Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw

posted by Kalyn Denny on September 9, 2020

If you even slightly like the flavor of raw kale you’re going to love this Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw, and this is good any time of year!

PIN Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw to try it later!

One of the fun things about having a vegetable garden is growing plants you might not have tried, and many years ago I experimented with a type of heirloom kale called Red Russian Kale. That variety of kale is recommended for eating raw, and it was the inspiration for this Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw.

And recently I made this again to improve the photos and see if I can entice fellow kale lovers to try it! I did like the flavor of the raw kale, and going partly on instinct, I combined it with red cabbage, green onions, and a slightly chile-flavored dressing to make a colorful coleslaw I thought was just delicious. For the new photos I just used organic kale from the grocery store for the kale, and you could also make it with baby kale if you want to skip the step of slicing up the kale!

What is Red Russian Kale?

Red Russian Kale is a variety of kale with purplish-gray leaves. When I grew this type of kale it was even thriving in the Utah heat, but apparently it’s very hardy in the cold as well. The leaves are shaped like oak leaves, and the stems are smaller than other kale varieties. And this is a very attractive plant, as well as being tasty, and this type of kale is sometimes grown in flower beds. From a blogger in Denmark, I learned this plant is also called Ragged Jack. And of course, the Red Russian Kale can also be cooked like other types of greens.

How to Make Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw:

(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)

1. If you have large kale leaves like I did, start by chopping off the thick stems.
2. Then fold each kale leaf over and cut out most of the thick rib.
3. Pile the kale leaves up and cut into thin slices, then chop.
4. I gave the kale a good wash in the salad spinner (affiliate link).
5. I use the Mandoline Slicer (affiliate link) to slice the red cabbage; just slice with a knife if you don’t have a mandoline.
6. Slice the green onion.
7. Whisk together mayo, white wine vinegar, Monkfruit Sweetener or sweetener of your choice, Celery Seed, ground Ancho chile or other chile powder, and a bit of salt to make the dressing. 
8. Combine kale, cabbage, and green onion in a large plastic bowl.
9. Then stir in desired amount of dressing, until all the kale and cabbage leaves are slightly coated. 
10. This will keep in the fridge for a day or two, although the red cabbage gives a slightly purplish tint to the dressing. That didn’t stop me from gobbling it up though!

More Recipes Using Red Russian Kale (or Kale):

Kale and Red Onion Savory Breakfast Squares from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Russian Kale in Portugese Soup from Calendula and Concrete
Sausage and Kale Soup with Tomatoes from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Red Kale Pesto from I Heart Kale
Sausage and Kale Mock Lasagna from Kalyn’s Kitchen

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Everything in this Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw is a perfect low-glycemic ingredient, making this a great recipe for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. It’s also low in net carbs so it should also work for low-carb diet plans.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Salads to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You can also Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for This Recipe
This recipe was first posted in 2008 when I had Red Russian Kale in my garden! Recipe was last updated August 2020.