If you tried our Beet Relish recipe, you’d know our fondness for the flavors in this Latin-inspired Roasted Plantain Black Bean Bowl, which is 100% inspired by the vegan bowl at Teote in Portland, Oregon.
Picture this: a bowl of fluffy rice, smoky black beans, citrusy beet relish, guacamole, fried plantains (have mercy), crunchy cabbage slaw, and an arepa on the side. If that’s not heaven in a bowl, I don’t know what is.
Well, the last missing element of this glorious bowl was the cabbage slaw. And by reverse engineering the flavors, I think I got it down.
Friends, say hello to the slaw of your dreams. It’s crunchy, fresh, and light, comes together in 15 minutes, is mayo-free (hip hip!), and is incredibly versatile. Put it on our plantain black bean bowl, Buddha bowls, “pulled pork” sandwich, tacos, salads, and more!
How to Cut Cabbage for Slaw
Depending on the equipment you have available, there are two options for chopping the cabbage.
Either way, you’ll first remove any wilted outer leaves. Then use a large, sharp knife to slice the cabbage in half through the core. Cut each half again so there are four chunks of cabbage. Next, slice off the white core.
- If using a knife, place the flat edge of the cabbage on the cutting board. Use your non-dominant hand to stabilize the cabbage while thinly slicing the it using your dominant hand.
- For more thinly sliced cabbage, you can use a mandolin (we didn’t find it necessary). Adjust blade to desired thickness (based on personal preference). Secure cabbage with the safety guard and slide along the blade to shred. For added safety, you can wear cut-resistant, food grade kitchen gloves.
Once the cabbage is chopped, you’ll massage it to help it soften. The thinner the cabbage is chopped, the less massaging is needed for tender slaw.
Perhaps my favorite part about this salad — aside from how quick and easy it is to prepare — are the FLAVORS.
Lime juice and zest add brightness and acidity, cumin powder adds smokiness, maple syrup a touch of sweetness, garlic powder a hint of garlic, and salt rounds everything out.
The result is a refreshingly delicious, smoky, tangy slaw that’s perfect for adding to just about any dish!
We hope you LOVE this cabbage slaw! It’s:
Citrusy
Light
Crunchy
Fresh
Quick & easy
& Versatile!
More Cabbage Slaw Recipes
- Easy Vegan Coleslaw
- Super Cleansing Slaw with Rosemary Dressing
- Cabbage Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Fish Tacos with Pineapple Cabbage Slaw
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Quick Citrusy Cabbage Slaw (Mayo-Free)
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp lime zest
- 4 cups shredded / thinly sliced red cabbage (or sub other type of cabbage // we measured slightly heaped cups)
- 3/4 cup finely chopped / shredded carrot
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red or white onion
- 1 ½ Tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp olive oil (if oil-free, omit)
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
FOR SERVING optional
- Freshly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Start by washing, drying, and zesting your lime with a microplane grater. One lime should yield about 1/2-1 tsp zest. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl add finely shredded or sliced cabbage, chopped or shredded carrots, diced onion, lime juice, lime zest, ground cumin, garlic powder, olive oil (if oil-free, omit), maple syrup, and salt.
- Use clean hands to massage for ~2 minutes (this is the best way to ensure the cabbage starts to soften and the flavors meld).
- Taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding more lime juice for acidity, lime zest for bright citrus flavor, maple syrup for sweetness, salt to taste, garlic powder for garlic flavor, or cumin for smokiness. Optionally, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
- Serve immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days (not freezer friendly). This is the perfect addition to salads, sandwiches, and bowl meals, or to enjoy as a simple snack or salad on its own!
Video
Notes
*Inspired by the vegan bowl at Teote in Portland, OR.
Sabrina says
From someone who’s not big on cabbage or cumin, this recipe is delicious! I didn’t have lime zest, so I used lemon and it was so good. I really loved how the flavours were so balanced and I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sabrina! xo
Bern says
This is a delicious salad. I made it as it is written and wished I added more lime zest and juice. Next time I make it (and there will be a next time) I will increase the lime juice and cut back the cumin from 1/2 tsp to 1/4 tsp (my teenage daughter’s recommendation).
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Bern! Thank you for sharing! xo
Karen says
I stopped searching other recipe sites and go straight to yours! Everything I’ve prepared from your site has been over-the-top delicious. This simple recipe is no exception! I’m in Ohio and winter has decided to return. So instead of my usual run to the store, I did a clean-out-the-fridge meal. I found a bag of broccoli slaw that I needed to use. I substituted the broccoli slaw for cabbage and doubled the lime juice and lime zest. . .WOW! This was the perfect addition to a bowl of roasted sweet potatoes and red peppers, black beans, Mexican corn, and diced mango.
Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Karen! That bowl sounds amazing! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Cassidy says
Super quick and cheap. I used Penzeys Southwest seasoning instead of the various seasonings recommended. We will be putting this on our veggie tacos tonight and topping salads with it. I even had a little bowl for a snack right after I made it. Would also be great for a potluck considering how easy and budget friendly it is.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Cassidy!
Kristen says
Yum! This is a beautiful salad—be sure to double if you’re feeding a group because it shrinks a lot. I didn’t have any red or white onions, so I used the white ends of some green onions and it’s still delicious.
Yum! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Kristen!
Heather says
We loved this salad! Beautiful colour and the flavours are bright. We used it for fish tacos – yum. The only thing I would change next time is to substitute honey for the maple syrup as I’m non-vegan and only really like maple syrup on my pancakes :)
Wonderful! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing your experience, Heather!
Samantha says
This was very quick to assemble and the flavors were great alongside the Black Bean Plantain bowls that the MB team has created. Highly recommend getting in there with your hands as the instructions specify to massage the ingredients and seasonings. Can’t wait to have leftovers tonight!
Love that combo, Samantha! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Ali says
Hello! I wanna try this recipe, but i really don’t like raw onions at all and I’m very sensitive to the flavor, is the taste of it too strong? should I omit it all together? or would something milder like green onions or even chives work as well?
Love the blog!
Hi Ali! Green onions or chives would be nice here! Or you can omit if you want to. Let us know how it goes!
CMT says
Surprisingly delicious! And, super fast and easy because I used preshredded green and red cabbage and carrots (Whole Foods organic coleslaw mix). Otherwise, made exactly as recipe states. Forgot to serve with cilantro (even though had some on hand) and we all loved it! Thank you for a quick, delicious and healthy recipe!
Smart! Thank you for sharing! xo
Julia T says
I followed the recipe but wasn’t a fan of the flavor. It tasted like cabbage with lime juice.
Hi Julia, sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it! Is it possible your spices weren’t fresh? If you want more sweetness, you could add a fruit like mango. Hope that helps!
Nate Thompson says
I had limited ingredients on hand so I used part of a red beat for color, used a turnip instead of carrots, and regular cabbage. I added a bit too much cumin by accident and had to use lemon juice instead of lime. I also used honey instead of maple syrup. But it turned out really well! I also added toasted sunflower seeds for protein. Thanks for the inspiration. Nice to see a salad option that doesn’t require mayo.
Ooo – sounds delish! Thanks for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Nate!
Sabine says
Loved this! Had to use lemon instead of lime and added some rice vinegar for an extra punch. I served it with miso halibut, brown rice, and seaweed wraps.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sabine. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
AJ says
Thank you for such a useful recipe! Do you think I could use kale instead of cabbage? I can’t find any recipes for kale salad without tahini, nuts or oil.
Sure! Just make sure to massage the kale with a little lime juice to tenderize it.
Tari says
Delicious. Made last night for your Black Bean Plantain Bowl. Used part red and part green cabbage. I did skip the massaging step and it was still very good. Thanks for linking it to the bowl recipe.
Yay! Thanks, Tari! Such a great pairing.
Noelle Diciglio says
Great flavor. Really good to add to tacos. Another win Dana.
Thanks, Noelle!!
Jane says
This recipe was fresh and delicious – and it was made with ingredients I already had on hand. I can’t wait to try it in combination with some of the other recipes suggested for a tasty salad bowl.
Thanks for sharing, Jane!
VICKY says
Ok this was surprisingly good! I made it right before dinner and it was good. But next day it was next level! Much more juicy and all flavors blended perfectly. So I recommend making it ahead of time for some special occasion. Im glad a made a big batch, I can eat so much of this!
Right? Don’t underestimate a good cabbage slaw! Glad you enjoyed it, Vicky!
Kayla says
Yum!! I made this with dinner tonight and it was wonderful! I used green cabbage because it’s what I had, still delicious! Tomorrow I plan to use this in some shrimp tacos.
Thank you!
Love it! Thanks, Kayla!
JoAnne says
Thank you for offering your precious time to share this recipe. I had all the ingredients and made this for lunch. In addition to the listed ingredients I added walnuts, pumpkin seeds, orange pieces and dried cranberries.
Oh my goodness, it was so delicious.
Keep creating and God Bless you for sharing.
Thanks, JoAnne! xoxo
nina from so cal says
Sounds refreshing. Want to try it. Want to add pepitas to it.
Thank you for your hard work to give others your recipes and help us all to live a little bit (actually massively more) healthier !
xo! Hope you love it, Nina!