Simple Lebanese Slaw (aka Salatet Malfouf) made with crunchy cabbage, fresh herbs, lemon, garlic, and scallions. A refreshingly delicious vegan side to serve with your Middle Eastern feast. Video!

Simple Lebanese Slaw (aka Salatet Malfouf) made with crunchy cabbage, fresh herbs, lemon, garlic and scallions. A delicious vegan side to serve with your Middle Eastern feast. #slaw

This fresh and crunchy Lebanese Slaw is incredibly addicting. It’s full of flavorful herbs- mint, parsley, and dill simply dressed with lemon and olive oil. It’s delicious served with grilled chicken shawarma, or falafels, or Zaatar Meatballs.

The first time I had this flavorful Middle Eastern Slaw was at my favorite Lebanese restaurant in Southern California where I grew up. It’s called Salatat Malfouf and though it has very simple ingredients, the combination is spectacular. It’s a lovely addition to any Middle Eastern Feast.

What I love about this Lebanese Slaw is that you can add other seasonal ingredients to it. Vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, Turkish cucumbers, or radishes would all work well here. Today I’ve intentionally kept it basic.

Lebanese Slaw (Salatet Malfouf) | 60-second video

chopping the cabbage

Herbs in Lebanese Slaw:

Lebanese Slaw is traditionally made with mint. I’ve had versions with dried mint, and though I prefer fresh, the dried mint actually works too. Here we’re not only using fresh mint, but adding fresh parsley and dill as well.

A trifecta of herbs and flavor!

chopping mint, parsley and dill for the slaw

Add scallions or finely chopped onion.

slicing the scallions

The dressing:

Lebanese Slaw is simply dressing;  a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil, finely minced garlic clove, and salt and pepper!

dressing the slaw

I love adding a little Zaatar spice, but this is optional.

add optional zaatar

Then toss!

Simple Lebanese Slaw (aka Salatet Malfouf) made with crunchy cabbage, fresh herbs, lemon, garlic and scallions. A delicious vegan side to serve with your Middle Eastern feast. #slaw

The Lebanese Slaw will keep 3-4 days in the fridge.

What to serve with Lebanese Slaw?

Simple Lebanese Slaw (aka Salatet Malfouf) made with crunchy cabbage, fresh herbs, lemon, garlic and scallions. A delicious vegan side to serve with your Middle Eastern feast. #slaw

Enjoy the Lebanese Slaw and let us know what you think or how you adapt it in the comments below!

xoxo

Sylvia

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Simple Lebanese Slaw made with crunchy cabbage, fresh herbs, lemon, garlic and scallions. A delicious vegan side to serve with your Middle Eastern feast. #slaw

Lebanese Slaw (Salatet Malfouf)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 33 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
  • Category: salad, slaw
  • Method: tossed
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Simple Lebanese Slaw made with crunchy cabbage, fresh herbs, lemon, garlic and scallions. A delicious vegan side to serve with your Middle Eastern feast.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 16 ounces shredded cabbage (1/2 of a large green cabbage)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 23 scallions, sliced
  • 12 garlic cloves, finely minced or use a garlic press
  • 1/21 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 12 teaspoons zaatar (optional)

Instructions

Thinly slice or shred the cabbage and place in a large bowl with the salt. Toss. Add the scallions, garlic, herbs and toss again.

Pour in the olive oil, lemon juice and sugar and toss well. Taste and adjust lemon to your liking. You could let this stand 10-15 minutes after tossing, and then re-taste, letting flavors meld a bit.

Add zaatar to taste.


Notes

Slaw will keep 3 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 90
  • Sugar: 3.6 g
  • Sodium: 217.7 mg
  • Fat: 7.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7.1 g
  • Fiber: 1.8 g
  • Protein: 1.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. Hi, Sylvia. I’m planning a Middle Eastern dinner party this summer and would like to make this recipe. How do you think it would be using some purple cabbage and grated (sliced?) carrots to introduce more color?

  2. I was looking for a middle eastern salad that didn’t have tomatoes to pair with Yotam Ottolenghi’s gnocchi with sumac red onions and this went perfectly. Will definitely make them both again.






    1. Hi Andrew! It is below the third paragraph- check that your adblocker is not on- which may prevent it from showing.

  3. I’m not a mint person, but, can easily not put it in. this salad can last longer if dressing is stored separate and just use on salad as eating. I do it often since we are only two people in our house. I need to check out zaatar. thanks for sharing a great raw salad






  4. Wow, this was simple and amazing! Made this over the past weekend for a potluck BBQ on a very hot day and it was so light and refreshing. Been using the leftovers as a topper to pulled pork soft tacos and it’s the perfect pairing!

  5. I grew up with Lebanese cousins and enjoyed this growing up with chicken souvlaki. I have to admit that adding fresh parsley and dill brought to a whole new level of comfort!!






  6. I love this type of food ( Middle Eastern, Mediterranean? I was introduced to it by my Armenian Mother in Law that was an extraordinary cook and expanded my experience visiting other restaurants. This salad is one of the most delicious that I have ever had at some friends house. By the way I am going to ” Mama Ayesha” restaurant in DC tonight in DC that I have gone since 1975 when the founder Mama Ayesha Abraham was still cooking and her family has maintained the same quality.Thank You!!!






  7. What an easy and great change of pace from traditional coleslaw. I definitely needed to add this one to my repertoire! Thank you.






  8. What an amazing salad! We followed the recipe more or less to a tea and it tasted so good. We cheated by using bagged coleslaw mix but had fresh mint, parsley and dill. Wow. We served it with homemade falafel and made the most amazing falafel wraps – stuffing the pita with the salad, falafel, toum and pickled radishes. Yum!






  9. This is delicious! We love it with red or green cabbage and I have yet to use all the fresh herbs called for.






  10. Absolutely delicious. Added extra za’atar, some sumac and the fading remnants of tarragon. A perfect side for main that needs a super fresh accompaniment, or straight out of the bowl.






  11. this is a keeper! I did not have fresh dill but it is great with just the parsley and mint. I used roasted garlic and the flavor is so subtle. Your Zaatar mix is wonderful. I have gone through two rounds of it already! Thanks so much for sharing your talents with us!






    1. I’d just try leaving it out. The salt should get the cabbage a little juicy. Or add a teeny splash of water.

  12. Aloha, Sylvia! I made this for lunch today. I noticed it was much better with zaatar. I don’t like dill, but with this and your another recipe, Persian Walnut Salad, I can eat them, or even I do need them, lol! Thank you so much for great recipes! Yes, I made zaatar from scratch with your recipe, too:)






  13. As a Lebanese, just want to say we never use sugar in the slaw. And you can eat it with rice, mujadara, and baked potatoes as well as a vegetarian option.






    1. Hi Hiba. I was surprised about the sugar too. But I asked the Lebanese owner of the restaurant and she said that adding a little sugar was what she did. Feel free to leave it out. It does seem to amplifly the mint. 🙂

  14. Hey Sylvia, I have all but fresh dill – thoughts about subbing gorgeous baby fennel for the dill with this flavor profile? Or….? 🙂 Your lamb shawarma is marinating on the counter right this second. Thank you!!!!

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