Necessity is the the mother of invention, and that’s how this red cabbage and apple slaw became a thing. We spent Labor Day weekend camping in our adorable RV with friends in the wilds of rural Vermont. In order to travel safely and comply with Vermont’s current pandemic travel guidelines, Sean and I quarantined for two weeks. Before we left, I got a relatively small grocery delivery for our trip assuming that we’d be able to find a decent grocery store near our campground.
♥ Related: Sweet and Sour Braised Red Cabbage
We did not. And I was short ingredients to round out our dinners. Though we did find a phenomenal apple orchard where we got to go apple picking. You can see where this is going. I combined some of our apple haul with a few other vegetables that I happen to throw into our cooler on our way out the door and this simple slaw was born.
The thing is, even with the limited ingredient list, the vinaigrette is so flavorful and the apples so crisp, tart, and sweet, that this dead-easy side dish is a knock-out. When I got home, the only change I made to the recipe was to add a little bit of dijon to the vinaigrette. I’ve resisted some urges to toss a few more things in. With this one, I think the simplicity is the key and I’m leaving more-than-well enough alone.
Red Cabbage & Apple Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp shallots minced
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp apple cider optional (adds an extra apple-y element but not the end of the world if you don't add it!)
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt a pinch (to taste)
- black pepper a pinch (to taste)
- 2 apples peeled, cored, and cut into matchstick sized pieces
- ½ head red cabbage, small-to-medium head shredded
- 2 scallions sliced on the bias
Instructions
- Whisk together shallots, dijon mustard, honey, apple cider, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the apple, cabbage, and scallions.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss with tongs until everything is well combined. Serve.
Notes
- The best apples for this recipe are those that are sweet with a little tart bite like McIntosh or Honey Crisp.
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