Delicious and healthy 5-minute recipe of a sauerkraut salad with mango, almonds and lemon-cardamom vinaigrette. Vegan, vegetarian, raw, gluten-free.
Sauerkraut salad is something you will make at some point, if you have just fermented a batch of red cabbage Russian-style. I was impressed by how will this combination works: sour-flavored sauerkraut, sweet mango and tart almonds bound together with a lemon zest-cardamom vinaigrette with fresh ginger. If you like sweet and sour flavor, this salad is for you.
I can’t say enough how healthy homemade sauerkraut is. It’s rich in probiotics that are beneficial for your immune and digestive systems. Moreover, it lowers the risk of cancer, asthma, brain disorders, hormonal imbalance, diabetes, weight gain and food allergies. It detoxifies your body and simplifies the absorption of important nutrients. Homemade sauerkraut is rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants, while being low caloric, vegan, raw and containing zero fat. Bottom line: include more sauerkraut in your everyday diet.
The simplest way to incorporate more sauerkraut in your diet is to make a salad out of it. Russian-style sauerkraut salad would contain carrots, apples and cranberries with a simple sunflower oil-apple cider vinegar dressing. I tried to be more creative and came up with this easy sauerkraut salad with mango, almonds and lemon zest-cardamom vinaigrette. This dressing taste so refreshing and interesting, so I think you can use it for other salads as well.
All the probiotic benefits of sauerkraut are multiplied by the goodness of other ingredients in this salad. Mango is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Almonds contain healthy fats, protein and fiber, among other things. Apple cider vinegar has outstanding health benefits such as lowering blood sugar levels, helping with weight loss, improving heart health, digestion and acid reflux, and improving your skin condition. Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and antioxidant effects.
These nutrient-packed ingredients make a powerful detox salad that is raw, revitalizing and simple while being incredibly flavorful and refreshing at the same time. You can put it together in 5 minutes and it makes a great lunch or starter. It’s also portable, so you can easily take it with you to your office for lunch as well.
This salad works well with fresh red cabbage, too. Although I recommend you to ferment your cabbage first, because it will not only taste new, but it will give you all the probiotic benefits I was talking about. Moreover, it’s super easy! If you don’t have any experience in canning, pickling or fermenting, start with sauerkraut. There is nothing easier and more rewarding than that. I would go so far as to say that it’s my favorite fermented food. Check the recipe below and stay nourished and healthy!
Easy Sauerkraut Salad with Mango and Almonds
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
- seeds of 3-4 green cardamom pods ground
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- a dash of chili powder
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 200 grams or 7 oz Russian-style sauerkraut
- 1/2 ripe mango
- 4 tablespoons ground almonds
Instructions
- MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, combine extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and juice, ground cardamom seeds, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, minced ginger, chili powder, a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: Transfer the sauerkraut into a medium-sized bowl. Pour the dressing and stir well to combine. Divide the sauerkraut between two salad plates/bowls. Peel and slice mango and arrange it on top. Sprinkle with ground almonds. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
What is your favorite way to incorporate sauerkraut in your cooking? Leave a comment below!
Cheers,
Elena
J T
Monday 16th of November 2020
After three back to back rounds of antibiotics, I needed a way to incorporate more sauerkraut and fermented foods in my diet. This salad is AWESOME. I mean, so, so good. I have made it for the last three weeks in a row- the kids even ate it tonight, and they are super picky. I tried it with fresh mango the first time, then moved to chopped dried mango (the mango flavor was stronger) and reduced the sugar a little so it wasn’t overly sweet (dried fruits have more concentrated sweetness, right?) So, so ridiculously awesome. I could eat this every day.
Elena Szeliga
Monday 16th of November 2020
Thank you for your kind feedback! So happy you and your family enjoy the salad!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
Thursday 28th of April 2016
That is some delicious flavour combinations. I have never had sauerkraut before, but I am interested to try.
Elena Szeliga
Thursday 28th of April 2016
Thank you! You will love it!
Helen Costello (@CasaCostello)
Thursday 28th of April 2016
OH wow, I would never have thought of combining these flavours ) I bet they were a real taste explosion in the mouth.
Elena Szeliga
Thursday 28th of April 2016
It totally was! Thank you, Helen!