The phrase "eat the rainbow" takes on a fresh new spin in this mayo-free Rainbow Summer Slaw. Crunchy red cabbage, sweet peppers and mango, carrots, and shaved zucchini get dressed up with a sweet and spicy dressing and crunchy pumpkin seeds.

Overhead view of rainbow veggie slaw in a white bowl with antique spoon

While the slaw and dressing come together in just one bowl for this recipe, you will need a food processor and peeler for best results.

This slaw is a collage of textures. Crispy, crunchy veggies and soft mango turn into a party of colors and textures that scream summer. The key to striking the right balance of textures is whipping out your veggie peeler.

And it's not just for the mango. For this fresh summer side, we recommend taking a peeler to both your carrots and asparagus to make ribbons.

To make the ribbons, first remove and discard the carrot's rough outer peel. To reduce food waste, you can save these peels for a flavorful veggie stock on a rainy day.

Then just keep peelin' curly ribbons off your carrot until you get to the slightly awkward point at which you can't make any more long ribbons. No worries, this slightly thicker core is still perfectly usable for the slaw. Simply slice it length- or widthwise and toss with the other veggies!

I highly recommend a food processor to break down your red cabbage. We found that slicing cabbage always leaves a mix of tiny confetti-like bits, appropriately sized bites and then huge, rubbery chunks of cabbage that kind of ruin the festive vibes this slaw provides.

Remember--one bowl for the dressing + slaw! You can afford to bring out the Cuisinart for the sake of the ideal slaw texture.

Dressing

The zesty dressing for this rainbow summer slaw takes inspiration from Thai food, my personal favorite world cuisine.

One of the most delicious signatures of Thai food is the unexpected, refreshing combination of fruity, spicy and sweet flavors. Here, fruity comes from delightfully ripe mango (is there anything better?).

A dash or two of Sriracha has spicy covered. And the secret dressing ingredient, agave, rounds things out on the sweet front. The result?

A perfectly balanced rainbow summer slaw that'll feed a crowd at your next summer gathering. I've also thrown a bit of protein (crispy tofu, edamame, whatever you like) on the slaw for a light lunch.

More summer salads to try:

Close up overhead view of rainbow veggie slaw in a white bowl with antique spoon

If you make this rainbow summer slaw, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

📖 Recipe