Apple slaw takes us from Labor Day right through Thanksgiving ~ all your favorites are in there: crunchy veggies, pepitas, dried cranberries, spiced pecans, and of course juicy apples!
Salads are an oft forgotten and always appreciated part of any fall meal. A wise menu planner will be sure to save space in the lineup for a refreshing salad to pair with tailgating brats, sliders, and all those other yummy grilled sammies and melts! The ‘slaw‘ in apple slaw is comprised of shredded red and green cabbage, carrots, golden beets, and crisp apples ~ can you say fall colors? The add-ins (think cranberries, pepitas, sunflower seeds, and spiced pecans) take it over the top into Fall (with a capital F.)
apple slaw: the details
- Savoy cabbage
- use regular white cabbage as well, but Savoy adds nice texture and a little more green color.
- red cabbage
- apple
- as you slice the apple into fine matchsticks toss it with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. I used one apple in my slaw but use two if you’d like more of an apple presence.
- carrot
- golden beet
- the golden beet isn’t necessary, but does add a gorgeous bright golden color to the mix.
- pepitas
- the tender green inner kernels of pumpkin seeds, you can use raw or roasted.
- sunflower seed kernels
- sunflower seed kernels are perfect for fall salads, use them raw or roasted.
- dried cranberries
- they add the perfect little chewy pop of sweet. You could also use golden raisins.
creamy cider dressing
The cider dressing is creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet thanks to a touch of brown sugar. You get a wonderful earthy note from a classic coleslaw ingredient: celery seed. Delish!! Just whisk it together or shake it up in a mason jar. Add more mayo for a thicker apple slaw dressing.
- mayo
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- salt
- celery seed
apple slaw menu planning
Apple slaw adds a welcome fresh crunch to cozy fall meals. Here are a few ideas for how to incorporate it into your meal planning this season…
- Ribeye Steak or Strip Steak + Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary
- Cider Braised Chicken with Sage + Honeynut Squash
- Baked Brats in Caramelized Sauerkraut + Apple Butter Baked Beans
- Apple Butter Pulled Pork + Hatch Chile Cornbread
- Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash +Sage Focaccia Bread
- Sheet Pan Tuna Melts +Skinny Fries
- Slow Cooked Apple Bourbon Smothered Pork Chops + Maple Candied Brussels Sprouts
- Ina Garten’s Mustard Roasted Chicken + Sweet Corn Spoonbread Casserole
a few variations on fall apple slaw
Think about using Barlett pears instead of apples. Fully ripe Bartlett pears maintain a relatively firm texture, making them ideal for using in this salad.
Instead of cabbage you can shred kale or Brussels sprouts for the base of your coleslaw.
Sliced almonds can sub for pecans.
Dill seed, caraway seed, or fennel seed can be used in place of celery seed.
Can’t do a salad without cheese? Maybe add crumbles of goat cheese, or skinny matchsticks of sharp cheddar or Gruyere.
Use yogurt in place of mayonnaise.
Fall Apple Slaw
Equipment
- mandoline slicer, or food processor fitted with shredding blade, optional Buy Mandoline slicers here.
Ingredients
slaw
- 4 cups shredded Napa cabbage
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 medium golden beet, shredded
- 1 apple, cut into matchsticks* and tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning. Don't peel the apple.
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup pepitas
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup spiced pecans
creamy cider dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
Instructions
- Toss together all the slaw ingredients in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and give it a taste. You may want to add more sugar, or salt. If you want a thicker dressing you can add more mayo.
- Toss the slaw with the dressing. The slaw can be served right away, or refrigerated for up to several hours ahead.
Notes
Nutrition
more fall salad recipes
- Kale and Fall Fruit Salad with Cider Poppy Seed Dressing
- Pear Salad with Creamy Walnut Vinaigrette
- Harvest Wild Rice Salad
- Kale and Butternut Salad with Maple Spiced Pecans
This sounds divine!!
Quick question … what are spiced pecans?
Spiced pecans can be homemade or store bought ~ they’re coated in a sugar and spice blend (sometimes with egg whites) and roasted until crisp. They come in lots of variations and are mostly used as snacks or salad garnishes.