Softly Cooked Cabbage and Apple Salad
Freshness in Every Bite! A Healthy and Delicious Diet Cabbage Salad
This cabbage salad features fresh cabbage generously mixed with sweet apples and crisp vegetables. It’s dressed with a delightful blend of fragrant basil pesto and zesty whole-grain mustard, creating a healthy and flavorful dish that’s perfect for a light meal or a diet-friendly option 🙂
Fresh Salad Ingredients
- 400g Cabbage
- 2 Apples
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Carrot
- 1/2 Red Onion (or regular onion can be used)
Tangy Dressing Ingredients
- 1 Celery stalk
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 2-3 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Agave syrup
- 1 Tbsp Whole-grain mustard
- 1 tsp Basil pesto
- 1 Celery stalk
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 2-3 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Agave syrup
- 1 Tbsp Whole-grain mustard
- 1 tsp Basil pesto
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start by preparing the fresh vegetables for our salad. Crisp cabbage and sweet apples are essential! We’ll also add refreshing cucumber and carrot, along with red onion for a slight pungency. If red onion isn’t available, regular onion works just fine.
Step 2
To achieve a delightful texture, shred the cabbage as thinly as possible. Thinly sliced cabbage will result in a softer, more pleasant mouthfeel.
Step 3
Next, julienne the carrot and onion to a similar thickness as the cabbage. Slicing them finely will help them integrate beautifully with the other ingredients.
Step 4
Cucumbers can sometimes have watery seeds that affect the salad’s texture. To avoid this, use a technique called ‘hollow carving’ to remove the seedy core, and then julienne the remaining cucumber flesh.
Step 5
Now, we’ll lightly cook the cabbage. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the shredded cabbage without any oil or water, and stir-fry it gently, almost as if you’re ‘sweating’ it. This process enhances the cabbage’s natural sweetness while maintaining a slight crispness.
Step 6
Don’t overcook the cabbage; just sauté it briefly until it becomes slightly translucent. Immediately transfer the cooked cabbage to a large bowl to cool. This light cooking makes the cabbage much softer and easier to digest, allowing you to enjoy a larger portion comfortably and consistently.
Step 7
Now, let’s stir-fry the carrots. In a separate pan, add a little olive oil and sauté the julienned carrots until they are tender. Transfer the cooked carrots to the bowl with the cooled cabbage. We’re lightly cooking only the cabbage and carrots; the other vegetables (cucumber, onion, apple) will be used fresh.
Step 8
It’s time to make the fantastic dressing that will elevate our salad. Finely mince the celery stalk and place it in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (adjust to your taste), 1 tablespoon of agave syrup, 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard, and 1 teaspoon of basil pesto. Whisk everything together with a whisk or fork until smooth and well combined.
Step 9
Add the julienned cucumber, onion, and fresh apple slices to the bowl containing the cooled cabbage and cooked carrots. Pour the prepared dressing evenly over the ingredients. Now, gently toss everything together as if you’re lightly flicking it, taking care not to crush the vegetables. It’s important to preserve the crisp texture of the ingredients.
Step 10
Wow! Our vibrant Cabbage and Apple Salad looks absolutely delicious and refreshing. Packed with sweet apples for a burst of fruity freshness, and enhanced by the tangy dressing, the flavor is truly delightful!
Step 11
The softened texture of the lightly cooked cabbage, combined with the zing of the whole-grain mustard in the dressing, creates a perfectly balanced sweet, sour, and refreshing taste. This salad is highly recommended as a great diet food, and it also makes a wonderful filling for sandwiches or wraps, so feel free to enjoy it in various ways!
