Tangy Purple Slaw
Most coleslaw shows up in a styrofoam cup, pale and waterlogged, dressed in something that tastes like the inside of a mayo jar from 1987. This is not that slaw.
This one is doing actual work. Red cabbage, shredded carrots, a vinegar-forward dressing with just enough maple to keep it honest, and a handful of seeds for crunch. It comes together in twenty minutes, pairs with essentially anything you throw on the grill, and the leftovers hold up in the fridge without turning into sad purple soup overnight.
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Why this works
This is not a complicated side dish. It pulls its weight nutritionally, takes just a few minutes of ugly chopping, and does not require you to dirty more than two bowls.
The dressing does the heavy lifting here. Apple cider vinegar has acetic acid that has been shown to blunt post-meal glucose spikes when consumed with or before a meal, which matters if you are navigating insulin resistance or the blood sugar swings that tend to arrive with perimenopause uninvited.¹ Extra virgin olive oil adds monounsaturated fats that reduce inflammation and support the long-chain fatty acid absorption your hormones require to function.² Seeds add crunch, a few grams of plant protein, and zinc, which your body uses for everything from immune function to progesterone synthesis.³
And the cabbage. We will get to the cabbage in a bit.
Ingredients
4 cups (360 g) shredded red cabbage
2 cups (220 g) shredded carrots
2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) pure maple syrup
1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt
¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (18 g) sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds
How to make this
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage and carrots and toss to mix.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Whisk vigorously for a full thirty seconds. The emulsion won't hold forever, but it will stay together long enough to coat the slaw evenly, which is what you need.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until everything is coated. Sprinkle with seeds and serve immediately, or refrigerate uncovered for up to thirty minutes if you want the cabbage to soften slightly. Beyond that, cover it.
Real talk: Red (Purple) Cabbage
I’m going to make a strong case for eating this purple stuff more than once a year at a cookout. Bear with me while I get science-y because you should understand how food interacts with your body and your hormones.
Red cabbage gets its color from anthocyanins, the same pigment compounds in blueberries and red wine that every wellness article name-drops without explaining what they actually do.
Here is what they do for your body: anthocyanins have been studied for their ability to reduce inflammatory markers, improve insulin signaling, and support the gut microbiome, which directly influences both hormone metabolism and blood sugar regulation.⁴
Red cabbage is also a cruciferous vegetable (like cauliflower and broccoli), which means it contains compounds ( indole-3-carbinol and its metabolite DIM (diindolylmethane)) that support the liver's ability to metabolize estrogen—which matters more than medical practitioners will tell you when you are dealing with estrogen dominance or erratic menstrual cycles.⁵
The fiber content is no small thing either. Per serving, red cabbage delivers around 2 grams of fiber that feeds the gut bacteria that regulate estrogen recirculation in the body.⁶ When that system is working, excess estrogen gets excreted. When it is not, it gets reactivated and recirculated. We don’t not want that.
Eat your red cabbage.
Storage and reheat
Leftovers keep refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. The cabbage softens over time but holds its color and flavor well. This slaw does not require reheating. Serve cold or at room temperature straight from the fridge. Do not freeze.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Yes, BUT. The slaw is at its crunchiest immediately after dressing. If you want it slightly wilted and more deeply flavored, dress it an hour ahead and refrigerate uncovered. For a party or meal prep, store the dressing separately and toss right before serving.
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Sesame seeds give a subtle nuttiness and blend into the background. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) add a bigger crunch and more zinc per serving, which makes them the functional pick. Sunflower seeds are mild and work if that is what you have. Toast any of them in a dry pan for two minutes if you want more flavor.
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Grilled salmon or shrimp, sliced chicken thighs, a lean burger, pork tenderloin. The acidity in the dressing cuts through anything fatty and brightens anything mild. It also works alongside grain bowls or as a bed for shredded rotisserie chicken if you are not cooking at all tonight, which is a valid choice.
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You can, but you will lose the anthocyanins and the hormone-specific benefits that make this slaw worth eating beyond its obvious deliciousness. Green cabbage is still a cruciferous vegetable and still contains fiber and DIM precursors. It just will not be purple, and the bragging rights diminish accordingly.
Before You Go
If this made meal time a little easier, leave a comment below or a review on the recipe card. Tell me what you swapped or what you added, I love hearing from readers!
Melissa
References
Johnston CS, Kim CM, Buller AJ. Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2004;27(1):281–282.
Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. Monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Lipids Health Dis. 2014;13:154.
Kilic M. Effect of fatiguing bicycle exercise on thyroid hormone and testosterone levels in sedentary males supplemented with oral zinc. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2007;28(5):681–685.
Tsuda T. Curcumin as a functional food-derived factor: degradation products, metabolites, bioactivity, and future perspectives. Food Funct. 2018;9(2):705–714. [Anthocyanin anti-inflammatory and insulin signaling mechanisms reviewed.] See also: Cassidy A, et al. Habitual intake of flavonoid subclasses and incident type 2 diabetes in adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012;95(4):925–933.
Rajoria S, et al. 3,3'-Diindolylmethane modulates estrogen metabolism in patients with thyroid proliferative disease: a pilot study. Thyroid. 2011;21(3):299–304.
Plottel CS, Blaser MJ. Microbiome and the pathogenesis of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2011;22(10):394–400.
Purple Slaw
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (I use Crown)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or serving bowl, combine the cabbage and carrots.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to combine
- Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss to combine. Sprinkle with seeds and serve.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
128Fat (grams)
9 gSat. Fat (grams)
1 gCarbs (grams)
12 gFiber (grams)
3 gNet carbs
9 gSugar (grams)
6 gProtein (grams)
2 gSodium (milligrams)
249 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutrition info provided as a courtesy and basic guideline. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. View disclaimer.
