German Cabbage Coleslaw With Ham (Printer-Friendly)

Smoky, tangy coleslaw with cabbage, carrots, and smoked ham in classic German-style dressing. Ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll 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 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

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, grated carrot, and thinly sliced red onion.
02 - Add the shredded smoked ham to the vegetable mixture and toss gently to distribute evenly throughout.
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 and emulsified.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the cabbage and ham mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure all components are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Allow the coleslaw to rest for at least 10 minutes at room temperature to permit flavors to meld and vegetables to soften slightly.
06 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley immediately before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under twenty minutes, so you can have something that tastes like it took all day.
  • The smoky ham transforms a simple vegetable slaw into something hearty enough to feel like a proper side dish that actually satisfies.
  • That tangy-sweet dressing is dangerously easy to love, and you'll find yourself making extra to drizzle on other things.
02 -
  • If you don't let it rest those ten minutes, the cabbage will be too crisp and the flavors won't have time to marry—it's not just a suggestion.
  • The caraway seeds are subtle but essential if you want it to taste authentically German, not just like a regular tangy slaw.
03 -
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it on the vegetables—this is your only chance to balance the vinegar, sweetness, and mustard without having to fish things out later.
  • If you're taking this somewhere, pack the dressing separately and toss everything together right before serving, which keeps the vegetables crispest.
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