Easy Beet Slaw with Carrot and Cabbage
Last Updated on September 13, 2022 by Betty Davies
This crunchy beet slaw is made with raw beetroot, carrot and cabbage and tossed in a sweet and tangy orange dressing. Crumbled feta and walnuts add texture and flavor to this colorful salad. Perfect for a topping for tacos, or serve alongside your favorite mains, this easy recipe can be made ahead of time and comes together in minutes.
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Fresh, crunchy and super easy to make, this raw beet slaw is full of goodness, flavor and texture. Shredded carrots and cabbage are mixed with beets, walnuts and feta cheese before being finished with a simple orange and honey dressing.
Perfect to serve alongside your favorite mains, or added as a topping for tacos, this salad comes together quickly and adds a wonderful vibrant color to any plate.
Raw beets have an earthy flavor that is wonderfully balanced by the peppery cabbage and sweet carrots. The orange and honey dressing adds an acidic sugary tang and crumbled feta adds a creamy texture and salty flavor.
Make the most of the fresh beetroots in the store, and whip up this delicious side dish to accompany your favorite meals.
Be sure to try my Air Fryer Roasted Beetroot and Roasted Balsamic Beet Wedges too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Easy: Just shred and grate the veggies and mix everything together!
- Simple ingredients: Made with a few fresh vegetables, this recipe makes enough for a crowd whilst remaining budget friendly.
- Healthy: Full of fresh vegetables, this beet slaw is loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber whilst remaining low in sugars and fats.
- Make ahead: This is a great make ahead option and perfect for picnics and potlucks! The salad remains nice and crunchy and doesn’t wilt for several days.
- Dietary info: This beet slaw recipe is vegetarian and naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the salad
- Beets: Peel the beets and then use a box grater to grate them. They add a great color and a delicious earther flavor.
- Cabbage: Shredded white cabbage makes up the bulk of this slaw recipe and it’s peppery flavor works great with the other ingredients. You can use red cabbage for a milder taste.
- Carrots: Grated carrots add a nice sweetness. You can grate fresh carrots, or use shredded carrots from the store to save some time.
- Walnuts: Walnut pieces add a great texture and their nutty flavor adds a pop of color.
- Feta: Crumbled feta
For the dressing
- Orange juice: For the tastiest results use fresh orange juice, or use bottled pure orange juice.
- Honey: A little honey adds a nice sweetness to the dressing, brown sugar or maple syrup can also be used.
- Oil: Just a little oil helps the dressing to coat the shredded vegetables. Extra virgin olive oil, avocado or light olive oil all work well.
- Salt and pepper: For seasoning.
How to make beet slaw with cabbage and carrot
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and set to one side (photo 1).
- Grate and shred the beets, cabbage and carrot into a large bowl and add the feta and walnuts (photo 2).
- Pour over the dressing and toss everything together (photo 3).
Recipe Variations
This beet carrot and cabbage slaw is yummy as it is, but you can easily make it to your own tastes.
- Make it vegan: Simply skip the feta and use maple syrup or brown sugar in the dressing instead of honey.
- Use different nuts: Almonds or pistachios work great in this, or try adding seeds like sunflower or pumpkin.
- Use a different cheese: Feta works great, but goats cheese is a great replacement. Try adding some crumbled blue cheese for a real burst of flavor!
- Make it creamy: Add a coupe of tablespoons of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt to the dressing for a creamy slaw.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Beets are perfectly edible raw, and when you grate them like this they have a nice crunchy texture. I do recommend peeling them before shredding them as the skins can be quite thick and taste very earthy. Raw beets also contain more vitamins and minerals, as these can be reduced during the cooking process.
For this recipe, I find that fresh is best. Canned beets are already cooked, so you won’t get that crunchy texture, and pickled beets will be quite sharp and tangy. If you like, you can add some pickled beets for an additional flavor profile, but don’t go too overboard!
This root vegetable has a long season, from July all the way through to April, with the best picks in the fall. They store well and keep for several months.
Serving Suggestions
This beet slaw recipe is a wonderful way to add some color to your plate, it’s great for picnics, BBQs and potlucks as it travels well and it works great as a topping for tacos! The flavors work great with chicken and fish dishes. Try it with some of these favorite recipes:
Make Ahead and Storage
This beetroot salad is a great make ahead option that feeds a crowd and the leftovers keep well. Once made, cover the slaw and it will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It stays nice and crunchy, just give it a quick toss before serving.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Save some time by using a slaw mix from the store. Simply grate in the beet and add the feta, walnuts and dressing. It will be ready to serve in minutes!
- I used a box grater to grate the carrots and beets and a sharp knife to finely shred the cabbage. If you have a food processor, you can use the grating attachment to save time and effort.
- If making ahead of time, cover the slaw and keep it refrigerated so that it doesn’t dry out.
- Beetroot stains! If you don’t want pink hands then you can use kitchen gloves when you grate it. If any spills on your counter tops clean it up straight away, and don’t wear white!
This beet cabbage and carrot slaw is a delicious fresh and healthy side dish that works with all of your favorite meals. Make up a big batch and enjoy it over a few days for easy dinners and lunches. Full of crunchy texture, the orange dressing brightens it up wonderfully, making this a go to salad recipe for any occasion!
More Slaw Recipes
- Creamy Brussels Sprout Slaw
- Cajun Coleslaw
- Creamy Broccolini Slaw
- Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
- Fennel and Apple Slaw
If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!
Beet Carrot and Cabbage Slaw
Ingredients
For the coleslaw
- 1 small white cabbage
- 3 medium carrots
- 1 pound raw beets (450g)
- 1 cup walnut halves (115g) plus more for topping
- ½ cup feta crumbles (75g) plus more for topping
- optional: fresh parsley or cilantro to garnish
For the orange dressing
- ½ cup orange juice freshly squeezed or pure bottled
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup or brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil olive, avocado or other neutral flavored oil.
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients for the dressing to a jug or small bowl and whisk together. Set to one side.
- Remove the tough outer leaves from the cabbage and cut in half through the core. Cut each half in half again and use a sharp knife to cut the cabbage into strips. Place in a large bowl.
- Cut the ends off of the carrots and peel. Grate into the bowl with a box grater.
- Peel the beetroot and remove cut off the ends. Grate into the bowl with a box grater.
- Add the feta and walnuts to the bowl.
- Pour over the dressing and toss everything together.
- Finish with more crumbled feta, walnuts and some fresh herbs if using.
Notes
- Save some time by using a slaw mix from the store. Simply grate in the beet and add the feta, walnuts and dressing. It will be ready to serve in minutes!
- I used a box grater to grate the carrots and beets and a sharp knife to finely shred the cabbage. If you have a food processor, you can use the grating attachment to save time and effort.
- If making ahead of time, cover the slaw and keep it refrigerated so that it doesn’t dry out.
- Beetroot stains! If you don’t want pink hands then you can use kitchen gloves when you grate it. If any spills on your counter tops clean it up straight away, and don’t wear white!
