Creamy Cabbage Salad with Raisins for Full GAPS

This creamy cabbage salad is cool, lightly tangy, and just sweet enough from a handful of raisins. Homemade mayonnaise and 24-hour yogurt make the dressing rich and soft, while fresh cabbage keeps a little crunch. Ginger gives the bowl a warm, clean finish. Mix it the night before, then let the refrigerator do the rest. Plan about 15 minutes for prep, depending on how you slice the cabbage.

When we started GAPS with the whole family in July 2024, I was caring for five children, including a newborn. Recipes with a short active step and a long, hands-off rest leave more of the dinner hour free. This salad has no stovetop work; the only hands-on job is slicing and mixing before it chills overnight.

Why This Is a Full GAPS Salad

This version is for Full GAPS. It uses raw cabbage, homemade 24-hour yogurt, homemade mayonnaise, and additive-free raisins. The Full GAPS food list includes raisins. Choose a plain package without added sugar, starch coating, or preservatives.

This is not an Introduction Diet recipe. Stage 5 begins with softer raw vegetables and adds cabbage gradually, while homemade yogurt comes at Step 4 of the dairy introduction. Those are separate introductions. Use this full salad after cabbage and yogurt are already part of your own GAPS progression; do not use this combined recipe to introduce both at once.

Raisins are the dried fruit in this GAPS version because they are named in the Full GAPS food list. Their mild sweetness balances the ginger without turning the salad into a dessert.

How to Make Creamy Cabbage Salad

1. Slice the cabbage thinly. Remove any tough outer leaves and cut away the firm core. Slice the cabbage into fine ribbons with a sharp knife, or use a food processor shredding disc. Thin pieces are easier to coat and eat than wide, stiff strips. Put the cabbage in a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix the dressing. In a smaller bowl, stir together the homemade mayonnaise, homemade yogurt, sea salt, and ground ginger until the dressing looks even and creamy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl so no thick spoonful of mayonnaise or pocket of dry ginger stays behind.
3. Add the raisins. Tip the raisins into the cabbage. If any are stuck together, separate them with your fingers or a fork so they spread through the salad instead of landing in one sweet clump.
4. Dress the cabbage. Spoon the dressing over the cabbage and raisins. Toss from the bottom up until the shreds are lightly glossy and the dressing reaches the whole bowl. The mixture should look creamy but not soupy. If a few bare cabbage ribbons remain, keep turning the salad rather than adding extra dressing; the measured amount is meant to coat the half-head of cabbage.
5. Cover and chill overnight. Cover the bowl or transfer the salad to a lidded container and refrigerate overnight. The cabbage softens slightly, the raisins plump, and the ginger becomes less sharp as it blends into the yogurt and mayonnaise. Give it one more toss before serving so the dressing that settles at the bottom returns to the cabbage.

The finished salad should still have some bite. The cabbage is not meant to collapse like cooked vegetables. After its overnight rest, the strands are more flexible, the raisins are softer, and the dressing clings in a thin creamy layer. If you see a little liquid in the bottom of the bowl, toss once before serving.

Serving and Storage

Serve the salad cold beside steak, burgers, ribs, or another warm main dish. The creamy, lightly sweet cabbage makes a fresh contrast with browned meat. It also works on a GAPS lunch plate with leftovers, so you can use the bowl in more than one meal.

Keep it covered in the refrigerator. For best texture, serve within three to four days and stir before each serving. Do not leave the bowl out through a long meal; return it to the refrigerator within two hours. This salad does not need freezing, and the cabbage loses its crisp texture once thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use green or purple cabbage?

Yes. The recipe uses half a medium head of green cabbage, purple cabbage, or a mix. Purple cabbage tints the dressing as it rests. Slice it thinly either way so the dressing coats the ribbons.

Can I use dried mango instead of raisins?

For this version, use raisins. They are named in the Full GAPS food list and are the measured dried fruit here. Choose plain raisins without added sugar, starch coating, or preservatives.

Can I make it without yogurt?

The yogurt is part of this recipe’s measured creamy dressing, so leaving it out changes the balance. If you need a dairy-free side, try a separately measured recipe such as Creamy Paprika and Cumin Coleslaw, which uses its own homemade mayonnaise dressing.

Can I serve this during the Introduction Diet?

Not as written. It combines raw cabbage with homemade yogurt. During Intro, cabbage and yogurt each have their own timing and introduction steps. Save this full salad for Full GAPS after both foods have been introduced.

Can I make it the same day?

You can mix it earlier in the day, but the overnight rest gives the raisins time to soften and the ginger time to settle into the dressing. If you serve it soon after mixing, the cabbage will be crunchier and the ginger will taste sharper.

More Cabbage Sides

If you want a brighter, tart version, try Cabbage and Green Apple Slaw, which uses fresh lemon and apple in its yogurt dressing. For a savory option without fruit, the paprika and cumin coleslaw has a different spice profile and its own mayonnaise dressing.

Make Dinner Easier for the Family

If the hard part is getting the whole household fed while kitchen work stretches across the day, the upcoming Family Kitchen Bundle covers preparation, stock, ferments, and feeding a narrow eater. You can see it in the Courses section of the WFLI Shop.