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A bowl of fennel and cabbage slaw with shredded carrots and green onions, garnished with lemon wedges.

Fennel and Cabbage Slaw with Lemon

WTBBQ
This fennel and cabbage slaw with lemon is bright, crunchy and lightly aromatic, making it a brilliant partner for richer barbecue dishes. The fennel adds freshness and sweetness, while the lemon dressing keeps the whole plate sharp, lively and balanced.
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Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine European
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 92 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g white cabbage finely shredded
  • 1 small fennel bulb very finely sliced
  • 2 spring onions finely sliced
  • 1 small carrot peeled and grated
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fennel fronds chopped, optional

Instructions
 

Prepare the vegetables

  • Finely shred the cabbage. Slice the fennel as thinly as possible, then add it to a large bowl with the cabbage, spring onions and grated carrot.

Mix the lemon dressing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, sea salt and black pepper until smooth.

Dress the slaw

  • Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.

Let it settle briefly

  • Leave the slaw for 10 minutes before serving so the flavours can settle and the cabbage softens ever so slightly while still keeping its crunch.

Finish and serve

  • Scatter over the chopped fennel fronds if using, then serve straight away or within the next hour for the best texture.

Notes

White cabbage is my base here because it stays crisp and takes dressing well without turning floppy too quickly. The fennel needs slicing as finely as you can manage so it threads through the slaw rather than turning up in big chunky bits. If you’ve got a mandoline and steady nerves, now is its moment.
The lemon should taste bright and fresh, not muted. I use both zest and juice because the zest brings a more fragrant lift that really helps the fennel along. The honey is only there to round things out a touch. This is not a sweet slaw, and I’d be quite annoyed if it were.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1.5gFat: 6.5gSaturated Fat: 0.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 4.7gSodium: 265mgPotassium: 255mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 4.5gVitamin A: 2480IUCalcium: 46mgIron: 0.7mg
Keyword cabbage lemon, crunchy salad, fennel slaw, fresh slaw, pork side
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