This is a crunchy shredded cabbage and carrot salad dressed in a creamy yogurt-mayo sauce with mustard, vinegar, and shallot. It comes together in 15 minutes with no cooking, and it pairs well with anything rich or fatty โ burgers, grilled sausages, roast pork โ because the tangy dressing cuts right through the fat.
The short version of why this works
Two things make this salad actually good instead of just edible. First, julienning the cabbage thin โ not chunky โ gives the dressing somewhere to cling. Thick shreds stay slippery and the dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl. Second, the dressing balances fat (mayo), acid (vinegar), and a small amount of sugar. That combination is what keeps the whole thing from tasting flat. The mustard and shallot add sharpness without overwhelming the vegetables. Get those two things right and the salad holds together the way it should.
What can go wrong
- Watery dressing after a few minutes: Cabbage releases moisture once it meets acid. Salt the shredded cabbage lightly, let it sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid before adding the dressing. This keeps the sauce from going thin.
- Onion that tastes raw and harsh: Slice the onion, then soak it in cold water for 5โ10 minutes and drain. It stays crunchy but loses the sharp bite that can overpower everything else.
- Dressing that breaks or looks grainy: Make sure your yogurt is at room temperature before mixing it with the mayo. Cold yogurt added straight from the fridge can cause the sauce to separate instead of blending smooth.
- Shallot pieces that are too large: The shallot should be very finely minced โ almost a paste โ so it distributes evenly. Large chunks give you an uneven hit of flavor in some bites and nothing in others.
- Under-seasoned salad: Taste the finished salad and adjust. The yogurt and cabbage both dull salt, so the dressing may need more than you expect before it tastes right.
Keeping leftovers crisp
Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast. If you need to prep ahead, keep the shredded vegetables in one airtight container and the dressing in a jar, both refrigerated, for up to 24 hours. Once dressed, the salad is best eaten within an hour or two. After that the cabbage softens noticeably and the dressing thins out from the vegetable moisture. If you do have dressed leftovers, drain off any pooled liquid before serving again and add a small spoonful of fresh mayo to pull the dressing back together.
Crunchy Carrot Cabbage Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Mandoline or sharp chefโs knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Small mixing bowl (for dressing)
- Whisk or fork
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 18 oz green cabbage 500g / about ยฝ medium head, finely julienned
- 5 oz carrots 150g / about 2 medium, peeled and julienned
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 45g
- 5 oz plain unsweetened yogurt 150g / โ cup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 medium shallot finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 12g
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped
Instructions
- Peel and julienne the carrots into thin, even strips.5 oz carrots
- Remove and discard any wilted or damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Quarter the cabbage, remove the core, then julienne finely. Rinse the shredded cabbage in cold water and drain thoroughly in a colander, shaking off excess moisture.18 oz green cabbage
- Add the julienned cabbage and carrots into a large mixing bowl.18 oz green cabbage, 5 oz carrots
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and yogurt. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 5 oz plain unsweetened yogurt
- Add the vinegar, sugar, mustard, finely chopped shallot, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to the dressing. Whisk to combine, then taste and adjust the seasoning โ add more vinegar for sharpness, sugar for sweetness, or salt to balance.1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 medium shallot, 1 pinch salt
- Stir the chopped chives into the dressing.1 tablespoon fresh chives
- Pour the dressing over the julienned vegetables and toss well to coat evenly. Serve immediately for the crunchiest texture. If not serving right away, keep the vegetables and dressing in separate containers in the fridge and toss together just before serving.18 oz green cabbage, 5 oz carrots, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 5 oz plain unsweetened yogurt, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 medium shallot, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 pinch salt, 1 tablespoon fresh chives
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use red cabbage instead of green?
Yes, red cabbage works fine here. It holds its crunch a little longer than green cabbage, though the vinegar in the dressing will turn the color a brighter purple-pink, which is purely cosmetic.
Can I make this salad dairy-free?
Swap the yogurt for an unsweetened dairy-free yogurt โ oat or coconut-based both work. Check that your mayo is also dairy-free, which most standard mayo already is, and the rest of the recipe stays the same.
Do I need to use a shallot and an onion, or can I use just one?
They do different jobs, so using both is worth it. The sliced onion adds bulk and crunch to the salad itself, while the finely minced shallot goes into the dressing and gives it a more rounded, less aggressive allium flavor than raw onion would.