Thanksgiving Slaw
Thanksgiving slaw is a fresh, crunchy side dish that adds a refreshing contrast to all the rich holiday foods. It’s easy to make ahead and is the perfect festive side that doesn’t take up any oven space.
If your Thanksgiving menu is full of casseroles, mashed potatoes, and rich gravies, this Thanksgiving slaw is a welcome change of pace.
It’s a crisp, refreshing palate cleanser among all the heavy side dishes but it still feels festive thanks to seasonal ingredients like dried cranberries.
This simple salad adds a little variety to the table without creating another complicated dish to juggle while everything else is cooking.
Plus you can make it ahead to take the pressure off of the busy cooking day.
It pairs perfectly with all the traditional Thanksgiving fare from turkey to mashed potatoes and stuffing, but it’s a fresh twist that is also perfect for a Friendsgiving.
No matter the holiday occasion, this easy slaw helps make the table bright!
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need a set of ingredients for the vinaigrette and a second for the slaw itself.
For the vinaigrette you’ll need:
- Oil– Canola. You could also substitute olive oil, but I’d stay away from vegetable oil for best taste.
- Vinegar– Apple cider vinegar.
- Maple syrup– You could sub honey.
- Mustard– Dijon.
- Salt
And for the slaw itself you’ll need:
- Green cabbage– Finely shredded with the core removed.
- Pecans– Or sliced almonds.
- Dried cranberries
- Red onion– Minced.
- Parsley– Italian parsley chopped.
- Salt and pepper– To taste.
How to Make
Thanksgiving slaw is so easy to make!
To do it, add all of the ingredients for the dressing to a bowl and whisk them together to combine.
Set the vinaigrette aside.
Then toss all the ingredients for the slaw itself together in a bowl to combine.
Season the slaw with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss everything to coat.
Serve as is or cover it and let it chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours prior to serving.
If you are serving it chilled, give everything a gentle toss to redistribute the dressing prior to serving.
Enjoy!
Storing
Store leftover Thanksgiving slaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve, and give it a good toss before enjoying the leftovers to redistribute the dressing.
Tips and Tricks
- If you’re making the slaw ahead for Thanksgiving, you can prep the vegetables and dressing separately a day in advance, then combine them a couple hours prior to serving. This helps the vegetables stay crisp instead of getting soggy as they sit in the dressing.
- Use a mandolin to slice the cabbage evenly. You could also buy precut cabbage to save time.
- You can adjust the ingredients some to suit your tastes. For example, dice a couple Granny Smith apples and toss them in lemon to prevent browning and add them to the slaw for some tart flavors. If you’ve got leftovers after Thanksgiving, toss in some leftover shredded turkey.
Other Fresh Thanksgiving Sides
Thanksgiving slaw is a fresh, festive side dish that will brighten up any holiday table.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other fresh Thanksgiving sides?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this THANKSGIVING SLAW or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Thanksgiving Slaw
Ingredients
For The Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup can substitute honey, if preferred
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
For The Slaw
- 10 cups finely shredded green cabbage core removed
- 1 cup pecans or sliced almonds
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3-1/2 cup minced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk them together until evenly combined. Set aside.1/3 cup canola oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp salt
- Add all of the salad ingredients to a serving bowl, then gently toss them together until evenly combined. Season with salt & pepper, to taste.10 cups finely shredded green cabbage, 1 cup pecans, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1/3-1/2 cup minced red onion, 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves, salt & pepper
- Pour the salad dressing evenly out overtop the slaw, then gently toss until everything's well coated.
- Serve, as is, or cover and chill for 2 hours first- then enjoy.
Notes
- If you're making the slaw ahead for Thanksgiving, you can prep the vegetables and dressing separately a day in advance, then combine them a couple hours prior to serving. This helps the vegetables stay crisp instead of getting soggy as they sit in the dressing.
- Use a mandolin to slice the cabbage evenly. You could also buy precut cabbage to save time.
- You can adjust the ingredients some to suit your tastes. For example, dice a couple Granny Smith apples and toss them in lemon to prevent browning and add them to the slaw for some tart flavors. If you've got leftovers after Thanksgiving, toss in some leftover shredded turkey.
Nutrition
