This winter salad with red cabbage, carrots, kale and pomegranate seeds dressed with a zesty vinaigrette uses seasonal vegetables and is perfect for the season! Added bonus. It lasts in a fridge without wilting for up to 3 days!

If you are wondering what goes well with this gorgeous salad, give our Glazed Ham or Roast Chicken a try!

Red Cabbage, Kale and Pomegranate salad in a bowl

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In the last 10 days I’ve made this red cabbage salad 3 times. It all started when I decided to make a weekend roast, and then there was no stopping me. But the reason I made it 3 times plus once for you, my friends, are these.

I simply couldn’t have enough of this crunchy and zesty salad. Even better, my kids kept asking for it.

That’s right my kids were requesting a salad. That’s a huge win in my books!

Sliced red cabbage, kale, carrots, pomegranate and shallots on cutting board

Ingredients

As seasons change our tastebuds change with them. It’s no secret that in colder months we crave comfort food in the form of soups, stews and delicious braises. They make us feel warm and cozy.

Salads usually are not included in that category. However our bodies still need their nutrients even if lettuce-based salads just don’t taste as good in the winter. Is there such a thing as winter salad? There really is!

My simple winter salad uses only seasonal ingredients that are readily available and it tastes fresh, vibrant and all around delicious, just what you need to beat the winter blues. It’s a great way to give our body what it needs over the colder months, so let me tell you more about it.

Since I didn’t want to use lettuce I used red cabbage as the base for my salad but white cabbage can be used instead. Then added carrots, sliced kale, a small amount of sliced shallot and a generous amount of pomegranate seeds.

Sliced red cabbage, carrots, kale and pomegranate seeds in a bowl

How to make it

The key to making the best winter salad with red or white cabbage is slicing it as thinly as humanly possible. I use a mandolin for it because I really believe it improves the texture, and therefore the overall taste of the salad.

What other ingredients you use is up to you but here are my suggestions. I love the sweetness of carrots to counterbalance the sharpness of red cabbage.

Kale is a nutritional powerhouse but could be a bit tough, so I remove and discard the rib from the center of each leaf and then slice it thinly. Just before adding sliced kale to the salad I scrunch it up in my hands to slightly soften it.

I also cannot resist pomegranate seeds when they are in season. They add such a gorgeous pop of colour and a burst of flavour every time you bite into one of those seeds!

Those are just my suggestions though, and you can add any other seasonal produce based on what makes you happy. Some ideas are red onions, baby kale, pumpkin seeds, baby spinach or other leafy greens.

Sliced red cabbage, carrots, kale and pomegranate seeds in a bowl with dressing being poured over.

What dressing to choose

In my opinion there is always a choice between a creamy dressing and a vinaigrette style dressing. They are both delicious but for this salad I went with a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette with a squeeze of lemon juice and olive oil.

If you love a balsamic glaze in your salads, you will fall in love with pomegranate molasses! It’s sweet, tangy and incredibly fragrant.

Apart from adding it to salad dressings you can use this beautiful ingredient in so many ways. It lasts forever and it tastes divine. If you struggle to find it in your grocery store, try Amazon.

My Sweet and Sour Meatballs in Pomegranate Sauce is one of the uses that I love!

Recipe tips and notes

The salad is a lot more enjoyable to eat when the vegetables are cut thinly, which is far easier when you use a mandolin or food processor.
I used red cabbage because I love the taste and find the colour pretty stunning. But white cabbage will do a great job if that’s what you have available.
The stalks of kale can be very woodsy and unpleasant to chew. Prepare the kale by cutting or tearing the stalks away so only the leaves go in the salad. I also scrunch the kale leaves before adding them to the salad to make them a bit softer.
The vinaigrette is a lovely addition to cabbage and the other ingredients in this salad. But it’s a salad dressing versatile enough to be used on a huge range of salads, so I like to make extra to keep available for other uses. Making it in a mason jar means you can easily store any extra.
If you don’t have pomegranate molasses, you can substitute it with 2 tbsp of pomegranate juice plus 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar.

Red Cabbage Slaw with Carrots and Pomegranate in a bowl

Serving suggestions

This salad is unusually fresh and crisp, which makes it just about perfect when served as a side dish with any roast, from beef to duck to pork. For that reason, it often makes an appearance at my house when we are filling out the spread for holiday dinners.

But it’s also nutritious and, when you have the right tools, quick and easy to make, so worth having around to fill out your lunch options. I regularly make a portion to keep ready for lunches and love adding a portion to my plate next to a sandwich.

Storage and leftovers

One of my favourite things with this perfect winter salad is how well it keeps in the fridge. It will last for three days without losing its crunch, so is ideal for making ahead or keeping some on hand to add a side salad to your lunch.

More favorite winter salad recipes to try