Easy & Refreshing Cabbage Salad: A Simple Recipe Guide

White cabbage salad is a light, easy-to-make, and especially appealing dish with its characteristic sweet and sour flavor. Join So Tay Mon An to discover how to make a simple yet delicious white cabbage salad, allowing you to enjoy this dish at home without going out.

To learn more about other salads, you can refer to Water Lily Stem Salad.

Ingredients for White Cabbage Salad

• 2 chicken thighs (about 500g)
• 300g white cabbage
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 lemon
• 1 chili
• 1 knob ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 sprigs of basil, Vietnamese coriander
• A few sprigs of cilantro
• Seasonings: good fish sauce, white sugar, ground pepper, vinegar, salt

Note: For a better white cabbage salad, you should use chicken thighs for a slight crunchiness, chewiness, and firmness. If chicken thighs are not available, you can use chicken breast, but chicken breast is often leaner and can feel a bit dry.

Refreshing chicken and cabbage salad

How to Make White Cabbage Salad

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Thighs

• Rub the chicken thighs once with coarse salt, then rinse thoroughly. Continue by rubbing them again with a mixture of salt and vinegar, then rinse thoroughly with water.
• Place a pot on the stove, add the cleaned chicken thighs and 1 smashed ginger knob, then boil for about 10-15 minutes until the chicken thighs are cooked through. Pierce the chicken with a skewer; if no red liquid comes out, the chicken is cooked.
• Immediately remove the chicken thighs and plunge them into ice water to firm up the meat and maintain its crispness. Once the chicken thighs have completely cooled, take them out and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.

Preparing cooked chicken for cabbage salad

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken Thighs

• Place the shredded chicken thighs in a separate bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, then mix well and marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Step 3: Prepare Cabbage and Salad Vegetables

• Shred the cabbage finely, then wash and drain well. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the cabbage and squeeze thoroughly. Let it sit for about 10 minutes for the salt to penetrate and soften the cabbage, then squeeze out all the water from the cabbage.

Shredded white cabbage for salad

• Peel and wash the onion, then slice it into wedges or very thin rings. Place the onion in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of vinegar, mix well, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes to reduce its pungency. Then squeeze out any excess liquid from the onion.

Onion soaking in vinegar to reduce pungency

• Peel and wash the carrot, then julienne it into thin strips.
• Pick, wash, and finely chop the Vietnamese coriander, basil, and cilantro.
• Wash and finely chop the chili. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Step 4: Make the Cabbage Salad Dressing

• In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of water, then stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Afterward, add the minced garlic and chili and stir well.

Sweet and sour fish sauce dressing for cabbage salad

Step 5: Mix the Cabbage Salad

• Place the squeezed cabbage, onion, carrot, Vietnamese coriander, basil, and cilantro into a large bowl. Gradually pour the salad dressing over the ingredients, put on gloves, and mix thoroughly to allow the dressing to absorb into the cabbage.

Mixing cabbage salad ingredients by hand

Completion

The cabbage salad is ready to serve in 5-7 minutes after mixing. The salad has a harmonious sweet, sour, spicy, and salty taste, yet it’s very refreshing and easy to eat. The salad won’t get watery, the onion won’t be pungent, and it will maintain its appealing crispness.

You can add some roasted peanuts to the cabbage salad for a delicious nutty flavor.

Cabbage salad garnished with peanuts

To learn more about other salads, you can refer to how to make cucumber and pig ear salad.

Conclusion

White cabbage salad is a simple dish that brings a special flavor, making your meal more diverse and delicious. With detailed and easy-to-follow instructions, you can prepare this dish yourself at home, ensuring hygiene and suiting your taste. Try it now and experience the difference!

To explore more delicious salads, you can refer to how to make dried beef and cucumber salad.

If you love salads with meat, try how to make shrimp and pork cucumber salad.