Vegetarian Basil-Pesto Cabbage Slaw
This slaw is a serious upgrade from the mayo-drenched versions you grew up with — vibrant, herby, and packed with color from two kinds of cabbage, sweet carrot, and fresh scallion greens. The real star is the blender pesto dressing, where fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice get blitzed with olive oil into something bright and silky that coats every shred beautifully. A pinch of ground ginger and turmeric sneak in just enough warmth and earthiness to make you wonder why pesto dressings don't always work this way. Because the dressing is built entirely from whole, plant-based ingredients, there's no need to scan labels or second-guess anything — just straightforward, feel-good food. That short rest before serving is worth every minute; the cabbage softens just enough to go from crunchy to pleasantly tender while soaking up all that garlicky green goodness. Serve it alongside grilled vegetables, pile it into a grain bowl, or eat it straight from the bowl with a fork — no judgment here.
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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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