Nitrate & Nitrite Free Cilantro-Lime Edamame Cabbage Salad
This vibrant, crunchy salad is exactly the kind of bowl you want to make on repeat — bright with fresh lime, fragrant with cilantro and ginger, and satisfying enough to stand on its own as a meal. Two kinds of shredded cabbage form the base, layered with edamame, julienned carrots, and scallion greens for a mix of textures that holds up beautifully even after the dressing goes on. The whole thing comes together with a punchy tamari-lime vinaigrette that gets a little warmth from fresh ginger and garlic, plus an optional kick of red pepper flakes if you like heat. Avoiding nitrates and nitrites is usually a concern with processed meats and cured ingredients, but every single component here is a whole, unprocessed food — nothing cured, nothing preserved, nothing to second-guess. The tamari adds that deep savory note without any of the additives you'd find in conventional soy sauces or deli-style proteins. Dry-roasted sunflower seeds go on last for a satisfying crunch that makes each bite feel complete. Let it rest for ten minutes before serving and the cabbage softens just enough to soak up all that zesty dressing — it's the kind of simple trick that takes a good salad to a great one.
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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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