Red Salad with Citrus, Honey, and Thyme Vinaigrette
on Apr 15, 2024
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When you need a flavorful salad that adds a pop of color to a meal, this red salad is just the ticket. Perfect for hioliday dinners!
Sometimes, you need a red salad to round out the color play on your table – this is the salad you want! Crisp, pleasantly bitter, with a slightly sweet dressing thanks to the honey, this is a terrific salad to balance a rich meal. Serve it with slow cooker pot roast, oven-baked brisket, or fettuccine alfredo.
This salad looks like I got in a fight with the color green, and it told me I could only play with the color red from now on. This is a nice alternative to Spicy Braised Radicchio and Red Cabbage on a holiday table. I particularly like it for Passover or Rosh Hashana.
Table of Contents
Red Salad Ingredients
- Radicchio – You can absolutely use regular radicchio and slice it very thinly. Or, seek out some of the more unusual and stunning varieties of Italian radicchio, Rosso Tardivo, Rosa di Padova, and La Rosae di Veneto are a few that I got from Melissa’s. Oh my goodness, each one looks like an exotic flower. Regular radicchio should be slivered very thinly, but depending on the variety of lettuce you find, you may not want to rush to sliver them up. Look at the leaves and see which you might want to leave whole, or at least in bigger pieces, and which are going to be better slivered up.
- Red cabbage – Sliced very thinly.
- Red onion – Also sliced very thinly!
- Pepitas – Optional, but add a terrific crunch. You could also use nuts like walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts.
For the Vinaigrette
- Orange and lemon juice – Please use fresh if possible.
- Balsamic vinegar – Along with the citrus juice, this adds a tangy sweetness.
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Honey – If you want this to be a vegan salad, you can use agave instead.
- Fresh thyme – Don’t use dried here!
How to Make Red Salad
- Slice the salad ingredients: Quarter and core the radicchio and cabbage, and very thinly slice both vegetables. Halve and very thinly slice the red onion.
- Make the salad: Place the radicchio, cabbage, and onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the orange juice, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar and toss.
- Finish the dressing: In a small container, place the olive oil, honey, and thyme. Shake to combine. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Add the pepitas, if using. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Red Salad Tips
- If you are using regular radicchio and cabbage, it’s a good idea to let the lettuces sit in the citrus juices and vinegar for a bit. Toss them every once in a while so that the acids and salt wilt the vegetables a bit.
- When using more delicate lettuces, dress and toss the cabbage and onions and let that sit for a while. Add the more delicate lettuces just before serving.
Prepare yourself for the oohs and aahs on this one. This is the opposite of an afterthought salad.
What to Serve With Red Salad
More Salad Recipes
- Arugula, Orange, and Pomegranate Salad
- Romaine, Kale, and Broccoli Salad
- Endive and Radicchio Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
- Classic Caesar Salad
- Brussels Sprouts, Pecorino, and Apple Salad
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Red Salad with Citrus, Honey, and Thyme Vinaigrette
When you need a flavorful salad that adds a pop of color to a meal, this red salad is just the ticket. Perfect for hioliday dinners!
Ingredients
- 1 medium head radicchio or 2 large heads leafy radicchio (see Note)
- ½ small head red cabbage
- 1 red onion
For the Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup pepitas (optional)
Instructions
- Quarter and core the cabbage. If using regular radicchio, quarter and core that. Very thinly slice the lettuce and cabbage. Halve and very thinly slice the red onion. Place the radicchio, cabbage, and onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the orange juice, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar and toss. Set aside for an hour, tossing every once in a while so that the acids and salt wilt the vegetables a bit. If you are using leafy radicchio, tear them into pieces and set aside.
- In a small container, place the olive oil, honey, and thyme. Shake to combine. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. If using leafy radicchio, add it now and toss. Add the pepitas. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
Depending on the variety of lettuce you find, you may not want to rush to sliver them up, but look at the leaves and see which you might want to leave whole, or at least in bigger pieces, and which are going to be better slivered up.
If you are using regular radicchio and cabbage, it’s a good idea to let the lettuces sit in the citrus juices and vinegar for a bit, tossing them every once in a while so that the acids and salt wilt the vegetables a bit. If you are using more delicate lettuces, then dress and toss the cabbage and onions and let that sit for a while. Add the more delicate lettuces just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 123kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 21mg, Potassium: 203mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 796IU, Vitamin C: 44mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg
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