Jolly Thanksgiving Slaw Recipe: A Bright Holiday Twist

Crisp autumn leaves dance outside as the holiday season approaches, bringing a zesty thanksgiving slaw that promises to brighten your festive table.

Colorful shredded vegetables mingle with a tangy dressing, creating a refreshing side dish that breaks away from traditional heavy sides.

Crunchy cabbage and carrots provide a delightful texture that complements richer thanksgiving dishes.

Packed with vibrant ingredients, this slaw adds a light and fresh element to your holiday spread.

Each bite bursts with flavor and nutrition, making it a standout addition to your celebration.

You’ll love how this simple yet elegant recipe brings a modern twist to classic thanksgiving fare.

Prepare to surprise and delight your guests with this unexpected crowd-pleaser.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time:

Total Time: 20 minutes

Calories: 145 kcal

Servings: 9

Thanksgiving Slaw Ingredient Breakdown

• Cabbage: Crisp base that adds crunch and volume to the slaw, select a firm head with vibrant green or purple leaves.
• Carrots: Brings sweet earthiness and bright orange color, choose firm and deeply colored carrots for maximum flavor.
• Red Onion: Provides sharp bite and purple accent, look for smooth, solid onions without soft spots.
• Apple: Adds sweet-tart freshness, select firm varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for best texture.
• Fresh Cranberries: Introduces tangy burst, opt for plump, firm berries with deep red color.

• Pecans: Delivers rich, toasty flavor and delightful crunch, select whole pecans without any rancid smell.

• Mayonnaise: Creates smooth, rich base for dressing, choose full-fat version for best consistency.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds bright acidity to balance richness, select organic unfiltered variety for deeper flavor.
• Honey: Provides natural sweetness and helps emulsify dressing, use raw local honey for deeper taste.
• Dijon Mustard: Introduces tangy depth and helps bind dressing, select smooth, high-quality brand.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor profile, use fine sea salt for even distribution.
• Black Pepper: Adds subtle heat and complexity, freshly ground offers most robust taste.

Kitchen Tools for Crisp, Fresh Slaw

• Box Grater or Food Processor: Perfect for quickly shredding cabbage and carrots into thin, uniform pieces.
• Small Pan: Essential for toasting pecans to bring out their rich, nutty flavor without burning.
• Small Bowl: Ideal for whisking together the creamy, tangy dressing ingredients until smooth.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Spacious container for combining all slaw ingredients and tossing with dressing.
• Whisk: Helps blend dressing ingredients into a perfectly smooth and well-combined mixture.
• Cutting Board: Provides a stable surface for slicing onions, apples, and chopping cranberries.
• Sharp Knife: Crucial for thinly slicing onions and apples with precision.

Mixing Up Thanksgiving Slaw with Style

• Chop and Shred Veggies

Grab your cabbage, carrots, red onion, and apple. Slice everything into thin, delicate ribbons using a sharp knife or food processor. Make sure the pieces are small and uniform for the perfect crunch.

• Toast Nutty Goodness

Heat a skillet over medium flame and toss in your pecans. Swirl them around until they turn golden and release a rich, toasty aroma. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Once done, roughly chop them into smaller bits.

• Whip Up Tangy Dressing

In a small bowl, blend mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy, creating a zesty coating for your slaw.

• Mix and Mingle

Toss all the chopped vegetables and toasted pecans into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and mix thoroughly, ensuring every morsel gets a delicious coating.

• Chill and Serve

Pop the slaw into the refrigerator for an hour to let the flavors dance and meld together. When ready to serve, give it a quick stir and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed for a perfect flavor balance.

Flavor Add-Ins for Seasonal Slaw

• Gently roast pecans until they release a rich, nutty aroma, which intensifies their natural sweetness and adds depth to the slaw's overall flavor profile.
• Prepare the slaw a day in advance to let the flavors develop and meld, creating an even more delicious and harmonious dish that tastes better the next day.
• Swap mayonnaise with vegan mayo or Greek yogurt for a lighter version, and use maple syrup instead of honey to make this slaw completely plant-based and suitable for various dietary needs.
• For extra crunch, add thinly sliced radishes or fennel, which introduce a peppery bite and provide additional textural contrast to the soft cabbage and crisp apples.
• If you're short on time, use pre-shredded coleslaw mix from the produce section and quickly jazz it up with the homemade dressing and fresh mix-ins for a speedy yet delicious side dish.

Best Ways to Present Thanksgiving Slaw

• Festive Family Feast Companion: Pair this vibrant slaw with classic roasted turkey for a fresh, crunchy side that cuts through rich holiday meats.
• Harvest Dinner Delight: Serve alongside roasted ham or rotisserie chicken, creating a colorful contrast on your plate that adds brightness and texture.
• Potluck Party Pleaser: Bring this slaw to gatherings as a make-ahead dish that stays crisp and delicious, impressing friends with its tangy, sweet flavor profile.
• Leftover Maker: Use remaining slaw as a zesty sandwich topping or wrap filling, transforming holiday extras into exciting next-day meals that everyone will love.

Keeping Your Slaw Crisp and Ready

• Store the slaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator for maximum freshness, keeping it crisp and delicious for up to 3-4 days.
• Prepare the dressing and chop vegetables separately up to 24 hours in advance, combining just before serving to maintain optimal texture and crunch.
• Keep pecans and dressing on the side when storing to prevent soggy vegetables, mixing them in just before enjoying for the best taste and crispness.
• Avoid freezing this slaw as the fresh vegetables will lose their crisp texture and become watery when thawed, compromising the dish's quality and appeal.

FAQs

• What makes this slaw different from traditional coleslaw?

This Thanksgiving Slaw introduces seasonal ingredients like apples, cranberries, and pecans, creating a festive twist on classic coleslaw with more complex flavors and textures.

• Can I use pre-shredded cabbage from the store?

While convenient, fresh cabbage provides better texture and crunch. Pre-shredded cabbage can become soggy faster and might lack the crisp quality of freshly shredded vegetables.

• How long can I keep the Thanksgiving Slaw in the refrigerator?

The slaw stays fresh for 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container. After that, the vegetables might start to lose their crispness and the flavors could become less vibrant.

• Is this recipe vegetarian-friendly?

Yes, this Thanksgiving Slaw is vegetarian. It contains no meat products and can easily be made vegan by substituting mayonnaise with a plant-based alternative.

Festive Thanksgiving Slaw Recipe

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4.6 from 16 reviews

• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 9 1x

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Description

Zesty Thanksgiving Slaw blends crisp cabbage with tangy cranberries and crunchy pecans in a festive side dish. Holiday tables welcome this refreshing salad that complements traditional roasted meats with its light, flavorful profile.

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Ingredients

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• 6 cups (1.4 kg) green cabbage, shredded
• 2 cups (0.5 kg) red cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup (0.2 kg) carrots, shredded
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup almonds, toasted and sliced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Shred cabbage and carrots using a box grater or food processor into delicate, uniform strips for consistent texture and flavor distribution.
2. Slicing: Thinly slice red onion and apple into translucent pieces that will integrate seamlessly with the other components.
3. Pecan Toasting: Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until they release a rich, nutty fragrance and achieve a golden-brown color. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
4. Dressing Creation: Whisk mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper into a smooth, creamy dressing with balanced tanginess and subtle sweetness.
5. Mixing: Combine shredded vegetables, sliced apple, fresh cranberries, and toasted pecans in a spacious mixing bowl, creating a vibrant and colorful foundation.
6. Dressing Integration: Drizzle prepared dressing over the vegetable mixture, folding carefully to ensure every ingredient is evenly coated and seasoned.
7. Flavor Melding: Refrigerate for at least an hour, allowing flavors to meld and vegetables to slightly soften, enhancing the overall taste profile. Toss gently before serving and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

• Slice Precisely: Use sharp knives or a mandoline for ultra-thin, uniform vegetable cuts to ensure consistent texture and even dressing absorption.
• Toast Nuts Carefully: Watch pecans closely while toasting to prevent burning; they can quickly go from perfectly golden to bitter and charred.
• Make Ahead Advantage: Prepare slaw 1-2 hours before serving to allow flavors to develop and meld, creating a more complex taste profile.
• Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt or vegan mayo for lighter, alternative versions that maintain creamy dressing consistency.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 9
• Calories: 145
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 180 mg
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 11 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg