Napa cabbage salad: Your new go‑to side dish recipe
Are you looking for the perfect side dish that will delight with its lightness, juiciness, and unique flavour? This salad, with crispy napa cabbage as the main ingredient, could become your new culinary discovery. Its preparation literally takes just a few moments, making it ideal even on the busiest of days.
There are recipes that I joyfully return to because they are quick, healthy, and complement almost any meal. One of these is the napa cabbage salad, which has been a staple on my table for a long time—and not just in the summer. Preparing it takes no more than fifteen minutes, and the result? A juicy, crispy, and refreshing mix that pairs well with both meat and light vegetarian dishes.
This recipe combines classic ingredients with a touch of mustard punch. Delicate napa cabbage, sweet and sour apple, flavourful onion, and aromatic pickles bathed in a light lemon-mustard sauce—this combination has surprised more than one guest at my table.
Recipe for crispy napa cabbage salad
Ingredients for the salad:
- 1 medium napa cabbage,
- 4 pickles,
- 1 medium apple,
- 1 small onion,
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley,
- 2 tablespoons of mustard (e.g., Dijon),
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil,
- juice of ½ fresh lemon,
- freshly ground black pepper to taste,
- tomato or red pepper (optional),
- salt to taste.
Preparation:
- Begin by preparing the dressing—combine mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and mix thoroughly until the ingredients form a smooth emulsion.
- Finely chop the napa cabbage and place it in a large bowl.
- Grate the pickles and apple using a coarse grater and add them to the cabbage.
- Finely dice the onion and add it to the mixture.
- Pour the prepared dressing over everything and mix thoroughly until the salad has a uniform consistency and aroma.
- Finally, add finely chopped parsley—it gives the whole dish freshness and colour.
Done! This salad tastes best right after preparation, but it also works great after a few hours in the refrigerator—then the flavours meld even better.
