German Cabbage Coleslaw With Ham (Printable)

Smoky, tangy coleslaw with cabbage, carrots, and smoked ham in a German-style dressing with caraway seeds.

# 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 bowl and toss to distribute evenly throughout the vegetable mixture.
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 sit for at least 10 minutes before serving to permit the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften slightly.
06 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes flat, which means you can make it while the grill heats up for sausages or schnitzel.
  • The smoky ham transforms a simple vegetable dish into something hearty enough to stand on its own, not just hide in the background of a meal.
  • Unlike mayo-heavy slaws that get soggy and depressing, this vinegar-based version stays crisp and actually tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time—this isn't a last-minute side dish, it's something that improves as it sits, so make it ahead if you can and let it spend an hour in the fridge becoming even better.
  • The caraway seeds aren't optional if you want authenticity; they're the one ingredient that separates this from any other coleslaw, so seek them out in the spice aisle even if you've never bought them before.
03 -
  • Taste as you dress—the proportions here work beautifully, but depending on the acidity of your vinegar and the saltiness of your ham, you might need to adjust slightly, so trust your palate more than the recipe.
  • If you're making this hours ahead, reserve some of the dressing and add it just before serving to refresh the slaw and prevent it from becoming too limp, though honestly it's hard to oversaturate something that's this vinegar-forward.
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