We do not grate the red cabbage by hand for this salad. Instead, we let the Thermomix® work for 4 seconds at speed 5. The result is evenly fine strips that stay crisp and absorb the dressing without turning soggy. Blending for longer would crush the cabbage and make it bitter.
Red cabbage is a firm vegetable with a dense structure. Cutting by hand takes time and never gives the same consistency as the Thermomix®. At 4 seconds on speed 5, the cell walls are only lightly scored, not destroyed. The cabbage stays firm to the bite but exposes enough surface area for the dressing.
We add the 300 g of red cabbage together with 2 peeled, quartered oranges into the mixing bowl. The oranges are broken into rough pieces that mix through with the cabbage. Important: peel before blending, otherwise the white pith will turn bitter.
Red Cabbage Raw Salad with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 9 ✓
- 15 leaves mint
- 300 g red cabbage
- 2 orange
- 20 g orange juice
- 20 g balsamic vinegar
- 15 g honey
- 30 g olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
Instructions 0 / 3
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1
Chop the mint.
Wash the mint, pat dry, place in the mixing bowl (set a few leaves aside for garnish) and chop for 3 sec / speed 8, then push down with the spatula.
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2
Chop the red cabbage and oranges.
Trim and wash the red cabbage, cut into pieces and place in the mixing bowl. Peel the oranges, quarter them, add to the mixing bowl and chop for 4 sec / speed 5.
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3
Mix all ingredients.
Add the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt and cumin to the mixing bowl and mix for 7 sec / reverse direction / speed 2.
Serve garnished with mint leaves.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why cumin instead of caraway
The recipe uses cumin, not regular caraway. Cumin is a Middle Eastern spice with a warm, slightly smoky note. Caraway would be too sharp and would push the salad towards sauerkraut territory. The half teaspoon of cumin adds a subtle depth without overpowering the red cabbage.
You can leave out the cumin if you prefer. The salad still works without it, but the flavour will be a little flatter.
Honey and balsamic vinegar for a sweet-sour balance
The dressing is made from 20 g orange juice, 20 g balsamic vinegar, 15 g honey and 30 g olive oil. The acidity of the balsamic vinegar is softened by the honey, and the orange juice extends the fruitiness of the fresh oranges. Without honey the dressing would be too sharp; without balsamic vinegar it would be too flat.
We mix the dressing for 7 seconds on reverse direction at speed 2. Reverse direction prevents the orange pieces and cabbage from being chopped further. The dressing is only stirred, not emulsified. This is intentional here, as the texture should stay loose.
Mint is chopped first
The 15 mint leaves go into the mixing bowl before the red cabbage and are chopped for 3 seconds at speed 8. This releases the essential oils and distributes them evenly throughout the salad. If you add the mint at the end, it stays in large pieces and the flavour is unevenly spread.
Set a few leaves aside beforehand and use them as a garnish just before serving. This gives the salad a fresh look.
Serve straight away or leave to marinate
The salad can be served directly after mixing. The red cabbage will be crisp and the dressing will sit on the surface. If you leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes, the cabbage softens slightly and absorbs more dressing. Both work well, but they give a different texture.
The salad should not sit for more than 2 hours. The oranges will go soft, the mint will lose its colour and the red cabbage will release water. It is best served freshly mixed.
Swap olive oil for walnut oil
Instead of olive oil you can use walnut oil. It pairs well with red cabbage and oranges, but gives the salad a nutty note. If you use walnut oil, reduce the cumin to a knife-tip amount. Otherwise the flavours will clash.
Rapeseed oil also works, but it is neutral. The salad loses a little character with it.
Top with toasted seeds
The salad is already complete on its own. If you want more crunch, scatter toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts over the top. The seeds need to be toasted dry in a frying pan until they are fragrant. Do not toast them in the Thermomix®, as that does not work well here.
Serve with: Feta and baguette.
Chopped walnuts also work well as an alternative, especially with the walnut oil variation.
More raw vegetable salads with the Thermomix®: Carrot, Apple and Nut Salad, Pointed Cabbage and Celery Salad, Courgette Raw Salad.
