Nordic red cabbage and apple salad
September 19, 2026 · 3 min read
Red cabbage keeps for weeks in the fridge and turns into a salad with almost no effort, which is exactly why it earns its place on a Nordic autumn table. Shredded fine and dressed with rapeseed oil and mustard, it softens just enough to eat raw while staying crisp, and tart apple and toasted walnuts give it sweetness and crunch. The whole thing comes together on a cutting board with no heat at all.
It's the rare salad that's better the next day, so it doubles as a make-ahead side for a crowd.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons rapeseed (canola) oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 head red cabbage (about 1 lb), thinly shredded
- 2 tart apples, julienned
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Steps
- Whisk the rapeseed oil, vinegar, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
- Thinly shred the red cabbage, julienne the apples, and grate the carrot, adding each to the bowl as you go.
- Toss well to coat, fold in the walnuts and dill, and let the salad sit 15 minutes to soften slightly before serving.
How it comes together
Makes 6 servings — read left to right; each column combines what's behind it.
PrepToss the julienned apple in a little of the vinegar before it goes in — the acid keeps it from browning while you shred the rest.
| 3 tbsp · 42 g rapeseed oil | Whisk the dressing | ||
| 2 tbsp · 30 g apple cider vinegar | |||
| 1 tbsp · 15 g Dijon mustard | |||
| 1 tsp · 7 g honey | |||
| saltto taste | |||
| black pepperto taste | |||
| ½ red cabbagehalf a head, thinly shredded | Shred and slice | ||
| 2 tart applesesjulienned | |||
| 1 carrotgrated | |||
| ⅓ cup · 40 g walnutschopped | Toss and rest | ||
| 2 tbsp fresh dillchopped |
Scaling adjusts quantities only — cooking times and pan sizes may need judgment. Grams are rounded for the kitchen.
Swaps
Green or savoy cabbage works in place of the red if that's what's on hand, though you lose the deep purple color. Pear stands in for the apple, and a handful of dried lingonberries or cranberries pushes it sweeter and more festive. Swap the walnuts for toasted hazelnuts or pumpkin seeds, and use white wine vinegar or lemon juice if you're out of cider vinegar. A crumble of blue cheese or aged Nordic cheese over the top turns the side into a light lunch.
Notes
Shred the cabbage as thin as you can. Thick ribbons stay tough and don't take the dressing; a sharp knife, a mandoline, or the slicing disc of a food processor all get it fine enough to soften. The 15-minute rest matters — it's what lets the cabbage relax and the flavors settle, and a longer rest in the fridge only improves it. Toss the apple in a little of the vinegar early to keep it from browning.
Say "red cabbage and apple salad with walnuts" to Nordic Diet Companion and it logs the vegetables, fruit, and nuts on the plate in one line, no weighing needed.
FAQ
Can I make this ahead? Yes, and you should. It holds three to four days in the fridge and the flavor deepens overnight; add the walnuts just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Why does red cabbage sometimes turn blue? Its pigment reacts to pH — alkaline conditions turn it blue-purple, while the acid in the vinegar keeps it bright red. That's another reason the dressing goes on early.
Do I need to cook the cabbage at all? No. Shredded thin and left to sit in the dressing, raw red cabbage softens to a pleasant crunch on its own. This is a fully no-cook salad.
What main dishes go with it? It's a natural partner to pork, sausages, or roasted fish, and it sits well next to roasted root vegetables or a lentil and salmon salad on a cold-plate spread.
Can I leave out the honey? Yes. The apple brings its own sweetness, so drop the honey for a sharper, more savory salad, or add a touch more if your apples are very tart.