Red Cabbage Salad with Tahini-Ginger Dressing
fresh, flavorful and delicious!
. . .
the perfect fall salad that brings a breath of freshness to every table.
I absolutely love colorful food and, in my humble opinion, this salad is absolutely stunning! You have purple, orange and so many shades of green, plus the golden sesame seeds … I mean, it is just gorgeous, and on top of that it is packed with nutritional benefits!
Red cabbage is a nutrient-rich vegetable linked to a variety of health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, a healthier heart, stronger bones, improved gut function, and perhaps even a lower risk of certain cancers. This vegetable is also incredibly versatile and one of the most cost-efficient ways to add beneficial antioxidants to your diet. {source}
Celery is a marshland plant that comes from the same family as carrots and parsley. It has long, firm, pale green fibrous stalks and grows in bunches. It is a great source of important antioxidants and contains compounds that can offer protection against inflammation in the body, as well as support a healthy digestive tract. In addition to its many health benefits, celery is a versatile veggie. You can eat it raw or cooked, and it makes a great addition to smoothies, stir-fries, soups, and juices. {source}
Carrot is a root vegetable often claimed to be the perfect health food. They are the perfect snack — crunchy, full of nutrients, low in calories, and sweet. Carrots are associated with heart and eye health, improved digestion, and even weight loss (who said fiber?!). This root vegetable comes in several colors, sizes, and shapes, all of which are great additions to a healthy diet. {source}
Ginger is a flowering plant that originated in Southeast Asia. It’s among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet. It is high in gingerol, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It can help prevent various types of nausea, it has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve various heart disease risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes, and it appears to speed up emptying of the stomach, which can be beneficial for people with indigestion and related stomach discomfort. Ginger appears to be very effective against menstrual pain when taken at the beginning of the menstrual period. {source}
Tahini is a paste made from toasted sesame seeds with a light nutty flavor. Aside from being really tasty, it is also rich in healthy fats and a variety of vitamins and minerals. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and its health benefits may include reducing risk factors for heart disease and protecting brain health. {source}
I love packing my salads with a ton of veggies and of course, a delicious dressing that brings it all together, so my guests can make the ‘ooooh’ ‘aaaah’ sounds that every hostess loves to hear! This is a fairly simple salad - aside from all the chopping involved - that brings so much freshness to any table and is sure to impress and please the pickiest of eaters :)
needed ingredients
preparation details
Start by toasting the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat, just be careful not to burn them - you want them to be golden in color.
I then clean all of the veggies and keep all the onion, carrot, celery scraps to use in the homemade vegetable stock. If you cook a good amount at home, it is really useful to make your own stock from the scraps. It takes a bit of getting used to, but believe me it is all worth it.
I think the salad looks even better when all of the veggies are cut differently, which is why I slice the cabbage into think strips (you can use a mandolin), I julienne the carrots, slice the celery on the diagonal (there might be a term for that, but it is escaping me at the moment) and cut the cucumber into half-moons by scooping out the seeds in the middle and slicing it. One thing I should point out is that it is good to crunch up the cabbage using your hands - this makes it a little bit easier to handle in the salad.
This dressing is truly amazing - the combination of tahini, lime, ginger and tamari (or soy sauce) is so delicious and results in such great flavor. You can even make a double portion to keep in the fridge and use with other salads, bowls and to flavor tofu. I mix about half of the dressing into the salad and then once plated, I drizzle a few more spoons on top. I do love a salad with sufficient dressing, but you can start with a few tablespoons and taste to see what feels good for you.
This salad is very versatile - it is great as a dinner salad, to serve at the holidays or even have it for lunch with some bulgur and sautéed tofu. It is truly delicious and brings such freshness to the table!
recipe
Red Cabbage Salad with Tahini-Ginger Dressing
Fresh, flavorful and delicious! This is the perfect fall salad that brings a breath of freshness to every table.
{vegetarian and vegan friendly}
Author: The Kitchen Plot
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: -
Overall Time: 15 min.
Serves: 4 (as side dish)
Perfect for: salad, appetizer, side dish
Keeps for: fridge - 1-2 days
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 medium-size red cabbage, sliced thinly or using mandolin
3 carrots, julienned (cut into matchsticks or grated)
1 cucumber, cut into half-moons
3 celery stalks, cut on the diagonal
2 scallions, finely chopped on the diagonal (save the green part for garnish)
1/2 bunch dill, chopped
For the dressing:
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp maple syrup
1 lime, juice and zest
1 Tbsp ginger (about a thumb), grated
1 garlic clove, grated
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes (omit if not a fan of spicy)
Method:
Start out by toasting the sesame seeds in a frying pan over medium-low heat for about 5 min. or until golden, stirring often to avoid burning; then transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
Slice the cabbage (or use a mandolin) and place in a large bowl. Give the cabbage a good squeeze using your hands to soften it up a bit, then add the julienned carrots (you can grate them if you prefer), cucumber, celery, the white part of the scallions and give it a mix.
To prepare the dressing - add all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl, give it a good mix. If the dressing is too thick, add 1-2 Tbsp water, until you reach the desired consistency.
Pour half of the dressing over the salad, mix well and taste, then add more if necessary. You can transfer the leftover dressing into a small serving bowl for any guests that would desire extra.
Transfer the salad into a serving plate, sprinkle the green part of the scallions, dill and sesame seeds on top, as well as a few sprinkles of the dressing, and serve.
* I suggest to flavor only as much salad as you would consume at the moment and put the rest of the unflavored salad in a container in the fridge, that way it can last a few days.
Bon Appétit!
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