Fish Free Basil-Pesto Cabbage Slaw
Crunchy, colorful, and loaded with herby brightness, this slaw is the kind of side dish that steals the show at any table. The dressing is a punchy, blender-made pesto built from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and a golden hit of turmeric and ginger — no pine nuts, no cheese, no anchovies, just bold, clean flavor that coats every shred of cabbage beautifully. That matters because so many store-bought pestos and slaws sneak in fish-derived ingredients like anchovy paste or Worcestershire, making label-reading a chore. Here, you control every ingredient from start to finish. The combination of green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, and scallion greens gives you serious texture and a gorgeous pop of color, while that short 10-minute rest lets the vegetables soften just enough to soak up all that vibrant dressing. It works as a cookout side, a taco topper, or a light lunch straight from the bowl — and the whole thing comes together in one food processor and one mixing bowl.
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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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