This fresh raw vegetable salad is colorful, crunchy, refreshing, and full of delicious flavors. It combines purple cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, red onion, corn, pomegranate, and fresh parsley with a simple homemade lemon and sumac dressing.
It is easy to prepare and makes a wonderful side dish for grilled meat, chicken, fish, rice, or other main courses.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1/4 large head of purple cabbage
- 2 carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1 small bowl of cooked corn
- 1 bowl of pomegranate seeds
- A handful of fresh parsley
For the Dressing
- 60 ml olive oil
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- 1 heaped teaspoon sumac
- 1 heaped teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar or 1 heaped teaspoon honey
- 1 crushed garlic clove, optional
Instructions
Wash all the vegetables thoroughly before preparing the salad.
Finely shred the purple cabbage and place it in a large bowl. If the cabbage is very large, one-quarter is enough. For a smaller cabbage, you can use approximately half.
Grate or finely chop the carrots. Finely dice the red bell pepper and red onion, then add them to the bowl along with the cooked corn, pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley.
For the dressing, combine the olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sumac, salt, and sugar or honey in a separate small bowl. Add the crushed garlic if desired and mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss everything thoroughly so the dressing coats the salad evenly.
Allow the salad to rest for approximately 15–20 minutes before serving. This gives the vegetables time to absorb the dressing and allows the flavors to blend together.
Tips for the Best Salad
For the best texture, chop the vegetables as finely as possible. This allows every ingredient to combine nicely with the dressing.
Fresh lemon juice works best and gives the salad a bright, refreshing flavor. You can also adjust the amount of honey or sugar according to your personal preference.
If you enjoy garlic, adding one crushed clove gives the dressing a stronger and more savory flavor. If you prefer a milder taste, simply leave it out.
The salad can be served immediately after resting and is particularly delicious when served chilled.
Serving Suggestions
This raw vegetable salad works beautifully as a side dish with grilled chicken, roasted meat, fish, rice, potatoes, or other favorite meals. It can also be enjoyed on its own as a light and refreshing dish.
With its combination of crisp vegetables, juicy pomegranate seeds, fresh parsley, and tangy homemade dressing, it is a simple recipe that can easily become part of your regular meal rotation.
Recipe Summary
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Resting time: 15–20 minutes
Total time: Approximately 30–35 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Category: Salad
Prepare, let it rest, and enjoy this fresh and flavorful raw vegetable salad.