Artificial Food Coloring Free Smoky Paprika Fennel & Citrus Slaw
This slaw is a showstopper on the table — vivid, crunchy, and layered with flavors that feel way more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Thinly sliced fennel, shredded red cabbage, and julienned carrots get tossed with fresh orange segments and a smoky, citrus-forward dressing built from smoked paprika, cumin, honey, and two kinds of fresh-squeezed juice. Every bit of that gorgeous color comes straight from real vegetables and spices, with zero synthetic dyes hiding anywhere in the mix — which is exactly what makes it such a reliable choice when you're avoiding artificial additives. That can be harder to guarantee with store-bought slaws and bottled dressings, where colorants often sneak in to make things look more vibrant. Here, the red cabbage and carrots do all the visual heavy lifting on their own. A short ten-minute rest lets the vegetables soften just enough and the flavors meld beautifully, so it's as good alongside grilled proteins as it is piled onto tacos or grain bowls. Finish it with fennel fronds and raw pumpkin seeds for a little extra texture and you've got a side dish that looks like it took serious effort — but really didn't.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the slaw
- 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced, fronds reserved
- 2 cups red cabbage, very thinly shredded
- 2 medium navel oranges, peeled and segmented
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned or coarsely grated
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh orange juice (from the segmented oranges)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh fennel fronds, roughly chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Segment the oranges over a small bowl to catch the juice: slice off the top and bottom of each orange, stand it upright, and cut away the peel and pith following the curve of the fruit. Slice between the membranes to release each segment. Squeeze the spent membranes over the bowl to collect the juice; measure out 3 tbsp for the dressing.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tbsp orange juice, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cumin, honey, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is smooth and uniform in color.
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