Salata De Varza Rosie is a simple and yet flavourful Romanian Red Cabbage Salad. Easy to make, basically you need only a handful of ingredients. Some red cabbage or white (then it is simply called Salata De Varza), carrot, vinegar, salt and oil. What I like about this recipe is the versatility. Can add fresh or dried dill, parsley, apple, onion, crispy bacon, etc. Make it with either red or white cabbage, both taste a bit different. This salad is like the slaw recipe but without the mayo. Salata is salad, Varza is cabbage in Romanian and Rosie is red.
Sharing Salata De Varza Rosie Recipe With 2025 Alphabet Challenge Group
We’re almost at the end of the Alphabet Challenge for 2025, a challenge initiated by Wendy whereby like minded food bloggers prepare a recipe with the letter of that week. It is a fortnightly event. Now we’re at letter V. V is for vanilla, venison, vermicelli, vinegar, vada pav, vichyssoise, vindaloo, vegetables, velvet cake, vinaigrette, vodka, Vidalia onion, Vietnamese food, etc.
For me V is for Varza, which in Romanian is Cabbage.
A Bit More About Salata De Varza Rosie
While this salad is quite popular in Romania with both red or white cabbage, the flavours are a little different primarily due to the cabbage. This recipe requires good quality vinegar either apple cider or white wine vinegar. The Salata can be served immediately you can allow the flavours to meld by leaving it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or more. If the cabbage either red or white are a little hardy it is important to ‘massage’ the shredded cabbage with a bit of salt. This will make it a bit softer and easier to chew. I allowed Salata De Varza Rosie to soften a bit by leaving it in the fridge for 1 hour. This salad goes well with roasted meat, fish, burgers, practically any main meal. I even served the leftover salad with some pan fried tofu and it was a healthy protein rich meal for us.
Some Recipes With Letter V You May Like
VEGETABLE POHA
Vegetable Poha is a version of the popular traditional Indian breakfast, lunchbox or snack food known as Bateta Poha. Instead of adding only potatoes to the flattened rice, I like to add mixed vegetables. This makes it more healthier and an excellent way to get more veggies in one's diet.
BHARLI VANGI | STUFFED BRINJAL MAHARASHTRIAN STYLE
Bharli Vangi is Maharashtrian Style stuffed brinjals. This delicious dish is made by stuffing small brinjals with coconut, spices and roasted peanuts. Generally enjoyed with roti, paratha, bhakri or rice. This curry can be a bit dryish or with some gravy. I opted to make the dryish version. In Marathi vangi is brinjals or eggplants. Bharli means stuffed.
Mushroom Poutine is a vegetarian version of the classic poutine dish. The mushroom gravy does not contain any beef or chicken stock. Fries are served with mushroom gravy and cheese curd.
Vegetable Cutlets is a popular deep fried snack in India. It is usually made of cooked and mashed vegetables with some spices. The mixture is shaped into discs or heart shapes, coated with breadcrumbs and fried. It is usually served with some chutney and /or tomato ketchup. To make the vegetable cutlets more healthier I opted to air fry them and love the extra crispy coating without it being too oily.
Beetroot Vada is a delicious, crunchy, spicy take on the traditional Sabudana Vada. Vada is fritters and in this case roasted or boiled beetroot is added to the mashed potatoes, spices and soaked tapioca pearls mixture. Ideal as a starter or a snack for Navratri or Ekadashi fasting.
Rice Vada or bhajia is a crispy, crunchy, delicious snack made by using up leftover plain rice. Easy to make, add a few vegetables of your choice, some flour and you have a hot snack ready in no time to enjoy during the rainy or cold season. To make rice vada healthier I prefer to make them in a paniyaram pan. However, you most certainly can deep fry them.
Vegetable Masala Sandwich is a toasted sandwich stuffed with a variety of spicy vegetables. Generally, these sandwiches are made in sandwich maker or toaster. This sandwich full of vegetables can be enjoyed as a snack. for breakfast or as a light dinner option with some salad or oven baked fries on the side.
Vegetable Pulao is a one pot, delicious,aromatic and a filling rice dish. It is a popular Indian Cuisine recipe which every household has its own version of this easy recipe.
Vangi Bath/Eggplant Rice, Maharashtrian Style is a flavourful, filling,easy to make, one pot rice dish that is best enjoyed with some raita (yogurt relish), salad and papad.
Mango & Vanilla Panna Cotta is molded chilled Italian dessert with layers of vanilla and mango. Smooth, velvety and so delectable. A melt in mouth kind of dessert, panna cotta is easy to make.
Beetroot Grape Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette is a delicate balance of flavours - sweet, tangy and salty. This salad is not only colourful but very tasty and filling too.
Indulge in a simple yet protein-rich and delightful dish by trying out Tofu Steak with stir-fried vegetables. The flavorful sauce transforms plain tofu into a delectable treat, creating a satisfying and nutritious meal when combined with fresh vegetables
Meethi Sev or Sweet Vermicelli is a delectable sweet dish that gets ready literally within five minutes. Easy to prepare, add flavours and nuts of yoru choice.
Ragi Shavige Uppitu is a healthy, vegan, delicious breakfast or lunch box meal made from ragi vermicelli and vegetables. Also known as ragi semiya, ragi semiya upma or simply ragi vermicelli. Ragi is finger millet. Ragi vermicelli is widely used especially in South India as a breakfast or snack ingredient. Add vegetables and make an upma, add it to idlis, make kheer.
Avocado, Bean & Mango Salad is a zesty, nutritious, filling and delicious salad bursting with colours. Like me if you are a lover of both avocado and mango then this salad is just right for you. With homemade Cilantro Dressing, we love to have this salad as a light meal. I
Barley Salad with a Greek lemony dressing is easy to make, ideal potluck salad and makes a healthy meal. Add vegetables of your choice. What I like about this salad is that it stays fresh for at least 3 days in the fridge
Chickpea Chaat Salad is a tasty, gluten free, vegan, slightly sweet, a bit spicy and tangy kind of salad. The star ingredient is boiled chickpeas. Add salad vegetables of your choice. This salad is a version of the popular Indian street food Chana Chaat.
Date Salad, Ottolenghi Style is a must try salad. The dates, sumac, chilli flakes and marinated onion adds a bright, sweet, sour and slightly spicy taste. An excellent way to use up old pita bread, enjoy this salad as a meal or side dish.
Fattoush Salad is a delicious tangy, slightly sweetish, crunchy Levantine Salad made with veggies, herbs and crispy pita. Fattoush is an ideal weight loss salad as it is low in calories, filling and flavourful.
Guava Salad, Burmese Style is full of unique flavours imparted by toasted chickpea flour, fried onion, tamarind, jaggery and the red chilli flakes. Easy to make, it can be enjoyed as a light meal if you are a guava lover like me.
GRILLED HALLOUMI SALAD AND BLACKBERRY SALAD DRESSING
Grilled Halloumi Salad is a colourful, healthy and filling Mediterranean inspired salad. Pair it with a fruity salad dressing like the blackberry one I made at home. Ideal as a summer picnic, party salad or as light meal.
Ice Apple Salad with coconut milk, mint, cucumber and a few spices is a refreshing, cooling and unique summer salad. This salad is full of nutrients and an excellent way to enjoy the superfood - ice apples or tadgola. Serve it as a starter or enjoy it as a light meal. Make sure it is served chilled.
Armenian Jajukh Salad is a refreshing, healthy, easy to make, five ingredient Cucumber and Yogurt Salad. Healthy, easy to make,cooling, refreshing and perfect for the summer season.
Kachumabari, Kenyan Salad is the easiest, most popular and a superbly delicious side dish that goes well with chicken, fish, barbecued meat (nyama choma), kebabs, tikkas, pilau, ugali, etc. It is a basic salad of tomatoes, onion, fresh coriander, lemon and a bit of chilli.
Lobia Paneer Salad is an Indian style, protein rich, healthy, filling and delicious salad. Easy to make, this black eyed beans or cow peas salad is a versatile one. Add any choice of vegetables and additional proteins to it. Enjoy it as a side dish or as a light nourishing meal.
Moong Dal Salad is a popular, protein rich, delicious and healthy South Indian style salad. Known as Kosambari, it is generally made from yellow moong dal, cucumber and coconut. A tempering of mustard seeds, green chillis and curry leaves is added to make the salad flavourful.
Nectarine Quinoa Salad is a gluten free, vegan, colourful, bright, packed with flavours and textures kind of summery salad. With a homemade fresh ginger salad dressing, this is one salad you don't want to miss out on.
Crispy Noodle Salad is not only a filling nutritious light meal on its own but a dish which offers different flavours and textures. Quite easy to make, this salad is pretty versatile as you can add any ingredients that you like. Dress it up with a sweet, sour or a balanced dressing. This salad dish is inspired by the famous and popular Aussie favourite Chang's Crispy Noodle Salad. This salad can be enjoyed warm or cold. So it is perfect for both the hot and cold seasons.
Pineapple Salad with berries, coconut, fresh mint, with a drizzle of honey and some fresh orange juice makes a refreshing summery dessert salad. Enjoy it on its own or with some vanilla ice cream.
Orange Avocado Salad is a colourful, refreshing, full of flavour kind of summer salad. Enjoy it as side or as a light meal. What I like about this salad is the delicious light orange dressing. And you can add other salad ingredients like radish, beans, quinoa, orzo, rice, etc. Somehow I felt that oranges and tomatoes don't go together well.
Rosolli, Finnish Salad is usually prepared during Christmas time. It is made of beetroot, apple, carrot, potato and onion. The dressing is fresh cream. Trust me this salad has become one of my favourite. We enjoyed as a light meal. A balance of flavours and different textures. Softness from the boiled potatoes, crunch from the carrot and beetroot, crispiness from the onion and apples
Chermoula Sweet Potato Salad is a filling, flavourful salad where sweet potato, chickpeas, couscous, tomatoes, olives and feta are mixed with Chermoula Sauce. Enjoy this delicious salad warm or cold.
Mini Taco Salad Cups make a great appetizer/starter dish for parties. Best part is that you don't need a fork. Add any salad of your choice to the taco cups.
Udon Noodle Salad, especially cold is my favourite summer time light meal. With the right amount of carbs, loaded with protein and colourful veggies, it has the right balance of flavours too. Marinated tofu, the peanut sauce or dressing, crunchiness from the veggies and come together beautifully to create an awesomely delicious light meal.
As my recipe title indicates, I am using red cabbage. You can easily replace the red cabbage with the white one. I used a mandoline to slice the cabbage. This way I got much thinner slices. If you don’t have a mandoline then use a sharp knife the cut the cabbage as thin as possible.
Carrot
Peel and grate the carrot. I used a normal box grater. Can cut the carrot into thin sticks but the grated one mixes well with the shredded cabbage.
Apple
An optional ingredient. I left the peel of the apple and grated it using a box grater. I had a McIntosh Red apple so used that. Go ahead and use any you like. Can omit the apple and replace it with sliced onion. Or not add any other ingredients besides the cabbage and carrot.
Vinegar
Use either good quality apple cider or white wine vinegar. I had apple cider one so used that.
Oil
Add any oil or your choice – sunflower, any vegetable oil, etc. I know in the olden times Romania properly didn’t get any olive oil. But times have changes and now some ingredients are easily available. So I went ahead and used my favorite oil – olive oil.
Salt
Add according to your taste. If you use the salt to massage the shredded cabbage then you will not need to add extra.
Pepper
Freshly cracked pepper adds a lot of flavour. Again, add according to your taste.
Herbs
Dried or fresh. This ingredient is optional. I added some dried dill that I had in my pantry. If you choose to add herbs, then use either parsley or dill.
SALATA DE VARZA ROSIE
mayurisjikoni
Salata De Varza Rosie is a simple and yet flavourful Romanian Red Cabbage Salad. Easy to make, basically you need only a handful of ingredients. Some red cabbage or white (then it is simply called Salata De Varza), carrot, vinegar, salt and oil.
Just in case we haven’t met before I’m Mayuri Patel from the coastal sunny town of Mombasa. In fact more of a global citizen now as I spend time between Canada and India. I’m the creator and writer of Mayuri’s Jikoni. Jikoni is kitchen in Kiswahili. Love cooking up a storm in my jikoni. When I’m not in the jikoni then you may find me reading fiction books, watching romantic movies, listening to Bollywood songs or enjoying God’s creation, nature. If my recipes can inspire you to cook at home then my job is done here. Cook up a storm in your kitchen with easy to follow vegetarian recipes right from soups to desserts.
I almost always have a head (or some portion thereof) of cabbage in the veg drawer because it seems to stay edible forever, perfect for making your gorgeous salad. Such a beautiful color! And now I know a few words of Romanian. ☺️
Thanks Colleen. I had made a big batch. The rest stayed in the fridge for 3 days. Each time I took out a portion, it tasted better than the previous day.
13 Comments
Wendy Klik
October 22, 2025 at 6:30 am
Always happy for a new salad recipe. The red cabbage makes this perfect for the holidays while the white cabbage will be great as a summer side.
mayurisjikoni
October 22, 2025 at 8:54 pm
Thanks Wendy, yes I agree the colourful one is perfect for the holidays.
hobby baker Kelly
October 22, 2025 at 12:59 pm
Both delicious AND beautiful! I have always liked red cabbage, and of course the anthocyanins and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties are bonus!
mayurisjikoni
October 22, 2025 at 8:53 pm
Thanks Kelly, agree with you totally.
Karen’s Kitchen Stories
October 22, 2025 at 3:26 pm
I love cabbage salads. They are perfect for making ahead too. Great for the theme too.
mayurisjikoni
October 22, 2025 at 8:53 pm
Thank you so much Karen, I don’t know why but I don’t seem to make cabbage salads often.
Sweet Tea Vodka Vegetable Couscous Soup
October 23, 2025 at 7:37 am
[…] Salata De Varza Rosie | Romanian Red Cabbage Salad by Mayuri’s Jikoni […]
Stacy
October 23, 2025 at 5:57 pm
I almost always have a head (or some portion thereof) of cabbage in the veg drawer because it seems to stay edible forever, perfect for making your gorgeous salad. Such a beautiful color! And now I know a few words of Romanian. ☺️
mayurisjikoni
October 30, 2025 at 9:53 pm
Thanks Stacy, and I too learned a couple of Romanian words 🙂 Enjoy the salad when you make it.
Colleen – Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
October 24, 2025 at 10:20 am
Now, this is the kind of salad I could happily eat…every single day! So fresh, easy, and delicious…and so pretty to look at!!!
mayurisjikoni
October 30, 2025 at 9:48 pm
Thanks Colleen. I had made a big batch. The rest stayed in the fridge for 3 days. Each time I took out a portion, it tasted better than the previous day.
Sneha Datar
October 27, 2025 at 8:55 am
What a colorful salad, love it!
mayurisjikoni
October 29, 2025 at 9:26 pm
Thanks Sneha.