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This quick cabbage and carrot salad is a fresh, crunchy, no mayo side that pairs perfectly for shawarma nights, meal prep, and makes building balanced wraps and bowls effortless.

No mayo cabbage carrot slaw with lemon and herbs served in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

This is a simple 5-minute cabbage and carrot salad which adds crunch, freshness and fibre to a meal without adding heaviness. It’s the side we always reach for when slow cooker chicken shawarma is on the menu with Chickpea and Halloumi Salad.

It’s the kind of side you can keep in the fridge and use for:

wraps
bowls
quick lunches
shawarma night
balanced lunchboxes

There’s no mayo. No heavy dressing. The lemon, herbs and sumac give this salad a Middle Eastern-inspired flavour that pairs beautifully with chicken shawarma and grilled meats and supports blood sugar balance. It also happens to be one of the easiest meal prep vegetable salads you can make.

Finished cabbage and carrot salad topped with sumac and sesame seeds ready to serve.

Why this quick cabbage and carrot salad works

This is the kind of side that solves the everyday question, “What can I add to make this meal more balanced?” Here’s why:

Ready in 5 minutes
High in fibre and naturally filling
Fresh and sharp to balance warm, spiced meals
A healthy cabbage and carrot salad that keeps well for meal prep
Made without mayonnaise
Easy to scale for gatherings or batch cooking

Quick cabbage and carrot salad served alongside slow cooker chicken shawarma, grains, chickpeas and greens in a balanced meal bowl.

How this fits the balanced plate method

This salad is your fibre and volume element.

Pair it with:

a protein such as chicken shawarma, cooked lean proteins like shredded chicken, chickpeas or halloumi
a carbohydrate like pitta, bulgur, rice or roasted sweet potatoes
a healthy fat such as tahini, olive oil or yoghurt

🔗 This is the same structure I use in our kitchen and in my How to Build a Balanced Meal guide. It turns simple food into a meal that keeps you full and supports steadier blood sugars.

Fresh ingredients for quick cabbage and carrot salad including red and white cabbage, carrots, lemon, spring onions and mixed herbs.

Ingredients and why they matter

Cabbage – I use red and white cabbage, which adds crunch, bulk and slow-digesting carbohydrates that support steady energy.

Carrots – Bring natural sweetness, colour and extra fibre.

Spring Onion – Adds a mild savoury note without overpowering the salad.

Lemon juice – Lifts the whole dish and balances rich mains.

Apple cider vinegar – Gives a light pickled finish, so it works beautifully for meal prep.

Fresh herbs – I use mint, coriander and parsley to bring flavour without needing a heavy dressing.

Sumac (optional) – A sharp, citrusy finish.

How to make quick cabbage and carrot salad

1.Finely shred the cabbage, chop the spring onions and grate the carrot.

Finely shredded red and white cabbage with grated carrot and sliced spring onions prepared for quick cabbage and carrot salad.

2. Mix the vegetables together

Mixed cabbage, carrot and spring onions in a bowl for healthy cabbage and carrot salad.

3. Add the chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Combine everything well.

Fresh mint, coriander and parsley added to cabbage carrot slaw mixture.

4. Toss with lemon juice and apple cider vinegar.

Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar poured over cabbage carrot salad for a no mayo slaw dressing.

5. Finish with a sprinkle of sumac and sesame seeds just before serving.

Close-up of healthy cabbage and carrot salad showing shredded red and white cabbage, grated carrot and fresh herbs

Helpful tips

Shred the cabbage finely for the best texture.
Toss and lightly massage for a few seconds if you prefer a slightly softer slaw.
Add sumac at the end so the flavour stays bright.

Can you make cabbage and carrot salad ahead of time?

This cabbage carrot salad for meal prep keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. In fact, the flavour improves slightly as it sits. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

It is ideal for:

quick lunches
balanced lunchboxes
grain bowls
wrap fillings

Balanced bowl with cabbage and carrot salad, shredded chicken, grains, chickpeas and yoghurt dressing.

What Goes with Cabbage Carrot Salad

This healthy cabbage and carrot salad is incredibly flexible. Try it:

with my slow cooker chicken shawarma and warm flatbreads
in chicken or halloumi wraps
alongside my shredded Chipotle chicken
on top of a balanced grain bowl
as a fresh element in a help-yourself weekend spread

Variations

No mayo cabbage carrot slaw – full of crunch and colour, it uses a Greek yoghurt dressing for that creamy coleslaw finish

Celeriac Coleslaw with Yoghurt Remoulade – A deliciously crunchy celeriac salad, great in sandwiches or salad bowls

Crunchy Edamame Rainbow Salad – This has a more asian inspired twist with an amazing peanut dressing.

Diabetes Note

This salad is naturally high in fibre and low in added fat, which makes it a useful component when building balanced meals. Pairing fibre-rich vegetables like cabbage and carrots with protein and healthy fats can help slow digestion and support steadier blood glucose responses. As always, individual responses vary, so use your own monitoring to see how meals work for you.

Michelle Rorke, founder of Whole Hearty Kitchen, smiling in her kitchen leanng on the counter - healthy food blogger UK

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