Malfouf Salad (Lebanese Cabbage Salad)

The simplest side of crunchy Malfouf Salad, also known as Lebanese cabbage salad. Made with shredded cabbage and fresh parsley tossed through a sour dressing. 

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Jump to:

• 😋Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• What is Malfouf Salad?
• ✔️Ingredients You’ll Need
• 🥬How To Make Malfouf Salad
• ⭐ Pro Tips 
• 🥗Variations
• ❓FAQ
• 🍴Serving Suggestions
• 🥗Related Recipes
• Malfouf Salad (Lebanese Cabbage Salad)

😋Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Can be served with so many foods, the sour dressing and the sweet cabbage pair so well with rices, soups, bakes and so much more
• Can be adjusted to suit an oil-free diet
• Requires few ingredients and is healthier than traditional slaw
• Malouf salad is a basic salad, however, you can build it up with your favorite complementing vegetables.
• Quick - it takes minutes to make
• Naturally vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free and corn free.

What is Malfouf Salad?

Malfouf salad is known as Lebanese Cabbage Salad and is called “salatet malfouf” in Arabic which translates to “Salad of cabbage”. 

Salatet malfouf is pronounced as “sah·lah·tet mal·foof"

It is a basic salad that is served as a side, which has been called by many a healthy Lebanese slaw.

✔️Ingredients You’ll Need

Green cannonball cabbage is normally used, however from time to time I like to use red cabbage. You can also mix the two together if you like. Or you can use your preferred cabbage, just not the taste might be slightly different.

Use a small-medium sized cabbage. Shred the cabbage or thinly sliced it.

Fresh parsley is added for mild flavoring. The harder stalks should be removed and the soft stalks and leaves should be chopped up

Dried mint powder adds cool minty flavor. A small amount goes a long way. This can be homemade or bought online (affiliate link).

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, one clove of crushed fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil and salt are used to taste as dressing.

🥬How To Make Malfouf Salad

Step 1 In a large bowl add cabbage. Use your hands to gently massage until slightly macerated (softened)

Step 2 Add all other ingredients and toss them together. Serve cold.

⭐ Pro Tips 

As cabbage sizes do vary, you may need to adjust the amounts of the other ingredients slightly.

I do alternate between shredding (not traditional) and finely slicing the cabbage. Both work well. It comes down to personal preference.

Macerating the cabbage helps to infuse all the flavors together.

I sometimes like to make this a few hours earlier and let it sit in the fridge - the cabbage releases its juices and it becomes juicier and more flavorsome. Kind of like quick pickling.

🥗Variations

Spring onion and radish can be added

Swap the dried mint powder with sumac. Or leave it out.

If preferred leave out the oil, I have done this many times and it is still fabulous

Garlic can be left out if not desired. However, it is super tasty with it.

Whenever I have been caught out without lemon, I have used white vinegar in its place.

Try adding a spoonful of mayonnaise without egg.

❓FAQ

🍴Serving Suggestions

Lebanese Cabbage Salad works perfectly with any type of mujadara (lentil & rice version) or mujadara hamra (lentil and burgul version).

It’s a good side to baked vegan pasta or curried barley porridge or freekeh soup an ancient grain soup

Or is great in place of a traditional coleslaw, where you might not want slaw with mayonnaise.

To be honest, we have been eating this with so many foods as we enjoy it so much. We also have been eating it with loaded potatoes or these spicy potatoes called batata harra and my delicious upside down rice called maklouba.

🥗Related Recipes

A similar recipe is a Croatian version called Kupus Salata. Or check out this pickled cabbage recipe.

A few other very famous Lebanese salads include taboule, fattoush, Lebanese potato salad and quinoa taboula.

Or try Lebanese butter bean salad or this delicious tomato and onion salad with sumac

Try my glass noodle salad which is a family favorite.

You might also love my super flavorsome Asian brussel sprouts.

Did you enjoy making salatet malfouf I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment below and give me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. This will help me sustain Plant Based Folk. 

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