Crisp Winter Slaw Recipe: The Barefoot Contessa’s Fresh Twist

Winter slaw brings unexpected brightness to cold-weather dining tables.

Crisp vegetables mingle with tangy dressings, creating a refreshing contrast to heavy seasonal meals.

Bold textures dance across your plate, challenging traditional salad expectations.

Colorful ingredients transform ordinary side dishes into memorable culinary experiences.

Raw vegetables provide satisfying crunch and nutritional depth, making this recipe both delicious and healthful.

Innovative combinations elevate simple ingredients into something extraordinary.

Prepare to reimagine your approach to winter eating:

Embrace the Crispness of Winter Slaw

• Unleash Winter Veggie Magic: This slaw transforms humble winter greens into a vibrant, crunchy masterpiece that breaks through the season's bland eating routine.
• Elevate Simple Ingredients: By using a razor-sharp knife technique and delicate shaving of Parmesan, ordinary kale and Brussels sprouts become an elegant, restaurant-quality salad that looks impressive but takes minimal effort.
• Bright Flavor Explosion: The zesty lemon vinaigrette cuts through the hearty greens, while dried cranberries add sweet-tart bursts that dance on your palate, creating a refreshing contrast to winter's heavy dishes.
• Quick and Versatile Crowd-Pleaser: Ready in under 15 minutes, this slaw works perfectly as a side dish for holiday meals, weeknight dinners, or potluck gatherings, making it a go-to recipe for busy home cooks who want maximum flavor with minimal preparation.

Key Ingredients for Winter Slaw

• Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Radicchio: Fresh, crisp winter greens that create a hearty and nutritious base for the slaw, with varied textures and colors for visual appeal.

• Parmesan Cheese: Sharp, aged cheese that adds rich, salty flavor and delicate shards for textural contrast.
• Dried Cranberries: Sweet and tangy dried fruit that provides bursts of flavor and beautiful red color to the winter slaw.

• Lemon Juice: Bright, acidic component that adds freshness and helps balance the rich cheese and hearty greens.
• Olive Oil: Smooth, fruity oil that helps bind the dressing and adds a subtle richness to the salad.
• Salt: Essential seasoning that enhances the overall flavor of the slaw.
• Black Pepper: Warm, spicy seasoning that provides a subtle kick and complements the other ingredients.

Simple Guide to Winter Slaw

Step 1: Prepare Leafy Greens

Wash and pat dry the kale, Brussels sprouts, and radicchio. Using a sharp knife, slice each vegetable crosswise into ultra-thin ribbons. Transfer the delicate green ribbons into a spacious mixing bowl.

Step 2: Craft Zesty Vinaigrette

• Fresh lemon juice
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the ingredients vigorously until they blend into a smooth, golden mixture.

Step 3: Dress The Winter Slaw

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the sliced greens, using just enough to lightly coat the vegetables. Gently toss to ensure even coverage, reserving some dressing for final adjustments.

Step 4: Add Elegant Toppings

Use a vegetable peeler to create delicate Parmesan cheese shavings. Sprinkle the cheese shards and dried cranberries over the slaw, distributing them evenly.

Step 5: Final Toss And Presentation

Carefully fold the ingredients together, maintaining the integrity of the Parmesan shards. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately at room temperature or slightly chilled for a refreshing winter salad experience.

Insider Tips for Winter Slaw

• Slice with Precision: A mandoline ensures paper-thin vegetable cuts, creating a professional-looking and evenly textured slaw.
• Soften Kale Naturally: Gently massaging kale with dressing breaks down its tough fibers, making each bite more tender and enjoyable.
• Prep Like a Pro: Chop vegetables hours before serving to save time, adding delicate ingredients like cheese and cranberries just before guests arrive.
• Cheese Swap Brilliance: Don't stress if Parmesan isn't in your fridge – Pecorino Romano and aged Gouda bring equally delicious, sharp flavor profiles.
• Crunch Up Your Salad: Toasting walnuts or almonds transforms the slaw, adding a nutty depth and irresistible texture that elevates the entire dish.

Smart Storage for Winter Slaw

• Vacuum Seal Method: Lock in freshness by transferring slaw to vacuum-sealed bags, removing all air. Prevents moisture buildup and extends storage life up to 5 days, maintaining crisp vegetable texture and vibrant flavors.
• Separate Dressing Technique: Keep dressing in a separate sealed container to prevent salad from becoming soggy. Refrigerate components individually, mixing just before serving to preserve crunch and prevent wilting of delicate vegetables.
• Glass Container Storage: Use glass containers with tight-fitting lids for optimal preservation. Glass prevents flavor absorption, allows easy visibility, and maintains ingredients' original taste and texture better than plastic alternatives.

Creative Twists on Winter Slaw

• Winter Veggie Fusion: Swap radicchio with endive for a slightly bitter, crisp texture that complements the kale and Brussels sprouts.
• Mediterranean Makeover: Replace dried cranberries with chopped kalamata olives and add crumbled feta cheese for a Greek-inspired slaw that brings tangy, salty notes.
• Nutty Crunch Sensation: Incorporate toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds to introduce a rich, earthy crunch that elevates the salad's overall texture and flavor profile.
• Protein Power Boost: Mix in shredded rotisserie chicken or diced grilled tofu to transform the slaw from a side dish into a complete, satisfying meal with added protein.

A Refreshing Conclusion for Winter Slaw

Winter slaw emerges as culinary poetry, blending rugged kale, delicate Brussels sprouts, and peppery radicchio into elegant harmony.

Crisp textures dance with zesty lemon vinaigrette, creating symphonic layers of winter freshness.

Shaved Parmesan and crimson cranberries punctuate green landscapes with salty and sweet nuances.

Winter’s raw ingredients become sophisticated salad art through Barefoot Contessa’s masterful technique.

Mediterranean-inspired simplicity transforms humble vegetables into refined dining experience.

Savor this masterpiece – snap a photo, share your dish, spread deliciousness with kitchen companions near and far.

Barefoot Contessa Winter Slaw Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 27 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Barefoot Contessa Winter Slaw brings crisp winter vegetables together in a refreshing salad that dances with tangy and sweet flavors. Colorful cabbage, kale, and julienned carrots mingle with a zesty apple cider vinaigrette, offering you a light and crunchy side dish perfect for cold-weather meals.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Vegetables:

• 6 to 8 large kale leaves
• 6 ounces (170 grams) Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and cored
• ½ small head radicchio, cored

Cheese and Dried Fruit:

• 6 ounces (170 grams) Parmesan cheese, in a chunk
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Dressing Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• ½ cup (120 milliliters) good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Prepare the mixed greens by meticulously slicing kale, Brussels sprouts, and radicchio into delicate, fine strips resembling a classic coleslaw, then transfer the vibrant mixture into a spacious mixing bowl.
2. Craft the zesty vinaigrette by whisking fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a compact bowl until the ingredients harmonize into a smooth, emulsified dressing.
3. Gently drizzle an appropriate amount of the prepared vinaigrette over the sliced greens, ensuring a light, even coating while preserving the remaining dressing for potential additional seasoning.
4. Enhance the slaw’s complexity by using a sharp vegetable peeler to create elegant, broad Parmesan cheese shavings, then sprinkle these delicate cheese ribbons alongside dried cranberries over the verdant mixture.
5. Delicately combine all components, maintaining the structural integrity of the Parmesan shards, and perform a final taste assessment, adjusting seasoning or incorporating additional vinaigrette as needed to achieve the perfect flavor balance. Serve immediately at a cool room temperature or thoroughly chilled.

Notes

• Slice kale leaves thinly to ensure even coating and easier chewing.
• Grate Parmesan freshly for more vibrant, authentic cheese flavor.
• Crush nuts just before adding to maintain maximum crispness and release natural oils.
• Rest salad briefly after mixing to let flavors meld and dressing penetrate ingredients.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container for a quick next-day lunch boost.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 287
• Sugar: 11g
• Sodium: 587mg
• Fat: 20g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 19g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 10g
• Cholesterol: 19mg