BHA & BHT Free Basil-Pesto Cabbage Slaw

Total time30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time0 min

Crisp, colorful, and loaded with herby brightness, this cabbage slaw is the kind of side dish that steals the show at any table. The dressing is a vibrant, blender-made pesto built entirely from fresh basil, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice — no preservatives, no additives, just real ingredients you can see and smell. That matters a lot when you're avoiding synthetic antioxidants like BHA and BHT, which sneak into bottled dressings, packaged nuts, and even some oils with alarming regularity. Making the dressing from scratch here completely sidesteps that problem. A pinch of ground ginger and turmeric give the pesto an unexpected warmth that plays beautifully against the cool crunch of shredded green and red cabbage. After a short rest, the cabbage softens just enough to soak up all that garlicky, lemony goodness without losing its satisfying texture. It's fresh, it's fast, and it's the kind of recipe you'll want on repeat all season long.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the slaw

4 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
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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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