Spring Slaw

Ali Segersten May 02, 2009 13 comments

What a gorgeous day here in Bellingham! I think it hit 75 degrees—at least on our thermometer. It was the perfect way to welcome May Day. Our 4-year-old daughter, Gracie, danced around the May Pole at her preschool celebration and made flower garlands with her friends. I made five dozen Almond Thumbprint Cookies for the celebration!

Today I wanted to share an easy veggie recipe with you—one that not only celebrates the freshness of spring, but also supports your body’s natural detox pathways. It’s a recipe we made in my cooking class last Tuesday night called “Eat Your Veggies,” and it’s one I keep returning to each spring. 

Spring is for Cleansing

Springtime is a season of renewal, lightness, and letting go—both in nature and in the body. And few foods support that process more beautifully than cabbage. This humble vegetable is part of the cruciferous family, rich in sulfur-containing compounds that the liver uses to neutralize and clear toxins.

These sulfur compounds—like glucosinolates—activate detoxification enzymes and support the production and preservation of glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant. Eating cabbage raw preserves the enzyme myrosinase, which helps convert these compounds into their most active, detox-supportive forms like sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. 

Herbs from the Front Door

Many of you probably have chives growing in your garden—or maybe somewhere tucked along a pathway. If you don’t, they’re one of the easiest herbs to grow. I have a small herb garden just outside my front door, which makes it easy to run out and gather what I need for a dish like this.

The large amount of chives in this recipe adds a pungent brightness to the already potent cabbage. The flavor is energizing and alive—perfect for this quick, expansive energy of spring. And perfect for park picnics with family and friends. 

How to Make the Slaw Last all Week

Here’s the trick I always share with students in class: don’t follow the recipe. 

Well, let me explain.

Make a triple batch of the dressing and store it in a glass jar in your fridge. Use a big head each of purple and green cabbage, as many shredded carrots as you’d like, and a generous handful of chopped chives. Process the veggies as instructed below, but store the mixture undressed in two large bowls or containers in the fridge. Keep your chopped almonds in a separate jar.

When you're ready to serve, scoop out what you need, drizzle on some dressing, toss it gently, and top with almonds. Let it sit for about 20 minutes before serving—the flavors deepen, and the cabbage softens just enough.

Whether you’re looking to lighten your meals, support your liver, or simply eat more colorful veggies, this slaw is a springtime staple. It’s grounding, energizing, and deeply nourishing.

And just like the season itself, it invites you back into balance—one crunchy, colorful bite at a time.

Recipe from our Meal Planner

Spring Slaw

Spring Slaw
Servings
6
Prep Time
15 minutes

This vibrant spring slaw comes together quickly with the help of a food processor—use the slicing disc for cabbage and the shredding disc for carrots. It’s rich in cruciferous vegetables that support detoxification and liver health, thanks to compounds like sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. Chives add a fresh, pungent note and are one of the easiest herbs to grow. Make a large batch and store the slaw undressed; triple the dressing and keep it in a jar to drizzle over individual servings throughout the week. Don’t forget the chopped almonds for a satisfying crunch!

Ingredients

Salad

4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 large carrots grated
½ cups chopped fresh chives
¾ cups chopped raw almonds

Dressing

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoons dijon mustard
½ teaspoons sea salt
Directions
  1. Using the slicing disc on your food processor, slice the cabbage. Or thinly slice with a sharp knife. Use the grating disc on your food processor to grate the carrots, or grate by hand using a box grater.
  2. Mix vegetables in a large glass bowl. Add the chives and almonds.
  3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the vegetable and toss together. Serve and enjoy! 

Use this recipe in our Meal Planner

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Posted In
cabbage GF/CF raw recipes Salads spring vegetable dishes recipe
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About the Author

Alissa Segersten, MS, CN

Alissa Segersten, MS, CN, is the founder of Nourishing Meals®, an online meal-planning membership with over 1,800 nourishing recipes and tools to support dietary change and better health. As a functional nutritionist, professional recipe developer, and author of The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, Nourishing Meals, and co-author of The Elimination Diet, she helps people overcome health challenges through food. A mother of five, Alissa understands the importance of creating nutrient-dense meals for the whole family. Rooted in science and deep nourishment, her work makes healthy eating accessible, empowering thousands to transform their well-being through food.

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Comments

mamamajuly (visitor) May 04, 2010 | 5:37pm

I know this is an old post but I just made this slaw and I had to say: it was WONDERFUL! So simple, yet so tasty. Thanks again for another great recipe!

talkinglikerain (visitor) May 15, 2009 | 8:44pm

Ali,
Thanks so much for this recipe! I didn't have chives, but it still turned out great. I ended up doing as you suggested - cutting the red and green cabbage and storing it in a container in the fridge (ready to make into slaw). When I made it up with the dressing and the almonds, I added napa cabbage as well. My 7yo wasn't too thrilled with it, so I added a small amount of mayonnaise (approx. 1-tsp) to her 1 cup of dressed slaw. It was kind of funny, because she said it was "okay, but not great" after I added the mayonnaise - but she ate the entire bowl in about 10 minutes (and she's a slow eater)! She obviously liked it quite a bit!

I have to share one more thing - I ended up mixing this slaw recipe with some leftover cooked brown and wild rice and chicken breast - poured the dressing over it and YUM! It was so good!

Thanks so much for all of your great recipes! They are truly inspiring!

Thanks Shirley - Thhis is definitely the GFE approach, I am sure you will love it! Thanks for your comment.

gfe--gluten fr… (visitor) May 03, 2009 | 9:58am

This is gorgeous. I want some now! I have to tell you I am going to cheat though. LOL I'll start off with the three-color bag of cole slaw mix, add the almonds (love them!), and try your dressing.

Thanks so much!
Shirley

Abbe - Poppy seeds would be a great addition to my recipe, thanks for the idea! Your recipe sounds great too.

Penny - You know I think Napa cabbage would work, just chop it by hand though. I think you may be right about the salad getting mushy if you left it sit for a while in the dressing, say if you were going to a picnic, but for dinner at home it should be fine, good luck!

Jennifer L. - Both Tom and I will just eat bowls of sauerkraut right out of the fridge. Though I prefer to have it with a meal, especially in the winter to help digest the denser, heavier foods. Tom will mix it with rice or quinoa and some beans for a meal (he makes this often). Also, I meant to say this in the post, I gave some of this cabbage salad to my boys, now 16.5 months old and they loved it! I bet Dahlia would like it too. :)

Barbara - So glad to hear you enjoy the book and blog, thanks for the feedback! No the thumbprint cookie recipe is not in our book, I created it last Sept. I think. It will be in the next cookbook. I had not planned on sharing it but I may in the future because there seems to be an interest.

yogamama - I am glad you got this before you went shopping, good luck with all of your cooking tomorrow and thanks for your comment.

Marci - Glad to hear you are interested in the cookies. You'll see above that I just answered this question. Thanks for your comment.

Esther - Thanks for your comment, I like easy recipes too, especially these days!

Diane - Glad I could help you do something with the cabbage in your fridge. This salad is addicting, I am sure you will love it!

Thanks, -Ali :)

thewholegang (visitor) May 02, 2009 | 8:08pm

Thanks for the info on cabbage. I'm going to make this tomorrow. I have cabbage in the refrigerator and I don't know why I've been waiting to use it. Thanks for keeping me healthy!

Anonymous (visitor) May 02, 2009 | 5:30pm

Thank you for this spring slaw recipe. I love recipes that are easy to put together and that don't have tons of ingredients. I will be making this soon!

Anonymous (visitor) May 02, 2009 | 3:34pm

I third the cookie recipe request! I love thumbprint cookies and would like a vegan and gluten, sugar free recipe if you make one. Thanks!
Marci

yogamama (visitor) May 02, 2009 | 11:52am

Hurray for cabbage and chives! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I will put these ingredients on my shopping list for today and make it tomorrow. I especially like how you have shared your ideas for making this last the whole week. I do a lot of cooking on Sundays to have meals already made for the week.

I too am interested in your mentioned cookie recipe if ever you want to share it!

Anonymous (visitor) May 02, 2009 | 11:13am

Dear Ali,
Love your and Tom's book and your blog. Thank you for your extra effort of sharing your cooking experiences with all of us. They have helped me tremendously.

In your dialog, you mentioned Thumbprint cookies and I don't remember that recipe in your book. I would LOVE to have it because thumbprint cookies are my favorite. Thanks!

-Barbara

Jennifer L. (visitor) May 02, 2009 | 10:53am

Yay! More ideas for cabbage. I am looking forward to making this.

On a different cabbage note, I just made your raw sauerkraut this week and it's good and all, but what do you eat it with? As a kid it was served (a bit soggily) alongside kielbasa and hot dogs, but those dietary days have passed. Any particular type of food that it goes well with now or do you just eat it out of the fridge?

Penny (visitor) May 02, 2009 | 8:36am

Ali, I have a quick question for you...my boys will only eat the napa cabbage (they love that one in your book with the cilantro dressing)...would napa cabbage work in place of the green and red in your recipe or would it get too mushy with the dressing? Thanks for getting back to me, I know you are busy!

Anonymous (visitor) May 02, 2009 | 7:51am

Thanks for this! I have a recipe sort of like this one that calls for rice vinegar/lemon juice in the dressing and poppy seeds in the salad. No chives though. I LOVE cabbage slaws and this one looks like an easy recipe, so thanks.

-Abbe

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