German Cabbage Coleslaw With Ham (Printable version)

Smoky, tangy coleslaw with crisp cabbage, carrots, and smoked ham in classic German-style dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
02 - 1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded
03 - 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Meats

05 - 1 cup smoked ham, shredded

→ Dressing

06 - 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
07 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tablespoon honey
09 - 1/3 cup sunflower oil or neutral oil
10 - 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, and red onion.
02 - Add the shredded smoked ham to the bowl and toss to distribute evenly.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, sunflower oil, caraway seeds if using, salt, and pepper until well blended.
04 - Pour the dressing over the cabbage and ham mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure everything is well coated.
05 - Let the coleslaw sit for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop and meld.
06 - Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It holds up beautifully at picnics and potlucks without wilting into a sad puddle like mayo-based slaws.
  • The smokiness from the ham turns this into something far more interesting than a typical side dish.
  • You can toss it together in under half an hour and it actually tastes better after sitting for a while.
  • The tangy dressing wakes up your palate instead of weighing it down.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time, the cabbage needs those minutes to absorb the dressing and lose some of its raw edge.
  • If your dressing tastes too sharp at first, give it time, the flavors smooth out beautifully as the slaw sits.
  • Shredding the cabbage too thick will leave you with a crunchy but under-dressed slaw, thin is the way to go here.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline if you have one, it makes quick work of shredding the cabbage into perfectly thin, even strips.
  • Taste the dressing before adding it to the slaw and adjust the honey or vinegar to your preference, everyone's palate is a little different.
  • If you can find double-smoked ham, grab it, the extra smokiness takes this slaw to another level entirely.
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