I bought it myself and have been leafing through it and tabbing all the recipes I want to try. I wish I could buy time as easily as it is to buy a cookbook! The slaw looks really yummy!
It’s recipes like this that make me so, so, so mad at my significant other for being allergic to nuts/legumes. I guess I’ll just have to make it and eat it all myself.
Can’t wait to make this as my first slaw of the season… I can smell the lime, peanuts and cumin already, and especially with all the new health info on how good it is for us!
Love this – I never really knew how much I liked cabbage til this year. This looks wonderful.
Could someone explain what a CSA delivery is? Thanks!
I bet this would be awesome of fish tacos!
That looks SO good! I love red cabbage, so pretty, so healthy, so crunchy! My go-to slaw recipe is this one, although I usually swap out the green cabbage for a red one. http://whenharrymetsalad.wordpress.com/2008/08/15/this-is-how-we-do-it-back-home/
Stef – CSA = Community Supported Agriculture. You can buy a share from a local farmer that offers a CSA program. Then, depending on the program, you get a box of fresh produce weekly or bi-weekly throughout the season. Some farms ask that you come out to help work the land a bit in exchange for your veggies, but most (at least in the Midwest) do not require this.
Addition to comment above – if you are interested in learning about CSA programs in your area, you can visit http://www.localharvest.org.
My mornings are brighter thanks to your every-day posts! I will be making this tonight: my partner’s a cabbage and a lime fanatic, and I’m a peanut fanatic…you’re like a meal matchmaker!
FYI, Trader Joe’s sells “Blister Peanuts” that are a truly excellent facsimile of extra-crunchy Virginia peanuts. The other option (but don’t tell anyone I told you) is going to TJ Maxx or Marshall’s: in their food section, they almost always have cans of “Golfers Peanuts” or Virginia peanuts for $3.99, which are also excellent.
Hooray, another slaw recipe on smitten kitchen! I am the biggest fan of your broccoli slaw, which I have prepared five or six times already. I am curious to try this one, too.
Please, will you write a cookbook with a huge slaw section? And also: Please make it available for a European public with degrees Celsius for the oven, and you know all these different measuring indications. I promise I will buy alt least five specimen, one for me and the other ones for friends. Thank you in advance.
If you like slaw, you have to try Singapore Slaw at Shang in the LES. It’s Susur Lee’s signature dish, and it’s amazing! http://www.shangrestaurant.com/menu/dinner/
I’m typically not a slaw person, but this look soooo good. I’m hosting a Derby party on Saturday and since the weather here in the NYC area is supposed to be summer-like, this dish might just be making an appearance!
My mother makes slaw for every family gathering. Whenever I see a recipe, I think of her. While she has her own recipe, I think she could be persuaded to try this. I love the colors and the added texture one will get with the peanuts. Great recipe!
i must say, i’m a fan of the daily back-log posts. i have quite a few too, but i keep thinkin they’ll come in handy for weeks sans cooking, which happens more in the summer when outdoor seating gets big in chi-town.
i love some cole slaw myself, and am way excited about this lee bros book since it’s all southern – yum!!
Looks slawsome!
Cabbage is so under-used and so wonderfully fantastic. What a great alternative to a salad!
Cool! That looks like the perfect summer salad/slaw!
Great slaw! Perfect for a summer bbq (which for me is grill pan + eating on fire-escape!) Might also try a hearty green like Tuscan kale or collards in place of the spinach; I love them raw, cut into chiffonade, and marinated for a while to tenderize.
I love slaw, and I love lime, this sounds sooo delicious!
I love this site and visit it often. My only wish is that I could flag the recipes so I can refer to them a later date. There are so many yummy things I want to try to make!
Funny, I just made this for the first time on Friday night, and though I love the Lee Bros. dearly, I have to agree with you – WAY too much lime. I’d throw some fish sauce in there next time, and maybe take Louise Reynolds’ suggestion to add kaffir lime leaves too.
Cabbage. Lime. Peanuts. Cute Cabbage Patch Jacob – a winning combination if there ever was one!
Hi Debbie!
Vanessa over here! I will pass on the Tres Leches recipe to you!! It is nothing like the many other recipes I tried, you would love it..it is rich and with a hint of RUM! yum yum.
Anyways…here at the BBQ place we own we make some killer coleslaw(honey and thinly sliced apples are involved) so I can relate to this post, you have NO idea how now a days food distributors push everything pre-made or pre-shredded, but we always shake our heads in disappointment because there is nothing like a fresh shredded coleslaw, crunchy, sweet, delicious..we serve it as a side or on top of hickory smoked pulled pork sandwiches…(salivating already?)
ps. shame on you for that pic of your baby….so on top of my “bbq baby” now I am salivating for a real one!
I will definitely be making this! I made your broccoli slaw a few weeks ago and I loved it- cabbage slaws are my preference though so I am happy to see these recipes! Keep ’em coming!
Where did you get the beautiful towel?
Nancy — I went to Fish’s Eddy that day and loved it. Then came home and it matched the colors so well… summery! I also liked a milk glass cake stand they had until I saw it was $99! Goodness gracious. I’ll stick to their towels.
I am SOOOO making this!!!
You’ve actually made me into a slaw person too! I’ve fallen hard for your slaw tartare, and today I’m planning to make up a batch of a batch of pickled slaw, unless I decide to use the cabbage for the blue cheese coleslaw instead.
Love the color in your photos. Something nice, crispy, and crunchy sounds like the perfect salad. I’m typically not a slaw person because I hate the goopy dressing that accompanies it, but your version looks delightfully light, something I think I could enjoy! {Oh, and I love peanuts in my salad!}
Mmmm, made one like this a while back, with shredded carrots and kohlrabi. Wonder if the cilantro I threw in would sub out for the spinach… Yup, bring on the slaw!
I love the colors of this post!!!
And the combination of this salad with the peanuts is perfect. Thank you
In reference to the Lee Bros.: I am an expatriate Southerner living on the West Coast. I love cookbooks and I love Sourthern cooking. I have both of the Lee Bros. cookbooks and their first one “Southern Cookbook” is my most definitive reference for that cuisine. All their recipes are “on the mark” and the narrative that goes with them adds to the total package. Your slaw looks great – I must give it a try.
Oh Lime, my favorite. I’m sold, sign me up.
Suzanne
The colors on this are gorgeous! Seems like the perfect side for grilled chicken.
I’m always looking for mayo-free coleslaw alternatives (the hubby’s greatest hatred is mayo). This looks like a great one!
Wow, that looks so good! The colour combination is delicious!!
I always avoided coleslaw like the plague because usually it’s this sloppy mess of “I taste nothing but mayo” but you’ve converted me, Deb! I’ve only tried a few of the slaw recipes so far but they’ve been fantastic. Crunchy, colorful, and full of flavors other than mayo.
Sorry if I missed this info in the writeup but how much slaw does this make? That’s a lotta greens!
The colors look amazing.
Deb, I’ve been looking for something to do with cabbage! I just ordered my first orgainc produce delivery box (weekly) and I have 2 heads of cabbage sitting on my cutting board in my kichen this very minute. Going to try this this weekend! YUM.
Great colors and textures. This would be great for a BBQ during Mardi Gras season. I think I might try the slaw the next time I have a party. Thanks for posting this. I always enjoy your photos and recipes.
So glad this turned out well! Like you, I absolutely adore both slaw and the Lee brothers. I’m part of a cookbook club and we chose The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern for our May 2nd meeting. We planned the meeting the other night and put this slaw on our menu, so it’s nice to know ahead of time that it won’t be a flop.
So fresh and summery! This slaw sounds a little Thai-ish, with the lime, peanuts, and pepper.
This looks tasty. I have a mild peanut allergy (along with about a dozen other food allergies mild to serious – kind of a bummer) but I eat them anyway and will be trying this recipe. Please, though, avoid boiled peanuts – and I do apologize to any boiled peanut fans, I lived in northern FL and met quite a few – but they really are an acquired taste to the extreme.
What a beautifully colourful and crisp slaw! I love to try different slaws – it is a great way to get cabbage into kids, too!
This looks terrific! I’m also a slaw lover. My mom makes the best slaws, so I’ll let her in on this one. And that Jacob, oh the cuteness is unending!
Very interesting slaw recipe! I’m hugely obsessed with slaw and Spring seems like the perfect time to whip some up. Thanks for the inspiration!
Well, you’ve done it again, Deb…I had to run to the store to purchase a few things to make this today and absolutely loved it. I totally agree about the lime; I can’t imagine using more. Next time I may gussy it up a little bit with some green onion or cilantro, or both, although it is perfectly delicious just as it is. Thank you for the recipe!
Beautiful! I had a similar salad recently with pork tenderloin slices on top. Delicious!
I love anything with cabbage. Check out my purple cabbage flower under appetizers (garnishes)
yum! reminds me of this: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/lime-peanut-coleslaw-recipe.html
Hey Deb–I think you forgot your “one year ago, two years ago” links…is it weird that I like looking at those?
Jenn — It’s just that when I post daily, I outpace the posting schedule of the years before and there’s not always something new with each post. Check out the recipes filed under Spring for inspiration until the archives get interesting again!
Made this last night – Turner: it makes a lot, about 8-10 cups, which was enough for two of us to eat it as our main side and still have another 2 servings left over. Which is a long-winded way of saying it generously serves 4.
It was delicious, though a little too one-dimensional (i.e. tart) for me, so I mixed in a sprinkle of sugar, plus a little bit of sweet rice vinegar – not enough to make the overall taste a sweet one, but just so that it had a sweet/sour balance. Definitely worth making again.
This looks perfect! YES! Grilling season is here…bring on the slaw!
I love your broccoli slaw, i made right away when you first posted the recipe, and had a craving for just the other day and made it again.
Hi Deb
I keep getting problems trying to view your site, the formatting’s gone awry. The photos and recipe disappear and the comments appear at the top of the page, full width, with the menu and SK icon beneath. Maybe it’s just my netbook or IE – I’m not exactly technically savvy!
Tasmin — Oh no! Is anyone else running into this?
Nope, Deb, I’m viewing it fine, if that helps. (IE also) That photo of the halved cabbages makes them look like the prettiests brussel sprouts ever!
I just had to come here to comment because I just read your FB post about your upcoming book! I am so excited about this, just yesterday I thought to myself how nice it would be to have a Smitten Kitchen cookbook since 90% of my recipes come from your site. It’s becoming far too labour intensive to hand write out every recipe I try from here and love. 2012 cannot come soon enough for me. I’m adding this to my Christmas/Birthday/Any Occasion gift wish list right now. Do you know when we will be able to pre-order it?
It’s coming up fine on my computer, too. Everything looks great!
what gorgeous colors!
Nice! I love how vibrantly perfect the cabbage is.
I too, have an obsession with slaw. This one looks wonderful and I’m totally going to stalk your other slaw links. We just made apple/kohlrabi slaw and I’m now obsessed with using unconventional ingredients in slaw.
This is so nice and summery! I can hear the crunch in that salad. I ? it!
Sorry, I meant I *heart* it. I used an icon in my last comment, but looks like this page doesn’t support it.
First, I’m an aspiring recipe blogger myself, & I want to grow up & have a blog this lovely. Your photographs are amazing. It makes me slightly ashamed of my paltry attempts…
I’ve been itching to try a recipe for White Lasagna, but I’ve yet to find one that sounds juuuuust right, though this one looks pretty good: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/white-chicken-lasagna/
Would you tackle it first? :)
I wonder how this might taste with some kick to it. I’m a fan of spicy slaws, and it doesn’t look like this recipe has anything other than pepper and some dijon to give it that kick. Either an some adobo pepper flakes or even just a little cayenne?
Dave — I’m sure it would be great, cayenne, red pepper flakes or even a slivered up jalapeno.
Making this over the weekend to go with tri tip and grilled corn. I am thinking of adding cilantro–what do you think? With the cilantro I might skip the spinach.
Facebook alerted me to this recipe while I was traveling on business. I stopped at the store on my way home from the airport and purchased the ingredients. Shortly after I started chopping cabbage, I got an invite to a bbq. The slaw was a hit, even with the meat loving boys. They did add a bit of sriracha sauce to it, which trumped even the meat!
Excellent recipe, yet again. Thanks!
this was great! i actually made it ahead minus the spinach to let the flavors blend…and used ginger instead of cumin (because i couldn’t find mine…)
it turned out great!
This looks like it would have a great texture, yum yum :)
Made this yesterday and the salt just about killed me. I should have rinsed it off like you suggested. Oh, well. I wasn’t too excited about buying two cabbages, especially lugging them home as I live in NYC. Fairway, however, has grated cabbage in plastic containers – brilliant! That store never ceases to amaze me. Minus the salt issue, the salad was very good. I too love slaw!
Julie — You can use the second halves of your cabbages to make it again, with the salt rinsed! (That’s what we did this weekend.)
OK, I’m really late to the party here, but I just saw this and thought heck, yeah! I love this. I make a variation with Thai fish sauce as well as lime in the dressing, shredded carrot and red cabbage, and a massive handful of chopped coriander as well as those roasted peanuts. Oh, yum. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this site. I absolutely love your photography, and the recipes are always spot on. Thanks so much for doing what you do with such dedication and love. Another recent favourite was the chickpea curry. I’ve made several batches (amchoor powder is pretty readily available in the UK) and I like to make sure there are a few portions in the freezer at all times when I need something high on flavour, and, oh, by the way, low in WeightWatchers points!!
I only had green cabbage, so I made a half-recipe with green. Don’t know if it’s just that the color was tamer, but it didn’t really do it for me. Is red cabbage sweeter than green? Not sure. But, like Liz above, I dig the low-cal recipes!
I REALLY REALLY DISLIKE cumin! So many tasty looking recipies call for it and I always hold back! Would you have any suggestion for an other spice?
JAYN — Try using smoky paprika. Or ground corriander.
I’m an avid reader of your blog, Deb, i.e. I use it as an excuse to distract myself while at work and spend long, lovely minutes drooling over your recipes and trying to decide which I will cook when. I made this salad tonight as I’ve been craving fresh, raw veggie dishes and it is absolutely scrumptious. I’ve never been a slaw person before, but this dish has won me over. Okay–enough gushing. I’d like to share with you two minor additions I made to the recipe that were truly delicious: one diced mango & a tablespoon or two of thai chili sauce. More sugar and more spice! I recommend you try it…
hi, i am new to blogging and just found your blog. everything here looks so yummy! i have to admit, i am not a slaw person but i think this will be the exception, this looks delicious! i am definitely going to try it!
I may be a cupcaker, but I’m definitely making this salad for my husband’s soccer team cook-out! So colorful and pretty!!! Also, despite this being my first time commenting, I too drool over your recipes and pictures… 10:30 am and starving in front of my work computer… THANKS!!!!
I started drooling over this when I first saw the recipe last week. I finally picked up the ingredients for last night’s dinner. OH YUM! Now I can’t wait for lunch and leftovers!
Thankyou!! Very nice salad, I made it today for a reunion everybody loved it. I added 2 spoons sugarto the dressing because the lime was very sour. I also added some toasted ramen-noodles and sesame seeds. I will certainly make it again, maybe for Mothers Day.
This looks incredible and is one of those recipes you can taste just by reading the list of ingredients. I can’t wait to make it.
Thanx for another great idea for a dinner side.
This is sooooo good. The cumin flavor adds such an unusual flavor! I can’t stand the mayonaissy (is that a word?) slaw and this hit the spot.
I am not a fan of slaw. At all. As much as I wanted, I couldn’t even bring myself to like your Not Your Mama’s Cole Slaw… but this recipe enticed me with the lime and peanuts, and if my wanting to eat the leftovers for breakfast is any indication, this was a success. (Though for the sake of full disclosure, I should admit that I left out the spinach.) Softening the cabbage with salt ahead of time made a huge difference for me, and the flavor combination was so bright and interesting that I kept sneaking nibbles before dinner was served. I’m always on the lookout for yummy ways to serve fresh veggies, and this is definitely going on my greatest hits list. Thanks!
I made this last night and we loved it! I think that I might like it to be a bit more “saucy” so will increase the amount of dressing for next time, but it is really delicious! A great slaw to look at(the colors are so cheerful and appetizing) and even better to crunch and munch! This recipe is a definite repeater!
I am looking forward to making this for a barbecue tonight. I’ve read several references to daily posts and am wondering what this is about. I’m only getting new posts and for a few weeks your posts were not coming through by email at all. Now I am receiving them again, but not daily.
Sheryl — For one week, that week, I’d posted almost daily. A normal pace of posting is 2 to 3 new recipes a week, which we’re now doing again.
This is bizarrely similar to the slaw I make at home; lime, mustard, cumin, oil, but the peanuts and spinach were great additions! I put in a bit of cilantro and used it to top my thai tacos. Mmmm. Thanks for the yummies.
I wanted to make this but didn’t want to head out to the grocery store. I had some Chili and Lime Cashews from Trader Joe’s that I wanted to use up so I put those in instead of peanuts. Substituted carrots for the purple cabbage (cause I love carrots in my slaws) and cilantro for the spinach (cause I love cilantro that much). Didn’t have peanut oil so i substituted sesame oil. I also added some grilled tempeh on top for protein. Eating it right now and it’s divine.
Anne – I have those cashews in my pantry (they go great on pad thai bowls!), and was thinking of throwing them on this slaw since I saw your comment. You didn’t think the flavors competed with the slaw? Cuz those cashews have some nice seasoning and kick!
this salad is fabulous! beyond expectations!
of course I noticed pretty late that it had to sit for 2 hours and I didn’t have so much time… but an hour and fifteen minutes with some extra squeezing was just fine. Thanks for the recipe!
I love your site and have made many of the recipes since discovering it late last year. All have been fabulous. I made this salad last night for a casual dinner with neighbors (along with your tangy brisket and your hot and smokey baked beans!), but it was waaay too salty and it really wasn’t even edible :-(. I was so disappointed because it was beautiful and I did everything you suggested — even rinsed the slaw after salting and left it to drain (and pressed it some) for more than two hours. I guess I should have used a lot less salt?? I thought for sure there would be more similar comments here about it being too salty, but I only saw one other one in my quick perusal of the comments. I love all of the ingredients and so may try this again and just not wilt the cabbage (I often put red cabbage in my green salads and enjoy the crunch). Love your photos — especially of Jacob — and your writing. I look forward to every new post. Thanks for a great site all the way around!
Hi Deb,
This looks beautiful! I’m making it now. The cabbage has been salted and I’m waiting the two hours. I have seen a recipe very similar to this online. The only difference was, the spinach was replaced with shredded carrot. I imagine carrot would hold up better than spinach, but I’m sure they’re both equally delicious. I’m going to try this version first, and then with carrot.
Thanks for sharing.
Deb-I made this with some adaptations-used kohlrabi, radishes, carrots, and apples. Also threw in some honey. So really it was more of a spin than this recipe, but this recipe inspired me greatly. I just did not know what to do with all the CSA produce I had (have been stuck in a rut of either salads or roasting)–but you have seriously gotten me onto a slaw kick/obsession. Yeah, I think I’ll be eating slaw the rest of the summer thanks to you :) Thank you!!
I’m spending the summer doing volunteer legal aid in Cameroon and the day before I left a friend made this slaw for a BBQ. I had no idea that when I arrived in Cameroon I’d be met with all of the local produce I could ever hope for. I immediately thought of this slaw and picked up the ingredients–all together costing my about $1.50. I added garlic to the dressing and put a little chili pepper in the dressing. Delicious! We’ve tried it added to pasta as well and it’s perfect as a cool pasta slaw salad.
Made this last night and it was enjoyed by all, thanks!
I’m going to make this today! Thank you for all the inspiration.
I made this twice over the course of one weekend. Never thought cabbage could be so good!
A nice variation: cabbage, spinach, lime, mustard, sesame oil. Great on/with fish tacos!
i added a big splotch of sriracha and snap peas… so good, thank you!
Thanks for the recipe. I ended up not getting half of the ingedients, so I made my own version ;)
http://vfp.posterous.com/cabbage-and-arugula-salad-with-lime-vinaigret
I tried this recipe and even after rinsing the salt off the cabbage, it was still too salty to eat. Did I do something wrong by using regular table salt?
1 tablespoon table salt, because it is very fine, will be much saltier than the equivalent volume of Kosher salt.
Thanks Deb! That makes sense now, I’ll buy some kosher salt next. Thanks again!
I love all the Asian-style slaws (without mayo) and improvise on different versions, with asian cabbage, bean shoots, with shredded carrot, etc.
Yours looks perfect for an end of summer Labor Day bbq, which we are having tonight. Ummmm … not quite enough time to soak for requisite two hours but we’ll wing it.
Your blog is a recent and wonderful discovery for me. I have tweeted my adoration @momstowork
My kind of food.
I added minced green chillies to the salad giving it a nice spicy tinge! Thanks Deb
I love the color. Absolutely lovely.
This recipe taught me that I actually love cabbage and coleslaws. So delicious! I made it again today because cabbage has finally been at the farmer’s market again and it reminded me warm weather is coming. Yummmmm!
Hi. I just made this yesterday for a BBQ and I made A LOT, since this isn’t mayo based can I freeze the left overs? By the way, it’s very tasty.
This is a great, versatile recipe. I made this tonight but I modified it. I used slivered almonds instead of peanuts because that’s what I had. I reduced the Dijon to 1 tsp, reduced the cumin to 1/4 tsp, used olive oil with a bit of toasted sesame oil and then added chopped cilantro. I tried the original dressing and it was too bitter for me and I knew my six year old wouldn’t go for it, so I changed it.
I had never heard of wilting the cabbage with salt. I love this website. I’m in a real cooking mood lately and I’m so happy to find these healthy, tasty recipes written with such charm. Thanks.
This is so light and delicious!
Despite my boycott of blogs, and the fact that I have dozens of cookbooks, and favorite recipe websites, I just spent over an hour reading and printing Smitten Kitten recipes. You cook like me, but more adventurous and funny. I laughed to tears at least twice. It’s late. I need sleep. I just didn’t want to stop. You are that good!! I’ll get back to you after I try a few things this week!
Just made this again for the first time this summer, and I forgot how much I LOVE this recipe. So light and summery and wonderful. A great snack if you want something crunchy and salty. Mmmmm.
Can’t get enough of the cabbage salad recipes from SK. I modified this (cilantro for basil, all purple cabbge) and loved it. A bright and tasty alt to green salads.
Made this last week, added soba noodles to the leftovers and topped with a poached egg–YUMMY! Next time I would take your advice about rinsing off some of the salt, but otherwise it was great, thanks!
I needed something unique and savory for a picnic with my friends at an outdoor movie showing at Hollywood Forever last night. Of course, I always turn to SK for the best recipes and stumbled across this tasty number. I was a little weary at first since Im not a huge fan of cabbage. But this recipe is simply amazing! All my friends were raving about it and gobbled it all up. If you’re cabbage conscious…like I am, please I beg you, PLEASE don’t be. Give this recipe a try. I guarantee you will add it to your collection :D
Deb,
Just made this with half a bag of prepared plain cabbage slaw (which I had), the spinach and only 1/2 batch of dressing and peanuts—wonderfully good even if I didn’t have time to salt and wilt the cabbage–it wilted just fine in 20 minutes in the fridge. Not as colorful without the purple cabbage but still pretty. A new family fav! Thanks for a another winner.
Just made it…. Only had white cabbage: Still fantastic!!! A keeper!
Found your site on the web today. I didn’t have all the ingredients but used your recipe as a springboard to my “refrigerator purple cabbage salad”: I threw in red pepper, a bit of parsnip, carrot, & green onions. I used some melted coconut oil instead of the peanut oil and added a dab of honey. Thanks for your lovely site and the inspiration for a beautiful, colorful, healthy salad to bring to my family get-together for the Superbowl tonight.
Yum! You definitely need to add a Pin-It plug-in to your site! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
My friend made a version of this a few weeks ago and so when I got a cabbage in my CSA share I went straight to her for the recipe. Shoulda known it was yours! I used a bland oil and added in toasted sesame oil because I didn’t have peanut oil. Also didn’t have spinach, but threw in parsley just because. So. Good.
The technique on this seemed odd to me when I first made it but I love the taste and texture of this slaw. It’s very versatile for making additions or substitutions and it is my go to cabbage salad these days. YUMMY!
I love slaw too, but my only issue with it is – what do you do with it all?! An entire head of cabbage makes so much slaw – and in a recipe like this where you use 2 halves, what do you do with the other halves?
this got rave reviews from my circle the first time i made it. it has now gone in the rotation. to the poster above: I usually just make it with one type of cabbage – still super delicious. the cabbage wilts with the salt so it’s not as much cabbage as it would appear. try pick a small head in the supermarket. i hate wasting food so this is how i do it.
This year, I’ve gone all in on cabbage. It’s like kale, but if you forget about it in the fridge for a few days, it’s still nice to you.
I made this tonight, throwing in chard from the garden in place of spinach. Fantastic with a smoked pork chop.
After having this at a friend’s house, I came home, promptly bought the ingredients, and made this into a “taco salad” that exceeded all my expectations. I left out the peanuts and added: two ears of corn, cut off the cob; a pint of halved grape tomatoes; a can of rinsed black beans; and a handful of cilantro. I topped off each serving with crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, and some shredded cheese. The slaw is amazing without these additions, but with them, it really became a whole meal. Thank you!
This was a very successful potluck dish! Pretty and tasty. I didn’t have peanuts, so I used cashews. The lime juice and salt were a little strong, but by the next day the flavors had mellowed to just perfect.
I brought this to a potluck and it was a hit! Used a whole green cabbage instead of half and half with purple and rinsed half of the salted shredded mix before mixing everything else in. So delicious–no leftovers!
Yum! I just made this and replaced the spinach with 1 cup of cilantro and added a drizzle of honey as the dressing was a little too tart for me. Delish! Living in Puerto Rico, summer is never over. I can have slaw year round!
I really want to make this but I have a peanut allergy! Any substitutions that you recommend that will still keep the nutty flavor? Almond something…? Cashew…?
Cashews would be good, especially if roasted well and salted.
I made this for a potluck today and the consensus was it is a bit too acidic. Equal parts acid and oil is not typical for a vinaigrette (I can’t recall if it’s 2 parts acid to 3 parts oil or 1 to 2…maybe something else entirely). Anyway, we loved the peanuts and the cabbage. Will make again soon, but adapt the dressing a bit.
Super simple AND delicious-my favorite combo! I put this together this morning for a pot luck luncheon because I needed something fast and easy and salad-like, thinking “at least I won’t come empty handed”. Perhaps because I substituted a savoy cabbage, whose nooks and crannies could hold more salt, I did find it necessary to rinse the salt and spin. I also added almost a teaspoon of sugar to ease the lime juice bite. Anyhoo, rave reviews all around among this foodie group. I’ll definitely be making this again!
With havin so much content do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright infringement? My site has a lot of unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my permission. Do you know any solutions to help prevent content from being ripped off? I’d truly appreciate it.
How many does this serve? Didn’t find that info provided in the recipe.
It really depends if you’re eating it as a main or side. And how big the cabbage is. One wedge can be a side serving.
Deb, thanks for your reply. Your recipe says to use the equivalent of 1 small cabbage, and we would use this as a side. So, based on these further details, can you estimate the number of servings? Sorry to press the matter, but would love to know.
How do you rinse, drain and dry the cabbage? My pieces are so little they will fall through the colander on rinsing and draining and you can’t put it in a lettuce spinner to dry. Thanks
Who knew cabbage could tast so good!!!
Loved it! For starters, scroll on if you hate when people don’t follow a recipe exact and leave a comment (it’s just not in my genes to do so and I feel like some people DO appreciate hearing the little tweaks or different ingredients one used successfully, I know I do and have often skimmed comments FOR that very reason). Anyway, in place of the spinach I used thinly sliced collard greens (what I have fresh and available to me in my southern garden at the moment). Also, for those that like a crunchy slaw (me, me, me) and want a quicker version, I skipped the salting and 2 hour draining stage. It was delicious in spite of this. I really loved the lime/cumin flavor in the vinaigrette and the peanuts are just wonderful as the crunch factor. Definitely try this if you like the flavor profiles!
@Jacquelyn I appreciate your candor! I also use recipes as a jumping off point- here I sub spinach for kale ribbons, beautiful texture, color and no slime! I also love crunchy slaw and tossing cabbage shreds ahead in lime juice brightens the flavor without minimizing crunch or too much salt. Love it!
This is a delicious salad. I followed the recipe exactly and love the vinaigrette. I do think that the suggestions about possibly rinsing off the salted cabbage is a good idea; either that, or use less than 1T. (Or, does the cabbage really need to be salted/sweated? It’s not a wet vegetable like zucchini or eggplant…)