This crunchy, colorful purple cabbage coleslaw with carrots and apples is the perfect side for a cookout or picnic. A simple dressing uses a base of both mayo and olive oil so it’s creamy without being heavy. This slaw is full of crunchy fresh veggies, nuts, and seeds, and has the perfect balance of tangy, salty, and sweet flavors. It’s delicious as a sandwich topping, too, and is a great way to use up leftover red cabbage!

Purple cabbage coleslaw with carrots and apples in a large bowl with wooden tongs.

Maybe you made some barbecue and need the perfect crunchy slaw to add to your pulled pork sliders. Maybe you need a fresh side to go with some burgers or grilled barbecue chicken.

Or maybe you’re like me. You just made some delicious flank steak tacos and used up a cup of shredded red cabbage for some crunch, but you have the entire rest of the head to use up. What do you even DO with a ton of purple cabbage?

Well, I made this purple cabbage and carrot slaw and it’s absolutely to die for!! It may have started out as a using-up-leftover-cabbage recipe, but it will be added to our regular rotation for sure.

It’s colorful, fresh, crunchy, and flavorful. Just the right balance of tangy, sweet, and creamy, without drowning in a heavy dressing.

Red cabbage coleslaw in a large bowl with tongs.

In fact — and this is a litmus test in our house of when something’s REALLY good — my husband said he was going to bring the leftover slaw to work the next day instead of his usual mixed veggies and nuts. This man almost NEVER eats leftovers for lunch.

Let’s get down to it!

Ingredients

This recipe uses cabbage, carrots, and apples as the shredded base of the slaw, plus some nuts and seeds for extra crunch!

For the purple cabbage and carrot slaw

Purple cabbage (also known as red cabbage): This recipe uses about a pound of red cabbage. This is a whole small cabbage (a little bigger than a softball) or a half a large one. I swear cabbage quadruples in size once you shred it finely, so don’t worry if your cabbage looks a little small.
Carrots: Is there anything better looking than some bright orange next to the purple of the cabbage? A pound of carrots, also shredded. You can use the large holes on a box grater for this but I found it much quicker and easier to use the shredder blade on my food processor.
Apples: Shredded apples add a perfect amount of juicy sweetness to this slaw. I used Pink Lady because it’s what we had on hand, but you can use your favorite red or pink eating apple. I shredded them in the food processor along with the carrots.
Pepitas: I LOVE these salty shelled pumpkin seeds. They’re like oversized sunflower seeds. I usually find them in plastic tubs near my grocery store’s produce department. If you can’t find them, you can sub salted sunflower seeds for a similar effect.
Sliced almonds: For another layer of crunch!

For the dressing

Mayonnaise and olive oil: I wanted a creamy dressing without being as heavy as a mayo-only slaw, so I used a mix of half mayo and half olive oil as the base of the dressing.
Apple cider vinegar and fresh lemon juice: This provides a fruity tang for the slaw.
Sugar: The apple in the slaw helps balance the tanginess of the dressing, but a small amount of white sugar helps too.
Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes: Ooooh that hint of a kick from the red pepper flakes along with the sweet apple and tangy dressing? Chef’s kiss!

Equipment

Food processor: Recommended

A good food processor is your best friend for making purple cabbage and carrot slaw. If you have one with a slicer blade for the red cabbage and a grater blade for the carrots and apples, you’re golden!

You can adjust the width of your slices by turning the knob on the bottom of the slicer blade. I set it to the lowest setting because I love my cabbage shredded super fine like angel hair!

Labeled images of a food processor slicer blade, adjustment for slicer blade, and shredder blade.

Mandoline slicer and box grater: If you don’t have a food processor

No food processor or fancy blades? You can use a mandoline slicer (also on a fine setting!) or some ninja knife skills to cut your cabbage finely, and use the large holes on a box grater to shred your carrots and apples. Be careful of the mandoline blade!

Shredding purple cabbage with a mandoline slicer.

How to make purple cabbage coleslaw

Shred the cabbage, carrots, and apples.

Quarter and core the cabbage, cut into small wedges that will fit in the food processor, and use the slicer blade on the food processor to shred cabbage (images 1-4). If you don't have a food processor, use a mandoline slicer or a knife to shred cored cabbage quarters or halves.

Top left, cutting the core out of cabbage. Top right, cutting cabbage into a small wedge. Bottom left, putting cabbage in a food processor. Bottom right, shredded cabbage in a large bowl.

Peel the carrots, cut off the ends, and shred in the food processor with the grater blade. (images 5-8). If you don't have a food processor, use the large holes on a box grater.

Top left, peeling a carrot. Top right, cutting ends off carrots. Bottom left, putting carrots in a food processor. Bottom right, shredded carrots in food processor bowl.

Peel the apples, cut around the core into wedges, and shred in the food processor with the grater blade (images 9-12). If you don't have a food processor, use the large holes on a box grater.

Top left, peeling an apple. Top right, apples cut into chunks. Bottom left, putting apple pieces in a food processor. Bottom right, shredded apples in food processor bowl.

Mix up the dressing. Add all ingredients to a bowl or measuring cup and whisk together until combined (images 13-15).

Left, squeezing lemon juice into dressing ingredients. Center, whisking coleslaw dressing. Right, mixed dressing in a measuring cup.

Toss the slaw. Combine the cabbage, carrots, apples, pepitas, and almonds, and toss with the dressing (images 16-17). Start with about half the dressing and add more to taste.

Left, pouring dressing on purple cabbage and carrot slaw. Right, tossing coleslaw with salad tongs.

Enjoy! Serve as a side for burgers, sandwiches, tacos, or anything on the grill. Or, use it as a crunchy topping on a barbecue pulled pork slider!

Purple cabbage and carrot slaw in a large bowl with tongs.

Note: If you make this in advance, your almonds may leach color from the cabbage and turn blue overnight. If this bothers you, add the almonds just before serving.

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