Salad: United States – Florida (Southern United States) – Swamp Cabbage Slaw

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 0 min

Additional 1 hr 30 min

Total 1 hr 40 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (450 g) Sabal palm heart (swamp cabbage), trimmed and thinly sliced or shredded
- 8 oz (225 g) green cabbage, finely shredded (about 1/2 small head)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned or shredded (about 6 oz / 170 g)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 3 oz / 85 g)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1.5 oz / 45 g)
- 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced (about 1 oz / 30 g)
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey (or granulated sugar)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) celery seed
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) freshly ground black pepper
- 2–3 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco), optional
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) buttermilk or water, optional to thin dressing

Instructions

Short Description:
A crisp, bright slaw built around the tender heart of the Sabal palm (swamp cabbage), tossed with crunchy vegetables and a creamy, slightly tangy dressing. It showcases Florida's native palm harvest in a classic Southern slaw format.

Regional Notes:
This Florida version uses the heart of the Sabal palm (commonly called swamp cabbage) as the primary shredded vegetable, which gives a mild, slightly nutty flavor and firmer texture than ordinary cabbage. The dressing blends mayonnaise with apple cider vinegar and citrus—typical Southern balance—so it reads neither purely creamy nor purely vinegar-forward.

1. Prepare the swamp cabbage: trim any fibrous or brown outer material from the Sabal palm heart and slice the tender inner heart thinly (or shred) into matchstick-sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add remaining vegetables: add the shredded green cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, celery, and parsley to the bowl with the swamp cabbage and toss to combine.
3. Make the dressing: in a separate bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, celery seed, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) buttermilk or water until it reaches desired consistency.
4. Toss and rest: pour the dressing over the shredded vegetables and toss thoroughly to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, honey, or vinegar as desired.
5. Chill and meld: cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (preferably 1 hour) to let flavors meld and the swamp cabbage soften slightly.
6. Serve: give the slaw a final toss, drain any excess liquid before plating if desired, and serve chilled as a salad or side alongside grilled seafood, fried fish, or BBQ.