This simple Greek Cabbage Salad recipe will allow you to enjoy the same delicious coleslaw you’ll find at any Greek restaurant! Greek Lahanosalata is a healthy cold salad that is brimming with bright and refreshing flavors made using 8 ingredients only. The perfect side dish for barbecues, gyros, kebabs, and more!
Healthy Greek Coleslaw – The Perfect Salad for all year round!
Summer is still here and when the weather is nice, it is time to fire up your grill! I love being able to extend my cooking beyond the four walls of my kitchen and spending some time outdoors doing what I love most! So I am really looking forward to making my favorite BBQs and Grilled recipes! I always turn to my cold salad recipes like Potato Salad, Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad and Grandmas Pasta Salad to accompany them for something cool and refreshing. And since I tried this super easy authentic Greek Cabbage Salad, it will surely be part of my summer dinner rotation!
I just love how the tender-crisp shredded cabbages have that tangy flavor with a slight sweetness and herby undertones. This raw coleslaw recipe is super easy and the ingredients are easy to find and can be replaced with simpler alternatives too.
What is Greek Cabbage Salad?
This Greek-style coleslaw is called Lahanosalata or Lahano Salata by the locals. “Lahano” means cabbage and “salata” translates as a salad. Traditionally this salad is made of cabbage, olive oil, vinegar, citrus juice, and garlic but has a lot of different variations depending on region or household. This shredded cabbage salad is a staple in Greek tables and especially during winter months when cabbage is abundant in Greece. It’s similar to coleslaw but made with a light vinegar dressing instead of a creamy sauce.
What You’ll Need and Substitutions
- White cabbage: also called Dutch or Green cabbage. If you cannot find this type, you can also use Chinese cabbage or red cabbage.
- Onion: I like using white onions because they tend to have a milder and sweeter flavor compared to yellow or red onions.
- Herb vinegar: this will give the cabbage salad tons of flavor! Herb vinegar is made with herbs, fruit, or spices giving it a much more interesting taste. In case you do not have this, you can use white wine vinegar and fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano or your favorite greek seasoning blend.
- Olive oil: I highly recommend using high quality extra virgin olive oil. However, you can also use other types of cold-pressed vegetable oil like canola.
- Water: I prefer using carbonated or sparkling water to make the cabbage shreds a little more tender! However, plain water is fine and will result in a crispier salad.
- Sugar: this will balance the acidity of the vinegar. For a sugar-free version, you can use xylitol or erythritol instead of sugar.
- Salt and pepper: add more base on your liking.
How to make Greek Cabbage Salad
As always, I recommend watching the recipe video and checking out these step-by-step instructions first. Then you can then find the full recipe with the exact measurements in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Shred cabbage
Cut the cabbage in half, then into quarters and cut off the stalk with a sharp knife. Next, cut the cabbage quarters in half again and then finely shred with a mandoline or food processor. Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl and knead well with the herb vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and black pepper until the cabbage softens slightly.
Step 2: Allow to soak
Then chop the onion and add to the coleslaw with the sparkling water (be careful – it foams a bit!). Mix everything again briefly. Cover the bowl with a smaller plate and weigh it down with an object (I took the other half cabbage). Now let the white cabbage salad sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Then you can enjoy it and store the leftovers in sealed jars. Serve as part of a Greek mezze with other dishes like tomato rice, pide bread, falafel or any way you like!
Possible Variations
- Make it spicy! If you want to give your salad a little kick, add chopped chili peppers of a few drops of chili oil. to increase flavour!
- Give it some color. I love how pristine-looking my Greek cabbage salad turned out to be. However, feel free to use a combination of white, green, and purple cabbage to make it more colorful! You can also use red wine vinegar and add some lemon juice for freshness.
- Add more veggies. Combine some shredded carrots, green or kalamata olives, greek peperoncini, tomatoes, kale or red bell pepper! This is a great way to get more veggies in your meals and also add some colors and texture to the salad.
- Sprinkle some vegan feta. What can be more appropriate than adding crumbled feta cheese to a Greek salad, right? Plus, this is a great way to add more protein to the salad!
Serving Suggestions
This Mediterranean salad is the perfect side to serve with vegan Moussaka, vegan Gyros, and Falafel. It is super versatile and also goes well with dishes like BBQ cauliflower wings, grilled mushroom skewers, and vegan chicken drumsticks. You can also use them when making sandwiches and burgers for a refreshing tangy surprise. I also especially like it as a side dish on a Greek plate with tomato rice, bean balls and tzatziki sauce!
How to store Cabbage Salad?
The homemade Greek-style coleslaw can be stored for a good 6 weeks as it preserves itself through the onset of lactic acid fermentation (similar to kimchi). However, make sure you put it in a clean sealed jar or container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator. The longer it sits, the more intense it will be in flavor and the softer the crisp-tender texture will be.
This Greek Cabbage Salad is:
- Simple
- Easy to Make
- Healthy
- Rich in Vitamin C and fiber
- Low-carb
- Refreshing
- Customizable
- As good as any you will get at Greek restaurants
- Ideal for picnics and potlucks
- The perfect side dish for your grilled and fried dishes!
More favorite recipes from Greek and Turkish cuisine:
- Greek Tomato Rice
- Vegan Bean Balls
- Greek Orzo Salad
- Vegan Moussaka
- Stuffed Eggplants
- Falafel
- Gozleme
- Lahmacun
- Lentil Bulgur Kofte
- Kumpir with Pulled Jackfruit
- Pide Bread
- Vegan Feta Cheese
- The Best Tzatziki Sauce
Recipe Video
If you try this easy Greek Coleslaw recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a review! And if you take a picture of your lahanosalata and share it on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your remakes! Enjoy! 🙂
Greek Cabbage Salad (Vinegar Coleslaw)
Author:Ingredients
Instructions
*Note: Check out the recipe video + step-by-step photos above!
- Halve and quarter the cabbage and cut off the stalk with a sharp knife. Cut the cabbage quarters in half again and then finely shred using a mandoline or food processor.
- Put the shredded cabbage in a large bowl. Add the herb vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper and knead everything until the cabbage becomes a little softer.
- Finely dice the onions and add to the cabbage. Add carbonated water (be careful - it foams a bit!) and mix everything again briefly.
- Cover the bowl with a smaller plate to weigh the cabbage down and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours to marinade.
- Serve with desired side dishes and store leftovers in sealed jars or containers. Enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to add shredded carrots or other additional veggies to your liking. You can also use other types of cabbage.
- Instead of herb vinegar, you can use white wine vinegar and fresh herbs or seasonings.
- Sparkling water will make the cabbage a little more tender, but regular water works too.
- More helpful tips and information about this recipe, including storing notes and serving suggestions, are mentioned in the blog post above!
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