Gelatin Free Basil-Pesto Cabbage Slaw
Crunchy, 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 punchy blended pesto built from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and a warm hint of ginger and turmeric — all completely plant-based and free from any hidden animal-derived thickeners or setting agents. That matters more than you'd think, since plenty of store-bought dressings and pre-made slaws sneak in unexpected additives that can be hard to spot on a label. Here, everything goes straight into a blender, so you know exactly what's coating every strand of cabbage. The short rest time before serving is the secret move — it lets the vegetables soften just enough to soak up all that vivid green dressing without going limp. Serve it alongside grilled proteins, pile it into tacos, or eat it straight from the bowl with a fork. It's fresh, fast, and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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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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