Greek Cabbage Salad - Lahanosalata

Lahanosalata, also known as Greek cabbage salad, is a traditional winter salad frequently enjoyed at family gatherings. Much like other Greek salads, it is simple, featuring cabbage, carrots, and a dressing of mainly olive oil and vinegar. Beyond these fundamental ingredients, various additions can elevate this modest cabbage salad to the spotlight as a side dish for your meal.

What I also love about this Greek cabbage salad, is how good it tastes on the second day. Unlike lettuce and tomato based salads that are best enjoyed when freshly prepared, lahanosalata gets juicier and more flavorful the longer it stays with the dressing. Great for busy days!

If you are a fan of cabbage based salads, you could also try my homemade, easy coleslaw salad or if you are looking for a light, wintery salad, you should check out my Greek beet salad. So let’s get started!

Why you should try my recipe

• Quick and easy, ready in less than 30 minutes.
• Great side dish with grilled meat or fish.
• Can be added to sandwiches as a salad with ham, burger or chicken.
• Simple light, Mediterranean dressing based on olive oil and vinegar.
• No special cooking skills are required.

Ingredients & How-to

The ingredients you will need for this healthy Greek cabbage salad are: cabbage, carrots, roasted red pepper, parsley(optional), vinegar, olive oil, lemon and salt. You could use just white cabbage or a mix of white and purple for some extra color. Fresh parsley is optional, but I find it gives some freshness to the salad. I’m also using a roasted red pepper from a jar but you are welcome to use a homemade one.

01. I start by shredding the cabbages. I find it easier to cut the cabbage in quarters and then start cutting it into thin slices. I’m using half a small white cabbage and a quarter of a red or purple cabbage.

02. Next, I’m grating a couple of carrots. The carrots complement the bitter cabbage taste with their sweetness.

03. I’m using a jarred roasted red pepper that I just give it a little wash and then cut it into slices. I also like to use a little bit of fresh parsley that I coarsely chop, but that’s optional and you could leave it out if you don’t have any.

04. For the dressing, I mix some olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice from half a lemon and some salt. A simple Mediterranean dressing that brings together all the ingredients.

05. I drizzle the salad with the seasoning and leave it to sit for 15 minutes. The vinegar and lemon need to stay on for a bit to bring out the flavors from the veggies.

Substitutions

• You could also use some thinly sliced red onion or green onions.
• Some people like to add just red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar but I find adding a little bit of lemon juice on top, makes the salad taste much better.

Tips

• Leave the salad with the dressing for 10-15 minutes to rest before serving.
• Cutting the cabbage in quarters helps to shred it easier.

Serving suggestions

We usually have this Greek cabbage salad as a side dish with our main or as a light lunch on its own with a slice of bread and some olives or a dip to accompany it.

I love having this lahanosalata with my healthy, baked meatballs (biftekia) for lunch or with some roasted chicken. It is my go-to winter salad when the cabbages are in abundance.

Storage

You could store any remaining of the Greek cabbage salad in the fridge for up to 6-7 days. You will find that the longer it stays the stronger it gets from the vinegar and lemon juice. It kind of resembles pickled cabbage and it’s softer and less crunchy on the second day.

FAQ

• How long can I keep Greek cabbage salad in the fridge? Greek cabbage salad with the dressing can last in the fridge up to a week without going bad.