Cabbage and Pea Salad Recipe
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This cabbage and pea salad is vibrant, crisp and fresh. You will love the sweet pop of flavor from the peas and the easy zesty dressing. The ingredients in this cabbage pea salad are simple but they come together in a marvelous way.
Our family makes this salad ALL THE TIME and my sister Tanya is particularly famous for it – her signature salad. Tanya gave me the idea of combining both cider vinegar and white vinegar for more flavor and I picked up the addition of peas from Luba, one of the ladies in our church who made this salad for a potluck.
This is one of those make again and again salads. It is easy, inexpensive and delicious!
Ingredients for the Cabbage and Pea Salad:
1 medium (2 to 2 1/2 lb) cabbage, super finely sliced
1 english cucumber, thinly sliced into half circles
1 bunch green onion or chives, chopped
2 cups sweet peas, thawed in cold water
3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, or to taste
2 Tbsp white vinegar, or to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
How To Make Cabbage and Pea Salad:
1. Discard soft outer leaves of cabbage and thinly slice on a mandolin. Discard or eat the cores (we used to fight over the core as kids!) Transfer shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl.
Note: You can use a knife but it is easiest to achieve the fine/thin strips of cabbage with a mandolin. Also, anytime you use a mandolin, protect your hands with these safety gloves.
2. Add sliced cucumbers, thawed peas and green onion and toss lightly to combine.
3. Drizzle salad with 3 to 4 Tbsp oil, 2 Tbsp cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp white vinegar and toss to combine. Before serving, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and go up from there). You can also add more vinegar to taste if your cabbage was larger (p.s. these salad hands are very handy – no pun intended).
Cabbage and Pea Salad Recipe

Ingredients
- 1 medium, 2 to 2 1/2 lb cabbage, super finely sliced
- 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced into half circles
- 1 bunch green onion or chives, chopped
- 2 cups sweet peas, thawed in cold water
- 3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, or to taste
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar, or to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Discard soft outer leaves of cabbage and thinly slice on a mandolin. Discard or eat the core. Transfer shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl.
- Add sliced cucumbers, thawed peas and green onion and toss lightly to combine.
- Drizzle salad with 3 to 4 Tbsp oil, 2 Tbsp cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp white vinegar and toss to combine. Before serving, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and go up from there). You can also add more vinegar to taste if your cabbage was larger.
Notes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
What is your family’s go-to salad?
This cabbage-pea salad is fantastic. Did not think hubby would like it but he had 3 helpings. The apple cider vinegar made everything taste so bright and crisp. A keeper and repeater.
Great to hear that your husband enjoyed it too!
What a delightful refreshing salad! I halved the recipe for the two of us. I didn’t have apple cider vinegar today, so I subbed rice wine vinegar, as it’s a bit sweet, and we loved it. This recipe is going on my salad rotation. It comes together so quickly it would be great for company or last minute guests. We served it with rotisserie chicken for a light dinner. Yummy! Thanks, Natasha!
You’re welcome, Kathy! Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
This salad has become a weekly staple in our house – it is my absolute favourite (followed closely by your Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad). We visited Ukraine a few years ago and this salad was served in so many places — it brings back fond memories of the delicious and fresh food we ate wherever we went.
I love this as-is, but have also tweaked it based on some of the other reviewers’ suggestions: substitute lemon juice for white vinegar, add a tsp of sugar to the dressing, and sometimes a handful of dill. It’s a favourite for when we have dinner guests and they always ask for the recipe!
I’m so glad this is a favorite in your home, Tanya! Thank you for sharing that lovely review with me!
I made this as directed, but I used citrus champagne vinegar instead. We loved it. Will make again.
Glad you loved it, Claudia. Thank your great comments and feedback!
LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING THIS!! i HAVE TRIED ALMOST ALL YOUR SALAD AND OTHER RECIPES. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!
You are very welcome, Beth. I hope it becomes a hit!
What a pleasant salad. I had such a dense green cabbage, that I cut it into quarters, and shaved off the needed amount of cabbage, with a vegetable peeler. The same with the cucumber, except I didn’t quarter it. The peeler makes very thin veggie ribbons. I shaved some broccoli stem in it too, to use it up. I find vinegar way too strong, so I rarely use it. I often substitute lemon juice for vinegar. I think a liquid dressing or a creamy dressing would work interchangeably with this salad. I like the interest, texture & sweetness of the peas in this. I think adding some herbs, would make it look & taste even better.
Hello there! Thank you for dropping by and leaving some tips and good comments. I appreciate you sharing what you used as substitutes for this recipe, that is really useful information.
This is a terrific salad! It is very light and crisp. I used a mandolin on the cabbage (as suggested), and I think that thinness is magical for this salad. Everyone loved it, and I’m taking some to the neighbors to share. Thanks for a great, healthy addition!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this salad, Liz! I love how fresh it is! Especially during these winter months! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Does the cabbage require that the salad sit before serving to marry the flavours? Or is it served immediately?
Hi Abi, the salt in the dressing softens the cabbage fairly quickly which is why we normally serve it right away or within 30 minutes of mixing it.
I was wondering about this, too! I’m glad this reply was at the top! If possible, add this to the recipe notes.
Just made it as side dish to chicken curry. It was refreshingly yummy. Thank you.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Just made this recipe and LOVE it! So refreshing and different! Thank you for posting it!
You’re so welcome Danielle! Thank you for the awesome review!
I made the salad but thought the vinegar taste was a bit too much, I added some mayonnaise and a touch of milk and it really made a great dish. It looks so pretty in a glass bowl too.
This salad is surprisingly good for as simple as it is. Very light and refreshing. My fiancé did the grocery shopping last week and picked up cabbage instead of romaine lettuce so I needed to find a use for it, and didn’t want to cook it an smell up my house. I did not have apple cider vinegar so I used red wine instead and then I came across some raw sunflower seeds in my pantry and thought “let me try these in the salad” and it added an extra texture and flavor that I rather enjoyed. Taking this to a Memorial Day party today.
Thank you Kristi for such a nice review, I’m so glad you like it 😀
Excellent salad. I had cabbage and cucumber from the garden but no spring onions. So I used some very thinly sliced fresh white onion (i also had a fresh red onion but wanted to keep the green on green color). And had so used white wine vinegar. Frozen peas are always so surprisingly good. Basically your salad and it is very fresh, good and super healthy. Thanks.
My pleasure Sandy! Those are great substitutes. Thanks for sharing your review with other readers!
I love this salad, but it was too much vinegar for me. I followed your recipe exactly.
Hi Natalia, did you use both cider and white vinegar? White vinegar is stronger in flavor so if you substitute, it would be stronger in flavor. Also, I have found that using less of the salad ingredients (like less cabbage), than what is called for in the recipe, might affect that. I hope that helps! 🙂
I made this salad many times, everyone in my familia love it!!, is sooo good and fresh!
I love your site Natasha, I think is one of the best cooking sites, and your videos makes us feel like we were with you at home!!
YES! I’m so happy to hear how much everyone loves this recipe! Thank YOU for following and sharing your wonderful review!
Sorry but I have to review!
I did not like this recipe at all.
I have used so many of your recipes and don’t give it a second thought but this one was an exception!
I’ll continue to read and experiment!
Best wishes.
Hi Jeanette, I’m sorry to hear that. This one is a fairly common salad without any real unusual flavors – What did you not like about it? Did you change or substitute anything?
How long will this salad keep?
Hi Debbie, we usually enjoy it the same day it is made because the salt in the dressing can cause it to release it’s juices and the cucumbers get soft the next day. It will still taste good the following day but it’s definitely best fresh 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! I just tried this out with my man and we are both just yummied to our cores!! Great for a quick and easy make ahead salad!
So glad to hear you both enjoyed it Hannah! 🙂
This salad is so refreshing. My family has been eating it everyday this week for lunch. I put the dressing on the salad mix in the morning and it is good to go for lunch. I added some dried cranberries for a little sweetness. Thank you for Budget Bytes for putting the link to this salad on your blog.
Thank you!
You are very welcome Catherine and I should try adding some cranberries myself 😀.
I made huge portions of this salad TWICE this past weekend. So refreshing and easy to boot.
Kitti, you are on a roll with cooking this weekend! 🙂 I’m so glad you liked it enough to make it twice in one weekend! How awesome! 🙂
Hey Natasha!!
So I made this salad for this Sunday.. & guess what?! It turned out amazing! My family loved it! Thank you so much for helping me out step by step with the recipe. 😜
I’m so happy to hear that 😁, thank you for the wonderful review!
Hey Natasha, sorry for bothering with all my questions… So the frozen peas have cooking instructions on them.. Does that mean I have to cook them first & then add to salad? Or just thaw them? Or is there already cooked peas? Thanks!
Tonya, just thaw the peas and add them to the salad 😀.
Lol.. Ok.. Thanks! Sorry for my dumb questions.. The question just came to my head when I read the label in front saying.. Cook thoroughly.. Do not just thaw… That’s when I was like.. Oh boy! I should ask Natasha! Haha. Well thanks again!! 😊
You’re so welcome! That’s a totally legitimate question. I use canned peas in my mayo-based salads like this crab salad and love them too 🙂
Hey Natasha,
This salad seams simple to make & yet looks yummy! But I do have a question.. According to the recipe you used frozen peas for this salad right? Would canned peas work too? Thanks!
Hi Tonya, canned peas would not provide the same crisp texture or fresh flavor. I would definitely recommend frozen thawed peas for this, or fresh if you wish to use fresh peas.
Okie dokie.. Sounds good. Frozen it is.. Thanks Natasha for the quick respond! I’ll prob be making this salad tomorrow. 🙂
Quick question.. Can you make this couple days ahead before serving
Lena, this salad is best served shortly after making it. You can shred the lettuce and keep it in air tight container. Let me know how it turns out 😀.
You do not have the Nutritional Values of the salad do you? I’m ‘calorie counting’ and I made cabbage salad yesterday but slightly different
Hi Tamara, I don’t but when I need to get nutritional information, I use the free recipe analyzer on caloriecount.com. I haven’t figured out a quick way to insert that into my blog posts yet and because I don’t have a bigger team (just my husband and I), we haven’t found the time to go through 600+ recipes to insert them.
Hi Natasha, very good salad. I would like to tell you that my husband was chef in the Ukraine in some famous resort in Odessa they always put little sugar to any fresh greens salads. Try it in your plate and you will be surprise how it become more flower. Its just friendly note. Do not think something bad. All your kitchen is becoming mine. Thanks
Thank you so much for sharing that tip! I will have to try that!
Really good salad! Natasha, I’ve been making your recepies for some time now and all of them are very delicious. I wanted to also let you know that this Friday and Saturday there is a Russian food festival in Boise, didn’t know if you knew.
I had no idea about that but I’m definitely going to look into it! Thank you for the tip!! 🙂
This salad looks so delicious. My mother has used a similar dressing on cucumbers, but the addition of peas and cabbage is sure to be a hit with my family. My favorite part about this recipe is that it contains real, healthy food.
Thanks Patti! Your mother was on to something! This would be awesome with just cucumbers also 🙂
Mmmmm yummmm wow Natasha another cool and colorful salad creation would it work adding in red onion and avocado also don’t know if everyone would like it with cider vinegar would red wine vinegar do the trick @ usual always keeping us updated and hungry lol
I haven’t tried with red wine vinegar but I think it’s worth experimenting! I think red onion and avocado would be good in this salad. I love that you get creative with recipes!
Oh ok then I guess it’s worth a shot gurl might work gotta scout out good quality kosher sunflower oil if not then olive oil it is yea it’s to get creative cooking and baking is in this Russian chicas blood gotta represent yeaaaaaa babyyyyyy
Yumm, cabbage salads are my favorite! Can’t wait to try your version of it! Thank you Natasha!
I love them too – I definitely think cabbage is an under-utilized veggie in the states. I hope you love this!
I also like to add fresh dill to this salad 🙂
Mmm you really can’t go wrong with adding dill!
Dill here, too.
Tasty salad !
This salad looks good,I and my family love salads. What if I don’t have oil can I just put mayo instead?
Hi Olga, I haven’t tried that substitution in this salad specifically so I’m not sure if it would work well. You can use other salad type of oils besides extra virgin olive oil. A sunflower oil would be a good choice also.