Thanksgiving Slaw

The idea of serving a big mixed salad at Thanksgiving is, in theory, a good one — you want something light, crunchy, and refreshing to balance out the roast turkey and rich holiday side dishes. The reality, however, is that most salads need to be tossed at the last second and eaten quickly before wilting — not the best choice when there’s a lot going on in the kitchen already and the food might sit out for a few hours.

This easy, colorful slaw is the answer to this dilemma: It has crunchy cabbage, toasty almonds, sweet cranberries, and a sweet-tangy maple and apple cider vinegar dressing. The slaw won’t wilt like other green salads and can sit out for a while, making it a great addition to the Thanksgiving buffet.

• It’s vibrant and fresh. With crunchy shreds of cabbage, toasty almonds, sweet cranberries, and red onion tossed in a bright, tangy dressing, each bite has lots of texture and freshness.
• There are so many make ahead possibilities. With other Thanksgiving dishes competing for your attention, this one makes life easier. Make the dressing and cut everything up a day ahead, or toss together and let sit for up to 2 hours before serving. No wilty salad here.

• Green cabbage: Green cabbage is mild in flavor but retains it’s crunch even when dressed. Shred it as thinly as you can (the grating disc on a food processor does a great job quickly). If you don’t want to shred any cabbage, store-bought coleslaw mix will work too.
• Almonds: Sliced almonds give a nice crunch to the salad. For the best flavor, use toasted ones!
• Parsley: Lots of chopped parsley leaves add freshness and a vibrant pop of green color. Use flat leaf or Italian parsley, not curly parsley.
• Apple cider vinegar: This tangy vinegar is the base of the salad dressing and compliments the maple syrup.

1. Make the dressing. Whisk oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and salt together to make the dressing. Add finely chopped red onion to the dressing so that the bite of the onion is released into the dressing.
2. Prep the cabbage. Cut 1 small green cabbage into fine shreds.
3. Toss the slaw. Toss the shredded cabbage, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and chopped parsley with the dressing.

• Used dried golden raisins instead of dried cranberries.
• Slivered almonds can be used in place of sliced almonds, or any other kind of toasted, chopped nut.
• Red cabbage can be used in place of green cabbage for a more vibrantly-colored salad.

• Soak the onions first. This slaw uses red onions for a bit of crunch and spiciness, but the raw bite of them is best tamed down first. Soaking the onions in the dressing for just 10 minutes does the trick, and the onions, in turn, help flavor the dressing too.
• Shred the cabbage by hand. While the bagged stuff is certainly more convenient, it’s often a bit more expensive than just shredding a whole cabbage yourself. With a sharp knife and few steps, it couldn’t be easier. Plus, when you shred cabbage by hand, you have full control over the thickness and length of each piece.
• Make ahead. The slaw actually benefits from sitting around for a bit so the flavors meld. After the dressing is made, just toss in shredded cabbage (buy pre-shredded cabbage as a shortcut), crunchy almonds, tart cranberries, and some parsley for freshness. The cabbage will stay crisp for up to two hours, making it the ideal salad to serve for Thanksgiving dinner.

• Roast Turkey
• Mashed Potatoes
• Oven-Baked Barbecue Ribs
• Turkey and Brussels Sprouts Club Sandwich
• Creamy Pumpkin Soup