Honey Free Basil-Pesto Cabbage Slaw
Crunchy, colorful, and loaded with herby brightness, this slaw is the kind of side dish that quietly steals the show at any table. The dressing is a blender pesto built from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil, with a subtle warmth from ground ginger and turmeric that makes it genuinely interesting. Many store-bought slaws and bottled dressings sneak in sweeteners, so making everything from scratch here means you stay in complete control of what goes into the bowl. The technique is simple — pulse, stream, toss — and the result is a vivid, glossy dressing that clings to every shred of cabbage and carrot. A short rest before serving is the secret step: the cabbage softens just enough to soak up all that flavor without losing its satisfying crunch. Serve it alongside grilled proteins, pile it into tacos, or eat it straight from the bowl — it holds up beautifully either way.
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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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