Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad Recipe

If you’re as obsessed with kebab shop cabbage salad as I am, then let me show you how to make it at home! This quick and easy recipe will satisfy those takeaway cravings. And it's perfect for when you want something to pair with your homemade fakeaway chicken or doner kebab.

I’m unsure if this specific type of cabbage salad is a Glaswegian Kebab Shop side dish. Because when I’ve searched for it before, this specific version never came up. Whenever I order a doner kebab from my local takeaway, I always ask for a large bag of cabbage salad. I’m obsessed!

I am very specific in ensuring it’s an extra generous portion (I’ll happily pay extra). And I don’t want it contaminated with any iceberg lettuce, cucumber or tomatoes… because it’s perfect all on its own!

Origins of Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad

For the life of me, I couldn’t find the true origins of this salad. Until I happened upon a Lebanese salad called Malfouf. 

My Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad is extremely similar to Salatet Malfouf in the Lebanese cuisine. The only difference is the addition of garlic in the Lebanese version. And it uses lemon juice either in place of, or in addition to, vinegar. 

The exact ingredients and method for making it seem pretty similar, so I think this is where it traditionally originates from. Although ironically I tend to find it served in the curry house style takeaway, that serves doner meat as a kebab option, rather than the Iraqi, Lebanese and Turkish takeaways I go to. 

Serving Suggestions for Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad

Because it is originally a Lebanese-style salad, it would pair perfectly with a lot of the dishes you’d find in that same cuisine:

Kebab Koobideh / Kofta / Adana with Naan.

Grilled Meats such as lamb or chicken with grilled vegetables, flatbreads etc. 

Or alternatively, you could use it in dishes like:

Cajun Prawn Tacos - I use red cabbage in this recipe but the dressing is the same.

And why not try this Slow Cooker Lamb Doner Kebab recipe from Taming Twins?

The perfect fresh, tangy and crunchy element to add to your fakeaway at home! 

How Do You Shred Cabbage VERY Finely?

Check out my video here: Ultimate Hack For Cutting Up Cabbage

Use a vegetable peeler! It’s one of my favourite kitchen hacks; and will result in the finest cabbage for all that delicious marinade to cling onto. 

If you don’t have this type of peeler, you can use a knife to chop the cabbage as finely as you can.

Ingredients for Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad 

The joy of this kebab shop cabbage recipe is you’ll most likely have all the ingredients in your store cupboard or pantry already. 

Cabbage: I use white cabbage as it’s the one most commonly found in the takeaway shops in my area, but I’ve seen it using red cabbage before too. I love both, so use either or a blend - totally upto you. 

Olive Oil: any neutral oil is fine, but I like the taste of a good quality olive oil, even though it’s likely not traditional. It’s what I’ve used in this recipe since I started making it at home and it’s withstood the test of time against a variety of dish combinations. 

Sugar: I don’t specify in the recipe card below as any sugar is fine, although the finer the better, as it will dissolve easier in the dressing. So I typically will use either caster sugar or golden caster sugar. 

White Vinegar: Red Wine Vinegar or Cider Vinegar can also be used. You could also use lemon juice either in addition to or instead of, dependant on what you have available. If you’re wanting to align more with the traditional Malfouf salad, then use lemon juice instead of vinegar. 

Dried Oregano + Dried Mint: I’ve used one or the other before (1 teaspoon) and I find a blend of both is what I like the best. Using solely mint is the traditional choice. You could arguably also use fresh mint instead, but I like the accessibility of dried herbs being available from my cupboard / pantry. 

Salt + White Pepper: essentially to season the salad, salt and pepper help to tie up and combine the flavours. Not only do I prefer the taste of white pepper, but I feel this is a specific element required to achieve the authentic taste of Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad.

As per my note above, in Origins of Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad, you could also add 1 clove of minced garlic to the recipe. 

Method for Making Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad

Add all dry ingredients to a bowl: sugar, dried oregano, dried mint, salt and white pepper

Then add olive oil and white vinegar and whisk together to make the dressing:

Thinly slice cabbage (see 'Hack' in post above for achieving perfectly shredded cabbage) and add to dressing 

Let it marinate for an hour or so to achieve the best outcome!

Marinating Stage

You might have searched for this recipe right before you’re due to have guests over. Or right before you serve dinner. You have a cabbage languishing in the fridge and are wondering what to make with it. 

And you’re now asking the question “do I need to marinate it?” The short answer is no.

Marinating it for an hour or two isn’t necessary, but it does help to develop the flavours and deepen the complexity. It also allows the dressing to soften the cabbage a tiny bit.

However, if you’ve shredded your cabbage up really finely, this is less essential. But definitely required if you have thicker slices. 

But if you chose this specific kebab shop cabbage salad recipe because it can be ready in 5 minutes, rest assured. You can make and serve straight away.

Storage Instructions

You can store the Kebab Shop Cabbage Salad in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Although the flavours will intensify and deepen due to sitting in the marinade (dressing) for longer, the cabbage will soften and lose its crunch as time progresses. 

So keep that in mind. You could add a little freshly shredded cabbage to liven up the salad if it’s been in the fridge a couple of days.

And finally ...

If you have any questions, or want to tell me what you think of my recipe, then leave a comment below!

If you like this recipe and are looking for more side dish recipes then why not check out my Vegetable Saksuka or Honey Roast Carrots and Parsnips?