Red Cabbage Salad / Mor Lahana Salatası
WINTER SALADS TUTORIAL VIDEO
Note: By clicking on this video, you allow third parties (YouTube and Google) to access your data. Visit our privacy policy for more info.
Red Cabbage Salad is a winter ritual in and of itself.
There’s something deeply meditative about massaging handfuls of sliced cabbage until its deep blue-purple hue turns bright pink under the touch of vinegar and salt. The transformation feels almost magical -like watching the season’s last colours come alive in your kitchen!
Crunchy, tangy, and vibrant, this salad is both a side dish and a living pickle. Over the weeks, it deepens in flavour, becoming sweeter and more mellow. Red Cabbage Salad is a reminder of how time has its own way of seasoning food.
If you’re new to this recipe, you can follow along step-by-step in our Winter Salads video, where we also make Root Celery Salad and Carrot Salad for a colourful trio that brings brightness and balance to winter feasts.
Ingredients
1 medium (~1 kg) red cabbage
½ cup vinegar (any kind you like)
1 tbsp salt
For serving:
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
PREPARATION:
Remove the outer leaves and tough stem. Slice the cabbage as thinly as possible.
Rinse well and drain.
MASSAGE & PICKLE:
Place cabbage in a large bowl. Add salt and massage with your hands for 5–7 minutes, until softened.
Add vinegar and massage for another 2 minutes. The cabbage will turn a brilliant pink-purple.
STORAGE & REST:
Transfer to a jar, seal, and refrigerate.
Rest for at least 1 hour before serving for best flavour.
SERVING
Drizzle with olive oil just before serving for a smooth finish.
[Notes from the Kitchen]
Think of this as a quick pickle: flavour improves slowly over time, but keep it in the fridge. It’ll keep for months.
The salt and vinegar will burn any cuts on your hands. If you have very dry skin, we recommend using gloves.
Easy topping for green salads; goes wonderfully with grilled meats, beans, or pilav dishes.
