Gingered Cabbage-Beet Salad

Everything in this salad is some shade of red, and the flavor is just as bold as the color. Shredded red cabbage, diced pickled beets, sweet cherries, red onion, and candied ginger toss together in a red wine vinegar dressing that gets better the longer it sits.

Crystallized ginger is the wild card. Those sticky, spicy-sweet nuggets soften overnight in the vinegar dressing and release their warmth throughout the salad. It’s an unexpected pairing with beets and cabbage that just works.

This is a make-ahead salad at its finest. Mix everything, refrigerate overnight, and serve the next day. It actually improves with time as the cabbage softens and the flavors meld.

Chef Tips

• Shred the cabbage thin for better marination. Thick chunks stay raw-tasting and don’t absorb the dressing well.
• Drain the pickled beets thoroughly or their liquid will overpower the red wine vinegar dressing.
• Use sweet cherries (fresh or jarred), not sour. The salad already has plenty of acidity from the vinegar and pickled beets.
• This keeps well for up to 2 days in the fridge, making it ideal for potlucks and holiday buffets.

Variations

• Add crumbled goat cheese on top just before serving for a creamy, tangy contrast.
• Swap cherries for dried cranberries for a chewier, more tart fruit component.
• Toss in toasted walnuts right before serving for crunch that complements the beets and ginger beautifully.