Russian Pickled Cabbage Salad
This Russian pickled cabbage salad is made with crunchy cabbage, mini sweet peppers, and carrots, pickled overnight in a simple homemade brine, and ready in your fridge to add to any meal for the next 3 weeks!
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After my family’s Easter dinner, we had leftovers that we had taken home to eat for lunch the next day. This Russian pickled cabbage salad being one of them. This one hit the spot on another level, Val insisted I call my mom later that day and get on the recipe ASAP. This recipe is one of my mom’s very many amazing Russian food recipes that is now a keeper in my book.
Now, I’ve had some tell me this pickled cabbage isn’t actually a Russian recipe, but let me tell you, it’s at every holiday, party, birthday, and wedding I’ve ever been to in the states and it’s a very popular one!
This Russian pickled cabbage salad is simple to make with a few ingredients that can be found at any local grocery store. No need to hit up the Russian deli!
My favorite part is that it keeps so well in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks! Just pull it out fridge and serve alongside whatever you’re having for lunch or dinner. My favorite thing to serve this with is beef plov, kotleti, or pelemeni.
If you love this Russian pickled recipe, be sure to check out my other favorite from my mom’s kitchen, Russian Pickled Tomatoes. Another favorite is Beef Plov.
If you make this Russian Pickled Cabbage Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I’d love to hear what you think about it, or better yet, see what you’re cooking! Tag me on Instagram, @fettysfoodblog with your creation.
Recipe updated July 5th, 2022.
Russian Pickled Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
For The Brine
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup avocado oil (or vegetable oil, my mom's favorite is sunflower oil)
- 1¼ cups distilled vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
For The Cabbage Salad
- 2 large heads green cabbage
- 1 pound mini sweet peppers (about 18-20 mini peppers)
- 2 large carrots
- 1 head garlic
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
Make The Brine
- Heat water in a pot over medium heat. As water is heating up, add in the salt, sugar, avocado oil, and vinegar to the pot. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Add bay leaf and peppercorns to the pot. Set the brine aside to let cool to room temperature.
Make The Cabbage Salad
- While the brine is cooling down, cut and prep the remaining ingredients for the salad.
- Remove the outer layer of the cabbage and cut in half. Thinly slice the cabbage using a mandolin or a sharp knife. Discard the core when you get to the end. Place the shredded cabbage into a large bowl.
- Thinly slice the mini sweet peppers using a mandolin or a sharp knife. Discard the stem and seeds when you get to the end. Place them into the large bowl with the cabbage.
- Peel the carrots and cut into thin matchsticks. Place into the large bowl with the cabbage and peppers.
- Peel the garlic and finely chop. Place into the large bowl with other vegetables.
- Toss all of the ingredients in the large bowl until they are well combined. Once the brine has cooled down to room temperature, pour it over the cabbage and vegetables in the large bowl.
- Place a large round plate over the cabbage so it is covering and pressing on the cabbage and veggies. Place something heavy and waterproof on top of the plate so it can apply pressure. Cover the large bowl completely with a clean kitchen towel and place in a safe place on the kitchen counter. Leave overnight so cabbage has time to marinate in the brine.
- The next day, remove the heavy object and plate from the bowl. Add the chopped dill to the bowl with the cabbage and mix until well combined. Transfer pickled cabbage salad to a large air tight container or mason jar including the remaining brining liquid. Place into the refrigerator and let cool for 4 hours before serving.
- Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks in an air tight container or mason jar.
Hello. Will apple cider vinegar work for this?
Hi Yelena! It should work just fine. It might give the salad a bit of a yellow/orange color but it should be fine. 🙂