North Woods Inn Copycat Red Cabbage Salad

Raw carrot, apple, beetroot and red cabbage salad
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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Marinate: 48 hrs
Total: 48 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

This recipe for sweet and sour cabbage slaw is a copycat of the dish that is served at the popular North Woods Inn California restaurant which features Polish and American cuisine. Like many Polish cabbage salads, this dish is vinegar-based and made without any mayonnaise or other creamy ingredient. An oil and vinegar dressing is what brings this salad together, and the bit of Lawry's seasoned salt adds an extra boost of flavor.

The cabbage stands on its own as the base of this recipe, and is both finely and coarsely chopped to highlight its crisp texture. All that is needed is a simple dressing, which is a blend of vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, onion powder, Lawry's seasoning, and salt and pepper,

As quick and easy as this recipe is to put together, it does require time in the refrigerator for the flavors to meld and the cabbage to soften, so make sure to plan ahead. Forty-eight hours is the minimum, but this red cabbage salad is even better after four or five days, making it the perfect make-ahead dish for any occasion.

At the North Woods Inn, this red cabbage salad is served as a duo along with a green salad with creamy blue cheese buttermilk dressing and garlic cheese bread. You can serve this deeply colored salad as you would any coleslaw, or alongside some traditional Polish recipes such as kielbasa, pierogi, and breaded pork cutlets. You can serve it on top of grilled hamburgers, as part of fish tacos, or in a pulled barbecue chicken sandwich.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 head red cabbage

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Lawry's)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Shred half of the cabbage finely and the other half coarsely. Place in a large bowl.

  3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and seasoned salt.

  4. Toss the dressing with the cabbage. Transfer it to a zip-top bag or covered container and refrigerate for at least 48 hours or until the cabbage turns a deep red, softens a bit, and the flavors meld together. If you have the time, let the salad sit for four or five days.

  5. Serve chilled or at room temperature and enjoy.

Tip

If you don't have Lawry's or would just like to make your own seasoned salt, you can quickly put it together using what you have in your spice cabinet. Lawry's is a mixture of salt, sugar, paprika, turmeric, onion, and garlic, but feel free to add dried herbs like thyme, dill, and marjoram.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
161 Calories
14g Fat
9g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 161
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 736mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 18mg 88%
Calcium 26mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 150mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)