Cranberry-Pecan Thanksgiving Slaw Recipe

We all know Thanksgiving planning can be exhausting, but luckily we've got some fresh ideas for the table this year! Instead of preparing a classic slaw that you could find in any grocery store year-round, we've put a Thanksgiving-style spin on the shredded cabbage dish. This recipe can even be prepped ahead, leaving more time for other hosting duties and being with loved ones. Sweet, savory, and a little crunchy, this bright fall-forward slaw is a fun take on an old favorite.

The basic coleslaw DNA still remains: cabbage, a creamy dressing, and shredded carrots. No cooking required, best served cold. For our seasonal version, we're going to whip up an apple cider vinaigrette, chop toasted pecans, sprinkle in dried cranberries, and add in grated apple. With various textures, colors, and flavors on display, this cranberry-pecan slaw just might earn a spot on the table for years to come.

Most slaw recipes call for cabbage as a main ingredient, and ours is no different. Cabbage is relied upon for its hardiness and crunch, which helps it stand up being soaked in creamy dressing and made ahead of time. We'll use one head of green cabbage for this recipe, but if you want to make it even more colorful, try using a mix of half green and half red cabbage. If you want to save time, you can also opt for pre-shredded cabbage — you'll need 6 cups.

You'll also need a carrot, half of a red onion, some chopped pecans, and dried cranberries. The dressing requires the juice of an orange, maple syrup, mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Grating an apple into this slaw and topping it with ground cinnamon will make it perfect for fall. 

Cut the orange in half and juice it into a large bowl.

Add the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, and salt to the bowl. Whisk until combined.

Remove the outer leaves of the green cabbage and cut it into quarters. Remove the core and discard.

Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to slice the cabbage into very thin pieces.

Measure 6 cups of sliced cabbage and add to the dressing.

Peel the apple and grate it on the large holes of a box grater.

Rinse the sliced red onion in a fine mesh strainer under cold water.

Add the apples, red onion, pecans, cranberries, and carrot to the bowl. Mix together with the cabbage and apples until evenly coated.

Garnish the slaw with a dash of ground cinnamon and serve immediately, or chill up to 3 days.

In case of dietary reasons or flavor preferences, you can swap out many of the ingredients in this Thanksgiving slaw. While it can be difficult to find a good cabbage substitute for slaw since it's the main ingredient, you can actually trade it out with a similar textured raw shredded veggie, such as Brussels sprouts. Napa cabbage makes for a good swap, as does shredded kale (though we recommend massaging it for a minute or two). If you need a vegan version of this dish, you'd want to substitute mayonnaise for a vegan version, which is easy to find. Other than that, nothing in the recipe utilizes animal products.

Carrot can be swapped out for another crunchy grated veggie like beets. If you don't have any apples on hand, you can simply omit them. Red onion can be swapped with yellow or white onion with no problems, or changed to sliced scallions for those who prefer a less oniony taste. The pecans can be swapped out with any other chopped nut, or if there's a nut allergy, substitute with sunflower seeds or pepitas.

There are tons of compatible side dishes and accompaniments for this cranberry-pecan slaw. Since it's fresh, cold, and crunchy, the salad section of the meal is covered. If you're serving this slaw at Thanksgiving, the obvious answer is serving it alongside a beautiful turkey, whether it's the whole bird or a roasted breast. This slaw would also go perfectly with fried chicken or anything off the grill, countering fried and charred flavors with a bright note of acid and freshness. When thinking of veggie sides to add to the menu, green bean casserole, steamed broccoli, collard greens or mashed potatoes would all be good options.

When it comes time to get rid of holiday leftovers, this slaw would be the perfect base for a leftovers sandwich with toasted bread, turkey, cranberry sauce, and mayo. The good news is slaw gets better as it sits!