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Classic Cabbage and Carrot Greek Salad

ByElena Paravantes, MS, RD

A Mediterranean cabbage salad, tossed with shredded carrot, a touch of garlic and finished with a citrusy olive oil and lemon dressing.

Greek cabbage and carrot salad

We all have heard of the famous Greek Salad know as horiatiki in Greek. It is basically a salad with tomatoes, cucumber, feta and some other condiments, but tomatoes are tasteless in the winter so in the cold months, Greeks eat 2 types of salads: green salads (prasini salata) or cabbage and carrot salad (lahano-karoto). It is a simple salad and you can add other ingredients such as apples, pomegranate seeds and walnuts as I did here for a festive holiday salad. The classic version is perfect when accompanied with crumbled feta.

Greek cabbage and carrot salad

This salad obviously has a high nutritional value. The cabbage belongs to the cruciferous family, these vegetables are rich in phytochemicals, compounds that are produced by plants. They are associated with a reduced risk of cancer by stopping the growth of tumors. It also seems that these substances detoxify carcinogens before they cause any damage. They are also associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Carrots are are also rich in the phytochemical beta-carotene. With the addition of antioxidant rich olive oil and lemon juice which is a great source of vitamin C which is also an antioxidant, you have one of the healthiest salads around.

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Classic Cabbage and Carrot Greek Salad

Greek cabbage and carrot salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
A Mediterranean cabbage salad, tossed with shredded carrot, a touch of garlic and finished with a citrusy olive oil and lemon dressing
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Keyword: Cabbage salad
Servings: 4
Author: Elena Paravantes, MS, RD
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Ingredients

  • 5 cups of shredded cabbage (about ¾ pounds or 350 grams)
  • 2 carrots shredded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4-5 Kalamata olives

Instructions

  • Use a shredder to shred cabbage or slice thinly with a knife. Soak in water, rinse and dry.
  • Shred the carrots.
  • In a jar or small bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic.
  • Place cabbage and carrots in a large bowl, pour the dressing and add the salt. Toss the salad (it will reduce in volume).
  • Add the olives on top.
Photo by Elena Paravantes

Elena Paravantes, MS, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist by the U.S. Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). She is an expert on the Mediterranean Diet. She has been active as a clinician, consultant, author and lecturer for 20 years, both in the U.S. and Greece. An expert on the Greek Mediterranean Diet, her interviews and articles have been published in many publications including CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention, NPR, and Shape. Elena has collaborated with a number of organizations including Loyola University, Yale University, University of Missouri, Louisiana State University, and the American College of Greece. Elena earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds has a Master’s Degree of Science in Health Management.

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13 Comments

  1. This Classic Cabbage and Carrot Greek Salad is fantastic! I love the simple yet flavorful combination, especially with the citrusy dressing. The festive twist with apples, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing, Elena! This will be a regular in my kitchen.

    Reply

  2. Thank you for the lovely recipe. Since I discovered your website (trying to find more plant based recipes and eat healthier/less meat) my whole family is enjoying healthier meals. I wasn’t sure about this salad, not something I usually make, but I’m glad I did!5 stars

    Reply

  4. We had this salad in a small village on Crete. It had just hint of sweet taste. We tried to make it with rice vinegar, not luck. Could there had been sugar added? It was so good that’s why I’m trying to make it now that we are back home in the states. The kitchen lady said just olive oil and vinegar but what KIND of vinegar…..we forgot to ask,

    Reply

  5. Looks great – just the thing now it is fall. How long will it keep in the fridge? There is only my husband and myself so even if I halve the recipe it might last us a couple of days.

    Reply

  7. I prefer the “politiki” version of this salad, where you also add a finely chopped bell pepper and a bunch of chopped celery leaves.
    I then sprinkle salt and rub everything together, finally add white balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
    I let everything stay in the fridge overnight, so that the salad marinades in the vinegar and olive oil.
    Tastes delicious with all pulses, above all chickpeas.

    Reply

    1. Yes, there are several versions of this classic salad. It tastes more “marinated” the next day and has the more soft “coleslaw” like texture, if that is what you are going for. But we have always served it fresh (maybe a couple hours) with a bit of crunchiness, otherwise it looks mushy and changes color.