Legume Free Basil-Pesto Cabbage Slaw
Bright, herby, and packed with crunch, this cabbage slaw gets its personality from a blender pesto dressing that comes together in under a minute. Traditional pesto leans on pine nuts or other nuts for body, but this version skips them entirely — the emulsified olive oil and fresh basil do all the heavy lifting, creating a dressing that's silky, vivid green, and completely legume- and nut-free. The combination of green and red cabbage with julienned carrot gives you a gorgeous color contrast that looks as good as it tastes. A pinch of ground ginger and turmeric in the dressing adds a subtle warmth that makes this slaw feel a little unexpected in the best way. That short rest before serving is worth every minute — the cabbage softens just enough to soak up the garlicky, lemony dressing without losing its satisfying bite. Serve it alongside grilled proteins, pile it into wraps, or eat it straight from the bowl with a fork.
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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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