BHA & BHT Free Cilantro-Lime Edamame Cabbage Salad
This vibrant, crunchy salad is the kind of bowl that makes you want to eat your vegetables — and then go back for seconds. Two types of shredded cabbage form the base, layered with protein-packed edamame, sweet julienned carrots, fresh cilantro, and scallion greens for a combination that's colorful, satisfying, and genuinely exciting to eat. The dressing is where things really come alive: fresh lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, tamari, honey, grated ginger, and garlic whisk together into something bright and boldly flavored without relying on any packaged shortcuts. For anyone avoiding synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT, this recipe is a natural fit because every single ingredient is whole, fresh, or minimally processed — no bottled dressings, no flavored seasoning packets, no pre-made sauces where those additives tend to hide. Letting the dressed salad rest for ten minutes before adding the sunflower seeds is a small but smart step that softens the cabbage just enough and lets all those punchy flavors meld together. The dry-roasted sunflower seeds go on last to keep their satisfying crunch intact. It's the kind of clean, crowd-pleasing dish that works as a weeknight side or a make-ahead lunch you'll actually look forward to.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 3 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 2 cups red cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 ½ cups shelled edamame, thawed if frozen
- 2 medium carrots, julienned or coarsely grated
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green parts only)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dry-roasted sunflower seeds
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, edamame, carrots, scallion greens, and cilantro.
- 2
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, tamari, honey, grated ginger, grated garlic, and red pepper flakes, if using, until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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