This sweet and tangy beet slaw with apples, onion, and cabbage is easy to make in 15 minutes and is perfect as a healthy side salad or topping for burgers and tacos.

Overhead shot of a beet, apple and cabbage slaw in a bowl with a fork.
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Recipe Features
What You’ll Need
How to Make this Salad
Tips, Substitutions and FAQs
Related Recipes
Apple Beet Slaw

Recipe Features

  • no cooking needed – perfect for a light Spring or Summer dish
  • vegan, gluten-free and nut-free – works for those with dietary restrictions
  • versatile – enjoy on its own or add to another salad, burger, hot dog or anywhere else you’d use coleslaw

What You’ll Need

Labelled ingredients for a beet, apple and cabbage salad.
  • fruit and veggies – you’ll need a couple of beets and green apples and some cabbage and red onion
  • dressing – the dressing is a simple combination of vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup and dijon mustard

How to Make this Salad

Grate the beet and apples, grate or thinly slice the red cabbage and diced the red onion. Add everything to a bowl and mix it all up.

Shredded cabbage, beet, apple and red onion in a mixing bowl.

Add the dressing ingredients, mix everything up and enjoy right away!

A raw beet, cabbage and apple salad in a bowl.

Tips, Substitutions and FAQs

  • Red onion can be substituted with white onion if needed.
  • Agave is a suitable substitute for maple syrup.
  • Red/purple cabbage can be substituted with green cabbage if needed.
  • If you want to omit the olive oil that’s fine but I do think it improves the texture of the slaw. It can also be substituted with vegan mayo if you prefer a creamier slaw.
  • Any variety of apple works but Granny Smith is the best option for their tart flavor and crunchiness.
  • A medium grate is best for the beet. If it’s too fine the salad will be soggy and if it’s too thick, it will be too tough and crunchy.

How long does this keep?

This salad is best served fresh but will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. It makes a fairly large amount so if you won’t be able to eat it all within a couple days, I’d recommend halving the recipe.

How should I serve this?

  • on its own as a light meal, snack or side dish
  • topping for burgers, tacos and hot dogs
  • added to any buddha bowl
  • on avocado toast
  • served with breakfast or brunch
  • great for a Summer BBQ or picnic
Two bowls of a bright pink beet and apple salad.

Here are some more wonderful, healthy salads to try:

For more fun ways to use beets, try my quinoa beet burger, beet orange smoothie or strawberry beet smoothie bowl.

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Overhead shot of two bowls of beet, apple and cabbage slaw in bowls.

Apple Beet Slaw

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

A lovely fresh, sweet, and tangy beet apple salad that’s perfect for a light meal, healthy side dish, or topping for burgers and hot dogs.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 packed cups (450 g) peeled and grated beet (about 2 large or 3 small beets)
  • 2 green apples, grated or thinly sliced
  • 1 cup grated or thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1/2 a medium red onion, diced (about 3/4 cup lightly packed, 100 g)
  • 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1.5 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste, optional

Instructions

  1. Add everything to a bowl and mix well to combine.
  2. Serve right away or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

This makes enough for 6-8 side salads. If you don’t need much, consider halving the recipe since it’s best served fresh or within 24 hours.

If needed, red cabbage may be substituted with green cabbage, red onion can be substituted with white onion and the oil can be omitted.

This salad can be enjoyed on its own as a light meal, snack, or side salad but it also works beautifully as a topping for things like burgers and tacos. It’s also great to serve alongside breakfast and brunch or added to any buddha bowl.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
  • Calories: 111
  • Sugar: 15 g
  • Sodium: 400 mg
  • Fat: 2.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 2 g

Keywords: beet slaw, beet apple salad, beet cabbage salad

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UPDATE NOTE: This recipe was originally published on February 2, 2015. It was updated on May 13, 2020 with new photos and text.