Red Cabbage and Dill Slaw ~ this colorful slaw goes with anything and everything this summer…I say skip the deli counter and make your own, it’s easy, healthier, and costs just pennies per serving!
I can feel it, this red cabbage cole slaw recipe is the beginning of a slaw binge. I don’t know how many of them will wind up on the blog, I don’t want to drown you in slaw, but for me, I’m craving the stuff, and the cool peppery crunch just feels right with everything these days.
Every cuisine has a version of slaw, and that’s because cabbages are the workhorses of the food world ~ they’re healthy, sturdy, and cheap.
This one had roots in Pennsylvania Dutch country, where slaw is serious business. A creamy buttermilk dressing, an entire bunch of fresh dill, chopped pickles, and pickle juice make this red cabbage and dill slaw stand out from the rest.
The best slaw is sliced, not shredded, at precisely 1/8″ ~ any thicker and it will be tough to eat, any thinner and it disintegrates into mush. Trust me on this.
I use a mandoline slicer for slicing my cabbage. This will be the quickest method with least cleanup. You can control the exact thickness of your slices, which is important. For this salad I cut up a small head of cabbage, and about a half of a small sweet onion, I love Vidalias when I can find them.
I add a whole bunch (literally, an entire bunch) of chopped fresh dill, and a couple of finely diced dill pickles.
The buttermilk mayo dressing is thinned with pickle juice and a touch of vinegar. There are mustard and celery seeds in there as well.
TIP: Don’t thin your dressing down too much, the cabbage will release moisture as it sits in the refrigerator, and will naturally thin out the dressing, so I like to start with a relatively thick mixture.
Red cabbage is so healthy, and that gorgeous purple color signifies so many nutritional benefits ~ it has more vitamin C than oranges, and tons of anti-oxidants.
FOOD STYLING TIP: Save some fresh dill to scatter over the red cabbage cole slaw just before serving, the colors will really pop.
Make it Your Own!
- Make it vegan by substituting oil and vinegar for the mayo and buttermilk, try 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.
- Give it a kick ~ try a dab of horseradish or horseradish cream in the dressing.
- Add shredded carrots for extra color.
- Use gherkin pickles instead of dills.
- Sweeten it like the Amish do with a tablespoon of sugar in the dressing.
- Make it even healthier and reduce fat and calories by substituting Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise.
- This would make a pretty green slaw with regular, napa, or savoy cabbage.
Ingredients
- l medium head red cabbage, about 1 1/2 pounds
- 1/2 small sweet onion such as Vidalia, Maui, or generic sweet
- 1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup after chopping) Reserve some for garnish
- 2 dill pickles, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 Tbsp buttermilk
- 4 Tbsp dill pickle juice, strained
- 3-4 Tbsp apple cider or champagne vinegar to taste
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- fresh chopped dill
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage in half, and then into quarters. Slice away the white core. Cut the quarters into 1/8 inch slices, a mandoline slicer works well for this, Put the cabbage in your largest mixing bowl.
- Slice the onion into 1/8 inch slices, and cut the rounds in half. Separate the strands as you add them to the bowl. Add the chopped dill and pickles and toss well.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and give it a taste to adjust. Toss the slaw with enough dressing to thoroughly moisten, but don't drown it, you may have extra dressing. Cover well and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- Just before serving toss again, add more dressing if necessary, and garnish with fresh dill.
Notes:
- There’s a sweet spot for serving slaw, and it’s somewhere between 1 and 4 hours after it’s been made. Any less time and the flavors won’t have a change to sink in and tenderize the cabbage ~ any more time and it slowly starts to break down and loose crunch and color. That being said, the slaw will be perfectly fine the next day, I’m just being a perfectionist about it ;)
- Be sure to taste it before you serve it…you may want to add more salt, more vinegar, or more pepper, etc.
Don’t forget to pin this healthy and delicious Red Cabbage and Dill Slaw!
29 Comments
Cheryl
June 3, 2017 at 12:47 pmMade this slaw last night to go with grilled salmon. It is a good looking dish but I found it lacking in flavor I added more apple cider vinegar and chopped pickles but something is missing. Maybe I just like a sweeter slaw dressing. Will try again with bread and butter pickles or maybe pineapple. The long shed didn’t go over so well, so I’ll go smaller next time.
Sue
June 3, 2017 at 12:54 pmHey Cheryl ~ thanks for your feedback. I tend to like my dressings on the simple side, flavor wise, but you can definitely intensify it with more vinegar. You can also try a bit of onion salt, or mustard powder. I love horseradish cream, too. And if you’re looking for that store-bought or ‘deli’ coleslaw flavor, they definitely sweeten theirs, so play around with a little sugar or brown sugar mixed in. Hope this helps!
Sue
June 3, 2017 at 1:46 pmAnd this might be controversial, but you could try Miracle Whip in place of mayo ;)
Cheryl
June 4, 2017 at 8:42 amI’m not a fan if MW but I might try a sprinkle of sugar. I’m also considering a handful golden raisins. Since my leftovers are soft, the texture of raisins might not be as distracting as they would in the fresh-made slaw.
Cheryl
June 4, 2017 at 8:37 amOh, I like the idea of mustard powder! It’s a level of zing I often prefer over that of vinegar. I’ll experiment and let you know how it goes. :-)
Susan
June 2, 2017 at 5:58 amThe red/purple cabbage and bright green dill look so beautiful together! I love slaws of all kinds and they are a perfect side for so many summer entrees. Lovely!
Abbe@This is How I Cook
June 1, 2017 at 8:39 pmWe eat a lot of slaw around here. Manservant prefers it over salad! Loving this version!
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness
June 1, 2017 at 7:20 pmI have never had pickles or dill in slaw before, but I am loving it. This is on my list to make. I love cole slaw, I could eat every day of the week. The red cabbage looks great!!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
June 1, 2017 at 5:54 amI actually have a weird obsession with cole slaw… like, I can eat just a vat of it for a meal. :) Naturally I am LOVING this one!! It’s soooo gosh darn pretty! And I love that dill!! Can’t wait to try this! Cheers, friend!
Sue
June 1, 2017 at 7:24 amWe’re kindred spirits Cheyanne :)
cakespy
June 1, 2017 at 3:48 amI really don’t think I have ever called a slaw recipe “pretty”, but this one certainly is, as a picture! Lovely and sounds so refreshing!
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today
May 31, 2017 at 11:35 pmI really like all the colours, it looks like spring, I’m trying it!
Velva
May 31, 2017 at 6:22 pmThis is what makes slaw great! Its fresh, its vibrant. You are right goes with almost everything.
Its beautiful. Love it.
Velva
Sue
May 31, 2017 at 7:42 pmThanks Velva <3
Milena | Craft Beering
May 31, 2017 at 4:37 pmDefinitely pleasing to the eye, Sue. I would even double the amount of dill, love fresh dill so much:). This coleslaw and a crab cake or some grilled fish make a dreamy dinner!
Sue
May 31, 2017 at 7:27 pmHow about a dill slaw, Milena, I know we can come up with a great one!
cheri
May 31, 2017 at 4:00 pmThis has to be the prettiest slaw out there Sue, I can see why you are craving this sweet crunchy veggie.
Cathy
May 31, 2017 at 1:10 pmI’m a big slaw fan. This one is really delicious- I love the dill and pickle flavors. And it’s very pretty on the plate!
Sue
May 31, 2017 at 4:02 pmThanks Cathy ~ I always try to emphasize the ‘pretty’ factor when I can :)
Chris Scheuer
May 31, 2017 at 10:06 amThis is so pretty in addition to being a wonderful addition to my slaw recipe collection! I love the purple and green!
Sue
May 31, 2017 at 3:25 pmI know, I’ve got a collection going, too, there are so many ways to spin this!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
May 31, 2017 at 9:53 amThis colorful version really sounds good with the dressing and pickles. Can’t wait to give it a try.
John/Kitchen Riffs
May 31, 2017 at 8:48 amI’ve got a bunch of dill growing in my garden! And itching to use it. :-) This is SO pretty — love the color. Thanks!
Sue
May 31, 2017 at 11:47 amThanks John, how nice to have a garden full of dill!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert
May 31, 2017 at 5:40 amI love how inexpensive this is and with such beautiful color too! I can see this on sandwiches, along side BBQ – everything and anything. Great summer recipe!
Sue
May 31, 2017 at 7:53 amIsn’t it funny that the healthiest foods are often the cheapest!!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
May 31, 2017 at 5:36 amNo way I can find red cabbage in spring time…so save this for next season. It looks stunning!
Sue
May 31, 2017 at 6:45 amThat’s strange Angie, because it’s a year round grocery staple here!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
May 31, 2017 at 4:52 amWhat a perfect coleslaw! Love the red cabbage. So pretty :) And all the dill. Yes please :)