Shredded Raw Sweet Potato Slaw With Apple
A crunchy no-cook slaw of fine raw sweet potato matchsticks and tart Granny Smith apple in a lime, cider vinegar and ginger dressing, with toasted pecans and dried cranberries. No mayonnaise, served cold.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Slaw
- 1 ¼ lb sweet potatoes peeled, cut into fine ⅛ inch matchsticks
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples unpeeled, cut into matchsticks
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- ½ cup pecans toasted and roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley chopped
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice about 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Make the Dressing
- In the bottom of a large serving bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, grated ginger, salt and black pepper.
- Stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly until the dressing thickens slightly and holds together.
Cut the Apple and Sweet Potato
- Cut the unpeeled apples into matchsticks about ⅛ inch thick and add them straight to the dressing, tossing to coat so they do not brown.
- Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into fine matchsticks about ⅛ inch square and 1 to 2 inches long, using a julienne mandoline blade, a food processor shredding disc, or a sharp knife. Do not use the fine side of a box grater, it turns the potato to wet fuzz.
Toss and Rest
- Add the sweet potato matchsticks, scallions, toasted pecans, dried cranberries and parsley to the bowl.
- Toss thoroughly until every strand is coated and glossy. Taste and add salt, raw sweet potato needs more than you expect.
- Let the slaw rest for 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the salt and acid soften the raw edge while the crunch stays intact. Toss once more and serve cold.
Notes
- Shred size is everything: aim for ⅛ inch matchsticks. Thicker is woody, and a box grater gives you wet fuzz that collapses in the dressing.
- Cut the apple to match: when both are the same shape, the slaw reads as one texture instead of two separate things.
- Peel the sweet potato: the skin is edible but goes leathery in long shreds.
- Timing window: 20 to 30 minutes of rest is the sweet spot. Past 4 hours the slaw weeps and the crunch flattens.
- Make ahead: store the cut vegetables dry with the apple tossed in extra lime, keep the dressing separate, and combine 30 minutes before serving.
- Storage: 2 days refrigerated once dressed, 3 days for the undressed cut vegetables. Do not freeze.