This juicy cabbage and carrot slaw is very popular in "plato del día" eateries in the Dominican Rep. Our favorite Ensalada de repollo y zanahoria is easy to make at home, and requires only a few ingredients. It's also my favorite salads to serve with my parrilladas.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Feb 10, 2012
Why we ❤️ it
This cabbage salad with carrot, raisin, and mayonnaise is the best cabbage salad you can find, in my opinion. It retains some of the crispiness of both cabbage and carrot in a savory salad with just a hint of sweetness.
Very easy to make, juicy, and flavorful, it goes well with many dishes and meals, and it's the perfect summer salad.
Coleslaw?
I have no idea from where and how this salad came to the Dominican Republic.
At first though it was merely an adaptation of coleslaw or other well-known cabbage dishes, although the fact that it contains raisins would suggest it is a Dominican thing (although not universally liked, raisins pop up in several Dominican savory dishes).
And then I find out via Aunt Ilana that adding raisins is also popular in the UK and apparently not unknown in the US, although I hadn't encountered the beraisined version in my travels.
But we don't call it coleslaw, we just call it by its descriptive name: cabbage and carrot salad (ensalada de repollo y zanahoria).
Cabbage and carrot salad.
Serving suggestions
I love the flavor of this cabbage carrot salad salad with my Pinchos de pollo (chicken kebabs), it goes great as a salad with our lunch of Moro de habichuelas and carne guisada (beef, chicken, or pork).
Anyway, make a big batch, chill, and bring it out with the BBQ. There'll be no leftovers.
Top tips
- Shredding the cabbage: The finer the cabbage is shredded (and the carrots), the better the texture of the salad. If you don't have good knife skills, my favorite way to get very thin cabbage is with a mandoline (Amazon affiliate link).
Cutting it with a sharp knife is easier if you start with a wedge of cabbage. - Diets: This carrot and cabbage salad is also gluten-free, and if you leave the raisins out it's a keto-friendly salad.
For a lighter, vegan, low-cholesterol cabbage and carrot slaw, substitute mayo for my choice of a vinaigrette: Whisk together two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (rice vinegar or lime juice or lemon juice), a pinch of black pepper, one tablespoon of olive oil, and one teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
About this recipe
Very popular as part of the "plato del dia" fare in popular eateries, there's little variation in the way we make and serve this salad.
If you make this dish differently, I'd love to hear about it. Let me know in the comments.
Video
Recipe
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Ensalada de Repollo y Zanahoria [Video+Recipe] Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
Ingredients
- ¼ head green cabbage, shred finely
- 1 large carrot, grate finely
- ¼ cup raisins
- 6 cup boiling-hot water
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Prep vegetables
Mix cabbage, carrot, and raisins in a colander. Pour in boiling water and let it run out of the colander into the sink. This will wash the vegetables, but also wilt them a bit. Let all the water drain and let the vegetables cool to room temperature.
2. Season salad
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the salad with the mayo, then season with salt to taste.
3. Chill and serve
- Chill and keep refrigerated until it's time to serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More cabbage recipes
Cabbage is the main ingredient in our iconic Dominican salad, and Repollo guisado, our quintessential vegan dish. We cannot leave out Niño envuelto, our Middle-Eastern inspired dish, and this Repollo con bacalao a dish inspired by a Dominican book from a century ago.
Cabbage also features in our beloved Chimi burger, and in Rikitaki and Frikitaki sandwiches.
If you want to try some non-traditional cabbage dishes that I also love, check this Cabbage with minced beef and curry powder, and this Sauteed purple cabbage with bacon.
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