Mayo-Free Cabbage Slaw with Lemon Vinaigrette

Name: Mayo-Free Cabbage Slaw with Lemon Vinaigrette
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 small head (about 1¾ lb) (800 g) green cabbage, outer leaves removed, quartered, core removed, very thinly sliced into ⅛-inch ribbons (about 8 cups); 3 medium (200 g) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated (about 1½ cups); 4 whole (60 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced; ½ cup (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, loosely packed leaves, roughly chopped; ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 tablespoon (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard; 1½ tablespoons (32 g) honey; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (Diamond Crystal; use ¾ tsp if using Morton); black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (about ½ teaspoon)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp green cabbage and carrots tossed in a bright, tangy lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. No mayonnaise, so it holds up beautifully at picnics and barbecues and gets better as it sits.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Wait: 30 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: About 8 cups (8 side-dish servings)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

8 servings

For the slaw
1 small head (about 1¾ lb) (800 g) green cabbage, outer leaves removed, quartered, core removed, very thinly sliced into ⅛-inch ribbons (about 8 cups)
3 medium (200 g) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated (about 1½ cups)
4 whole (60 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
½ cup (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, loosely packed leaves, roughly chopped
For the vinaigrette
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
1 tablespoon (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard
1½ tablespoons (32 g) honey
1 small clove (3 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (Diamond Crystal; use ¾ tsp if using Morton)
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (about ½ teaspoon)

Equipment (7)

Large mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L)
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Box grater or food processor with shredding disc
Small bowl or jar with lid for the dressing
Whisk
Citrus juicer or fine-mesh strainer
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Plan for 30 minutes of resting time so the cabbage softens slightly and absorbs the dressing.
Wash and thoroughly dry the cabbage and herbs; wet leaves dilute the vinaigrette.
You need about 2 large lemons for ¼ cup juice plus 1 tablespoon zest; zest before juicing.

1
Prep the cabbage
- Remove any wilted outer leaves from the cabbage.
- Cut the head into quarters through the core, then cut the core out of each quarter at an angle.
- Lay each quarter flat and slice crosswise as thinly as you can, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Transfer to a large bowl and loosen the ribbons with your fingers.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cabbage is in fine, even ribbons that look light and feathery, about 8 cups.
Tip: Thin slicing matters: thick pieces stay tough and won't absorb the dressing.
2
Add the vegetables
- Peel the carrots and coarsely grate them on the large holes of a box grater.
- Thinly slice the scallions.
- Roughly chop the parsley.
- Add the carrots, scallions and parsley to the cabbage.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Carrots are in short, fluffy shreds with no large chunks.
Tip: A food processor shredding disc does the cabbage and carrots in about 2 minutes.
3
Zest and juice lemons
- Finely grate the zest from the lemons first, measuring 1 tablespoon.
- Then halve the lemons and squeeze ¼ cup (60 ml) juice through a fine-mesh strainer to catch seeds and pulp.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: You have 1 tablespoon zest and ¼ cup seed-free juice.
Tip: Grate only the yellow zest; the white pith is bitter.
4
Whisk the vinaigrette
- In a small bowl or lidded jar, combine the lemon juice, zest, Dijon, honey, grated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Whisk (or shake) until the honey dissolves.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking, or shake the jar vigorously for 20 seconds.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dressing looks thick, creamy and opaque, with no visible separated oil.
Tip: Dijon is the emulsifier; add the oil slowly so the dressing stays blended.
5
Toss the slaw
- Pour the vinaigrette over the cabbage mixture.
- Using clean hands or tongs, toss and gently squeeze for about 1 minute so the dressing coats every ribbon and the cabbage begins to soften.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All the cabbage glistens and the bowl has started to collect a little liquid at the bottom.
6
Rest and season
- Cover and let the slaw rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 2 hours, tossing once halfway.
- Then taste and adjust: add a pinch of salt if flat, a squeeze of lemon if you want more tang, or a little honey if too sharp.
- Toss again and serve.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cabbage is tender-crisp: it bends easily but still crunches, and tastes bright and balanced.
Tip: Salt draws water out of the cabbage, so give the slaw a final toss and drain any excess pooled liquid with tongs when serving.

Good to know

Tips

Slice the cabbage as thinly as possible; it is the biggest factor in texture.
Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled, for a clean, bright flavor.
For extra crunch, fold in toasted sunflower seeds or sliced almonds just before serving.
Dress and rest only as long as needed if serving the same day; very long marinating makes the slaw watery.

Make ahead

"Make the vinaigrette up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in a sealed jar; shake well before using. Shred the cabbage and carrots up to 1 day ahead and store separately, covered, in the fridge. Dress the slaw at least 30 minutes, and up to 4 hours, before serving for best crunch."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F/32°C). Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container; it softens but stays tasty. Toss and drain excess liquid before serving. Not suitable for freezing."

Substitutions

honey → maple syrup or granulated sugar. Use the same amount of maple syrup, or 1 tablespoon sugar; whisk until dissolved.
green cabbage → red or Napa cabbage, or a bagged coleslaw mix. Red cabbage is chewier and will tint the slaw pink; Napa is more tender and needs only 15 minutes of resting.
fresh flat-leaf parsley → fresh dill or cilantro. Use the same amount; dill is especially good with the lemon.
scallions → thinly sliced red onion. Use ¼ cup; soak in cold water for 5 minutes and drain to mellow the bite.