Delicious and easy to make, this 5-minute Venezuelan coleslaw recipe, also known as ensalada rallada, is the perfect side dish for any summer gathering, picnic, or backyard barbecue, including your next Fourth of July celebration.
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The word rallada means shredded. Cabbage and carrots, the two main ingredients of this salad, are shredded and nicely complemented with a mayo and buttermilk dressing. Let’s say this is the Venezuelan version of an American classic: the beloved KFC coleslaw we all have copycatted!
A cheap, flavorful, and versatile salad
Coleslaw comes from the Dutch term koolsla, which means cabbage salad. And this coleslaw is as good as it can be. Due to the increasing Venezuelan diaspora, our gastronomy is getting trendy around the globe. So, our ensalada de repollo is becoming the perfect side dish for everyday meals and special occasions with friends and family.
In Venezuela, this is a favorite salad. Not only are its ingredients cheap and available all year round. But also, this coleslaw proves that the simpler, the better. As its American counterpart, this salad, made with cabbage and carrots, can be prepared in 5 minutes.
However, this salad gets better the next day. Its texture and flavor improve when refrigerating overnight, making it a great make-ahead dish for your next potluck.
How to make Venezuelan ensalada de repollo
To make this delicious slaw, my grandma Ligia’s simple formula combined equal parts of raw shredded purple and green cabbage and carrots. Her secret ingredient was a few tablespoons of onion chopped in brunoise. That sweet onion makes a huge difference.
This salad is so easy to make that you don’t need a food processor. Cabbage is cut in a fine julienne with a sharp knife, shredded with a mandolin, or shaved with a potato peeler. Carrots are shredded with a cheese grater. And then, these ingredients are combined in a large bowl.
How to make coleslaw dressing
The rest is to prepare a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing. To make it, add all the ingredients in a medium bowl. First, the milk with the apple cider vinegar and fresh lime juice to create the tangy buttermilk’s flavor and texture. Then, add the mayonnaise and sugar. Sugar is critical for the perfect balance, so please, don’t skip it.
Once all the ingredients are well combined with a wooden spoon, add the dressing to the salad bowl and stir until everything is incorporated.
What to serve with Venezuelan ensalada rallada
This salad is super versatile. It’s the perfect side dish for grilled beef, pork, chicken, and fish. This is the salad you enjoy with pescado frito (fried fish) when you go to the beach and stop to have lunch or dinner overlooking the ocean. It goes perfectly with burgers, chicken wings, and ribs.
In Venezuela, we love it on top of tostones (fried green plantains) and as part of the fillings of the so delicious patacón pisao (a sort of sandwich we make with smashed fried plantains instead of bread), as well as our delicious Venezuelan arepas.
This will be your new favorite for any summer picnic or potluck.
A salad for the holidays
We love our ensalada rallada so much that we have a more festive holiday version. It’s pretty much the same formula but with the addition of raisins, diced fresh pineapple, or both.
How to store Venezuelan coleslaw salad
This salad lasts 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. However, remember that the more storage time, the more watery the salad gets. If you aren’t consuming it during the next four days, saving the cabbage slaw with the carrots in a Mason jar and the dressing in another container may be better.
Best Venezuelan coleslaw recipe
Following is the recipe card. I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we do.
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Venezuelan Coleslaw or Ensalada rallada
Ingredients
- 1 cup green cabbage finely shredded, rinsed, and dried
- 1 cup purple cabbage finely shredded, rinsed, and dried
- 1 cup carrot shredded
- 2 tablespoons onion finely chopped or minced
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- In a big bowl, combine cabbage and carrots.
- Add the milk, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl, and combine. Add the mayonnaise and stir until well combined.
- Add the mayo dressing to the salad and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. This salad tastes better the next day.
Nutrition
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