Crunchy Spicy Red Cabbage Salad

If I’m eating fake cookies, I might as well eat salad the rest of the day. Enter the Crunchy Spicy Red Cabbage Salad. That was my thought process yesterday after baking a batch of sugar-free sweetener cookies (my previous post). And honestly, if all salads were like this one, I wouldn’t mind at all.

This salad is vibrant, fresh, and packed with flavor. The crisp red cabbage and carrot ribbons provide a satisfying crunch, while the roasted almonds add a nutty depth. Pomegranate seeds bring juicy bursts of sweetness, and the combination of fresh dill and mint makes every bite herbaceous and fragrant. But the dressing is the real star here, warming spices, a touch of heat, and just the right balance of acidity and sweetness to bring everything together.

Salad Ingredients:

1/2 small head red cabbage, very thinly shredded (a mandoline is a must for achieving the perfect thinness)

2 carrots, stripped into ribbons using a peeler

50g roasted almonds, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons Pomegranate seeds

30g dill, leaves picked

30g mint, leaves picked

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, dry toasted in a pan & roughly crushed in a pestle & mortar

1 tablespoon ground coriander, dry toasted in a pan & roughly crushed in a pestle & mortar

2 tablespoons rose harissa

3-4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon clear honey

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Place all the dressing ingredients into a jar, seal, and shake well until combined.

2. In a large bowl, toss together the red cabbage, carrot ribbons, roasted almonds, pomegranate seeds, dill, and mint.

3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.

It’s the kind of salad that feels indulgent while still being light and nourishing. Perfect on its own for a refreshing meal or as a side to balance out something richer. And after those sugar free cookies? It was exactly what I needed.