Cabbage and kale coleslaw, with thinly sliced red onions, tossed with a tangy buttermilk caraway ranch dressing.
Have you heard? Kale is “trendy” these days. In fact, it may be on the tail end of its hip popularity, I’m guessing the kewl kids have moved onto something else, like radicchio, ramps, or radish tops.
“Hot” or not, kale is okay by me; we love our greens here. Kale and cabbage together are a classic combination, most notably found in Irish colcannon mashed potatoes.
Cabbage and kale are related—both are brassicas, and both are sturdy plants that store well and can live through winters. It’s only natural to find them enjoying each other’s company in a shredded slaw salad like this one.
Pulling this slaw together is a tangy buttermilk dressing, a sort of ranch dressing, with notes of caraway. It’s perfect to serve alongside fish or seafood, and with the caraway would be great with pork and potatoes as well.
Cabbage and Kale Slaw with Caraway Ranch Dressing Recipe
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (whole grain or smooth)
- 2 Tbsp champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 6 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of white pepper (can sub black pepper)
Salad Ingredients:
- 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 a large head)
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 cup, packed, thinly sliced curly or lacinato kale (center tough stems removed before slicing the leaves)
Method
1 Heat and grind caraway seeds: Heat a small sauté pan on high heat. Add the caraway seeds to the pan. Stir the seeds in the pan and heat them until they are warm and fragrant, then remove from pan. Do not brown them. Grind them with a mortar and pestle or mince them up finely with a sharp knife.
2 Make dressing: Add the shallots, mustard, and vinegar into a bowl, whisk to combine. Whisk in the buttermilk. Slowly dribble in the olive oil, whisking to create an emulsion. (You can also put everything into a jar, close the jar and shake vigorously to create an emulsion.) Whisk in the caraway seeds, salt, and pepper.
3 Assemble salad: Place the thinly sliced cabbage, red onion, and kale into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with dressing and toss to combine 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
