Tangy Cabbage Slaw for Tacos
A crunchy element makes good tacos great. This tangy cabbage slaw is bright, bold, and beautiful, and it works well with tacos of all kinds, from fish to pork and beyond.
Calories: 25kcal
Ingredients
For the dressing
- ½ cup (112 grams) mayo
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the slaw
- 3 cups (185 grams) shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup (70 grams) red cabbage
- 1 cup (100 grams) shredded carrot
- ½ cup (30 grams) chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 scallions quartered lengthwise and sliced
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Shred the cabbage with a chef's knife or the shredding disc of a food processor.
- Shred the carrot on the large holes of a box grater or with the shredding disc of a food processor.
- Add shredded cabbage and carrot and the chopped cilantro and scallions to the mixing bowl.
- Toss slaw to coat it all with dressing.
- Before serving, let it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes or in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the flavors to combine.
Video
Notes
- If you don't like mayo, you can substitute two tablespoons olive oil. The slaw will have a different vibe that's also really great.
- You can substitute 5 cups of pre-shredded coleslaw mix for the cabbages and carrot. You'll still add the cilantro and scallions on your own, as well as the dressing.
- If possible, I prefer to let coleslaw rest in the fridge for at least an hour or two before serving, since it really helps the flavors blend. You can make this recipe up to a week in advance and store it (or any leftovers that haven't been out at room temperature for too long) in an airtight container.
How to shred the cabbage
You've got two excellent options for shredding the green and red cabbage. Either way, you'll start by removing any gnarly outer leaves, quartering the cabbage, and coring it. You can see this process in action in one of my very early videos. It's awkward AND instructional! For coleslaw I like to cut each cabbage quarter lengthwise into three or four pieces before shredding so that the strands won't be super-long — but the video will give you a good basic idea of the process.If you have a standard food processor, you can use the shredding disc to get nice, short, even shreds of cabbage for coleslaw. If not, simply use your chef's knife as shown in the video to cut each section crosswise. It takes longer but is perfectly manageable, promise.How to shred the carrots
If you're using a food processor to shred the cabbage, run the carrot through that as well. Otherwise you can use the largest holes of a box grater. Some carrots release quite a bit of moisture when shredded, so if you like, you can blot them dry between layers of paper towel before incorporating into the recipe.How to cut the scallions
You'll use both the white and green parts of your scallions in this recipe. While it's okay to simply slice them into thin discs, I prefer to quarter them lengthwise first. This quick step means you'll end up with fine pieces that incorporate well into the slaw, rather than little rings and wheels that don't quite meld into the whole.Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 25kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 143mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g