Sweet, spicy, crunchy, and cold — this apple beet slaw is a fresh, mayo-free take on the classic. It's really a raw beet salad in disguise: shredded beets, carrots, and crisp apple tossed with a bright mint-cumin vinaigrette built on extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar. The whole thing comes together in 15 minutes, packs well for hiking lunches, and works equally well as a light entrée or a side for pulled pork. A mandolin makes quick work of the vegetables — cut everything into fine matchsticks for the right crunchy texture.
I packed this for lunch on a day hike, and it totally hit the spot. It's paradoxically light while keeping you full. While it easily held its own as a a main dish for lunch, I could see this pairing perfectly with some pulled pork as a unique twist on the classic barbecue side.
Use a mandolin (one of my favorite kitchen gadgets!) set to the smallest setting to slice the apples, beets, and carrots. Cut off the ends of the beets, but if you're using pesticide-free product, do yourself a huge favor and skip peeling them first. Why waste the time when that's where several nutrients are anyways!
Once you've sliced everything with the mandolin, use a knife to cut the slices into sticks.
(Note: you could always just use a grater, but taking the few extra seconds to create the fine sticks really goes a long way in presentation, and if you're like me, you eat with your eyes first. And so do your guests if you're bringing it to a get-together!)
Place the apples and carrots into a large bowl. Rinse the beets several times under cold water before adding them to the bowl, so they don't bleed and turn the whole dish purple. Again, you could skip this step, but I'd say if you're sharing, it's worth it!
Add the beets and mint to the carrots and apples. Mix up the vinaigrette in a small dish and taste first. (Always taste as you go. This is the number one tip to becoming a better cook, I promise!) Pour over salad, and toss to coat well.
This will keep for a couple days as long as you don't care if the colors begin to bleed.
Ingredients for Apple Beet Slaw
- 2 large carrots
- 1 large crisp apple
- 2 medium beets
- 1 cup mint, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- pinch of paprika
- A good pinch of sea salt
Ingredient Notes
Beets: Use raw, firm beets — red beets give the slaw its signature color, but golden beets work beautifully if you want to skip the staining (and if you love them, our golden beet salad is a great next recipe).
Apple: Pick a crisp, tart variety — Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady all hold their shape after dressing. Avoid soft varieties like Red Delicious.
Olive oil: This vinaigrette is mostly oil, so it matters. A fruity, peppery extra virgin olive oil carries the cumin and mint without dominating — our Tuscan olive oil or lemon-infused olive oil both work here.
Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is classic, but a splash of white balsamic instead adds a little sweetness and rounds out the dressing.
How to Make Beet Slaw
- Using a mandolin on the smallest setting, slice the carrots and apple, use a knife to cut into sticks, and place them in a large bowl. Shred the beets with the mandolin, cut into sticks, then rinse them under cold running water several times (until water runs clear).
- Add the beets and the mint to the bowl with the carrots and apple.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour the over the salad, and toss to coat well.
What to Serve with Beet Slaw
Beets pair best with bright, fatty, or savory partners — think citrus, goat cheese, grilled meats, and warm spices. This slaw works as a light lunch on its own, but it really shines as a side. Pile it next to pulled pork, grilled chicken, or roasted salmon. For a fully Mediterranean spread, serve it alongside our Greek lemon-herb roasted potatoes. For a vegetarian plate, pair it with Caprese-stuffed portobellos — the earthy mushrooms and the crunchy slaw balance each other beautifully.
FAQ
Is beet slaw healthy?
Yes — and unusually so. This version skips the mayo entirely and builds the dressing on extra virgin olive oil, which means you get fiber, folate, and natural nitrates from the beets, beta-carotene from the carrots, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from the olive oil — all in under 200 calories per serving.
Can you eat raw beets in slaw?
Absolutely. Raw beets are crunchy, slightly sweet, and hold up far better than cooked beets in a slaw. Shredding them thinly is the key — large chunks taste too earthy, but matchsticks soak up the vinaigrette and turn into something genuinely craveable. If raw beets are new to you, start with golden beets, which are milder than red.
How long does beet slaw last in the fridge?
Up to 3 days in an airtight container. The vegetables will soften slightly over time as they marinate in the dressing, but the flavor actually deepens. After day 3, the texture starts to lose its crunch.
This recipe was adapted from The Endless Meal