Easy Apple Cabbage Salad with Pecans
on Sep 15, 2019, Updated Mar 22, 2024
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Apple cabbage salad with pecans is a crunchy and bright salad similar to cole slaw with just a hint of sweetness from the fruit. My favorite chopped salad of fall.
Love a crunchy and colorful salad? Me, too! I have plenty of recipes for you to play with: Thai Chopped Salad with the Best Peanut Dressing and Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Lime Dressing are all great contenders.
Easy Apple Cabbage Salad with Pecans
There’s something about September that makes it SUCH a fun time of year to cook. The summertime produce selections are still hanging around gardens, farmers’ markets, and grocery stores, while fall staples begin making their way onto the scene, too. I love anything apple, berry, pumpkin, sweet potato, cabbage, or tomato this time of year because it’s one of the few times of year that all those lovely fruits and veggies are in season and ripe for the picking!
This crunchy and delicious apple cabbage salad with pecans epitomizes the perfect summer-to-fall side. It packs a whole lot of crunch, freshness, and beautiful colors that are as perfect during the heat of a late summer afternoon as they are in a slightly chilled evening that comes from early autumn. I just love this recipe because it’s simple, refreshing, and doesn’t feel like your typical salad with leafy greens. The dressing is just scrumptious and easy as can be to whip up, too!
How do you shred cabbage for apple cabbage salad?
I like buying the bag of already-shredded “angel hair” green cabbage from the store because it saves time and dishes. But if you can’t find the bagged version or want to shred your own, just remove the outer layer of leaves from the cabbage, cut the head in half, and then delicately slice it into thin strips until you get about 10 ounces, or 4 cups.
How long does apple cabbage salad with pecans last?
Undressed, this salad will last up to 2 to 3 days in the fridge. The apples might get a little brown from oxygen, but they should still taste fine if you eat it within a couple days. I’ve found that when you dress this salad, leftovers do get soggy. So if you expect you’ll have leftovers, plate the salad dry, and allow everyone to add their own dressing to their servings.
What is apple cabbage salad with pecans made of?
This salad is so fresh and simple! It’s sort of like a cole slaw, minus the creamy dressing. You’ll need sliced green cabbage, broccoli slaw, a green and a red apple, green onions, and pecans (either toasted or raw). Dry cranberries and crumbled bacon would also be divine mixed into this! To hand-make the delicious vinaigrette, add olive oil, cider vinegar, maple syrup or honey, salt, and pepper to a mason jar, and shake it all up to create a subtly sweet and tart dressing.
Can you eat cabbage raw?
Yep! It’s got lots of good vitamins and minerals, and you can have it raw or cooked (say, in a soup or casserole).
Video of how to make apple cabbage salad:
Apple Cabbage Salad with Pecans
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 bag "angel hair" finely sliced green cabbage, (about 10 ounces)
- 1 bag broccoli slaw, (about 12 ounces)
- 2 large apples, one red and one green, preferred, cored and chopped
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1 cup pecans, toasted if you’d like
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl, and toss to combine. You could also add the cabbage and broccoli slaw, toss to combine, and then just keep the apples, onion, and pecans on the top so that it looks pretty before serving — it’s up to you.
- To make the dressing, add the oil, vinegar, maple syrup (or honey), salt, and pepper to a small jar with a screw-on lid (like a mason jar), add the lid, and shake well to combine.
- Serve the salad and dressing separately, and let people dress their salad as they like.
Video
Notes
- The addition of dried cranberries and some bacon would be fabulous.
- Not wanting to make a dressing? A store-bought vinaigrette or poppy seed dressing would be great on this.
- If you are serving this to a crowd, you may dress the salad just before serving. I have found that the leftovers of the salad don’t keep if they are dressed, though. It tends to get soggy.
Nutrition
Other easy salads you’ll love:
- Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
- Creamy 6-Cup Ambrosia Fruit Salad
- Cornbread Salad
- Thai Chopped Salad with the Best Peanut Dressing
- Barbecue Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad
- Classic Potato Salad Recipe
- Deli-Style Broccoli Salad
- Deli-Style Broccoli Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe
This apple cabbage salad with pecans is a real treat to enjoy with grilled or BBQ foods, or just by itself for a light, refreshing, crunchy, and colorful plate!
Hello,
Is there mustard in the dressing for this recipe? And if so, how much? I was watching the video, and it looked like you added mustard, but I don’t see it in the recipe.
Thank you so much! This looks wonderful!
So yummy and so easy!