I’ve been on a slaw salad kick for the past month, and this pink slaw salad is the latest in the lineup. Not only is it the cutest color, but this pink winter slaw couldn’t be easier to make and is a great fridge cleanout salad (it uses a bunch of veggies that most of us tend to have lying about in the fridge). 

The base of this easy pink slaw is fennel, green and purple cabbage, carrots, beets, and dill, all tossed together in a sweet and citrusy grapefruit dijon vinaigrette that ties everything together so well. Need I say more?

Also, this is a riff off my shaved fennel salad, so if you liked that, you’ll love this!!

pink slaw salad in a white bowl

Ingredients for this Pink Slaw

Everything you’ll need for this pink slaw salad.

  • Fennel
  • Green cabbage and purple cabbage: I had a bunch of cabbage in my fridge to use up, which is why I used both in this salad, but feel free to just use one type of cabbage. 
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Dill 
  • Olive oil: Highly recommend using a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil – it’ll shine through in the dressing. California Olive Ranch and Terra Delyssa are my go-to brands for olive oil.
  • Grapefruit (preferably a red grapefruit): You’ll need both the juice and zest.
  • Lemon juice or champagne vinegar: I prefer using champagne vinegar as it gives the dressing a little more punch to it.
  • Honey: If you’re vegan, sub in agave or cane sugar (make sure the sugar is fully dissolved).
  • Dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt: Root veggies like fennel, carrots, and beets (as well as cabbage) need loads of salt to bring out their flavor, so if you feel like this salad is missing anything, it just needs more salt! 
pink slaw salad in a white bowl

A Few Recipe Notes 

  • If you’re new to working with fennel, linking a great video here on how to prep the bulb. Or you can watch my video on how I prepare this salad!
  • Highly recommend using a mandoline for the fennel and cabbage, especially if you want that slaw-like texture. Linking the mandoline I use here – it has three settings and works amazing!
  • Quick tip to get the perfect pink color: don’t go crazy with the beets. If you add too much the salad will be more red than pink (which isn’t a bad thing, but your slaw just won’t be pink).
  • If you feel like this salad is missing something, add salt. Fennel and cabbage are two veggies that need a lot of salt to bring out their flavor, so add a little at a time until you feel like it’s balanced.

So excited for you to make this pink slaw – it’s so pretty and tastes amazing. It also would make the perfect addition to your Valentine’s or Galentine’s menu!

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pink slaw salad in a white bowl

Pink Slaw Salad

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  • Author: Yasmeen Ali
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
  • Category: Salads
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

This pink slaw salad couldn’t be easier to make and is a great fridge cleanout salad that heavily leans on winter veggies.

Ingredients

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 fennel bulb, plus fronds, thinly sliced or grated (150 g)
  • 1/4 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced or grated (60 g)
  • 1/4 head purple cabbage, thinly sliced or grated (60 g each)
  • 1 small beet, grated (80 g)
  • 1 medium carrot, grated (60 g)
  • 1 bunch dill, roughly chopped

Grapefruit Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

  • 3 tbsp (32 g) olive oil
  • 3 tbsp (35 g) grapefruit juice
  • 1 tbsp (10 g) lemon juice or champagne vinegar
  • 1 tsp grapefruit zest (about 1 small grapefruit)
  • 1 tbsp (12 g) honey
  • 2 tsp (10 g) dijon  mustard
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed

Instructions

  1. Prep the fennel. Cut the stalks and fronds off the fennel. Save the stalks for stocks/soup, or I also like to give the stalks to my dog – they’re great for their teeth and have a ton of health benefits. For the bulb, slice it in half lengthwise and use your knife to remove the tough inner core.
  2. Prep the salad. Use your mandoline on the thinnest setting to slice the fennel, green cabbage, and purple cabbage, then add them to a large serving bowl along with the beets, carrots, and dill. Set aside.
  3. Make the grapefruit honey dijon vinaigrette. To a jar, add all of the vinaigrette ingredients and whisk together well. Alternatively, you can blend the dressing or use an immersion blender. Taste and adjust for salt as needed.
  4. Assemble and serve. Pour half of the dressing over the salad and toss with tongs (or you can use your hands; it’s easier). Adjust for salt as needed and add more dressing as needed. Serve immediately.
  5. Prepping ahead of time/saving. This salad tastes best fresh, but if you do want leftovers, only dress the amount of salad you plan to eat.

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