Name: Latin Inspired Cabbage Slaw
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 small to medium green cabbage; 1 carrot, (peeled and ends trimmed); 1/2 cup cilantro ((one large handful)); 2 limes, (juiced); 1 Tablespoon olive oil; 1-2 teaspoons salt ((adjust to taste))

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This Latin inspired Cabbage Slaw is our family’s go to side dish for Taco Tuesday, enchilada nights….any time we need a quick and fresh side dish! With just 6 basic ingredients it comes together in minutes!!!

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Each night when I prepare dinner I try to include something fresh. I’m pretty sure my kids would happily subsist on tacos, pasta, and tofu if I let them….but I’m not sure that’s the most balanced approach! I still remember my mom serving wacky things like bananas as a side dish for spaghetti, all in the name of something fresh! And admittedly, I have served up similar pairings! Thankfully my kids really do enjoy quite a few fresh veggies, so coming up with options isn’t too tricky. One that we all agree on is this Latin inspired cabbage slaw! Just 6 ingredients, chopping in the food processor, and it’s ready to go. It makes a perfect side dish for tacos, enchiladas, tamales, and burritos!

close up of large bowl of cabbage slaw with black plate, black napkin, lime wedges, and blue background

Latin Inspired

I was first turned on to this yummy cabbage slaw at my local Mexican restaurant, under the name curtido. You could order a platter full for just $2, and it was so good! Sadly, they closed several years ago, and I missed it so much. Irving said that he grew up with a similar salad in the Dominican Republic, and started making a simple cabbage salad for us at home—just cabbage, lime juice, salt, and olive oil. Yum! So, like I do, I used his version as a jumping off point and started tinkering with my own version. I added the carrot and cilantro for a pop of color, and that fresh flavor! Though you could keep it really simple and just do cabbage if you like. The lime juice makes it a natural pairing with all of my south of the border favorite foods—tacos, enchiladas, nacho bowls, rice and beans, you name it.

Just 6 Ingredients!

One of the things I love most about this cabbage slaw is how easy it is! Just 6 ingredients, including pantry staples like salt and olive oil. I also really like that the star of this recipe is the cabbage…which keeps for some time in the fridge. That means that I can buy it at the beginning of the week, have our schedule change a hundred times, and circle back to it on the weekend and it’s still ready for me to use! Same goes for the carrots and lime. Bonus: once the salad is prepared it will still hold it’s shape for a day or two in the fridge, unlike a traditional lettuce leaf salad.

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Shortcuts

I like to take advantage of my food processor and let it do the chopping work for me! But if you want an even easier shortcut you could use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage mix from the store and just toss it with the dressing ingredients. Easy peasy!

Let’s make Cabbage Slaw!

Are you ready to make this yummy Latin inspired cabbage slaw? You’re just minutes away from an easy and fresh summer side dish! Leave me a comment below and let me know how you liked it!

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