Almond Free Basil-Pesto Cabbage Slaw
Pesto dressing is usually the one place a nut allergy can quietly ruin a dish, but this vibrant slaw sidesteps the problem entirely by building its dressing around fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil — no pine nuts, no almonds, nothing to second-guess. The result is a bright, herbaceous coating that clings to every shred of cabbage and julienned carrot, making each bite punchy and fresh. A pinch of ground ginger and turmeric give the dressing a subtle warmth that you wouldn't expect from a slaw, and it works beautifully. The technique is simple: pulse the herbs and aromatics in a blender, stream in the olive oil, and you've got a glossy, restaurant-worthy dressing in under a minute. Tossed over a mix of green and red cabbage with scallion greens for a little bite, this is the kind of side dish that disappears fast at a cookout or weeknight dinner. That short rest before serving is worth it — the cabbage softens just enough to soak up all that garlicky, lemony goodness without going limp.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the slaw
- 4 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned or coarsely grated
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green tops only)
For the pesto dressing
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, and scallion greens in a large mixing bowl and toss to mix.
- 2
Add the basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, salt, ground ginger, and ground turmeric to a food processor or blender. Pulse 5–6 times until the herbs and garlic are roughly chopped.
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