RecipesBeetroot › Shredded Beetroot and Apple Slaw with Horseradish Dressing

Shredded Beetroot and Apple Slaw with Horseradish Dressing

Raw beetroot is the real hero here — grated and tossed with crisp apple, fennel and red cabbage in a punchy horseradish and crème fraîche dressing. It comes together in under 20 minutes and punches well above its weight alongside grilled fish, cold meats or a cheese board. The colour alone is extraordinary.

18 min (18 min prep, 0 min cook)Serves 4easySidesvegetarian · gluten-free

Ingredients

  • 500 g raw beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated
  • 2 crisp eating apple, cored and coarsely gratedCox or Braeburn work well
  • 150 red cabbage, very finely shredded
  • 1 fennel bulb, quartered, cored and very finely slicedor use 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 120 g crème fraîche
  • 25 g fresh horseradish, peeled and finely gratedor use 2 tsp jarred horseradish sauce — note this contains sulphites
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp runny honeyor use maple syrup to keep it vegan
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground
  • 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Contains: milk, mustard, sulphites.

Method

  1. Grate the beetroot and apple on the coarse side of a box grater into a large bowl. Add the shredded red cabbage and sliced fennel.About 10 min
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the crème fraîche, grated horseradish, wholegrain mustard, cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust — it should be creamy with a good kick of heat.About 3 min
  3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly with two spoons until everything is evenly coated. The whole thing will turn a vivid deep pink — that's exactly what you want.About 2 min
  4. Transfer to a serving plate or bowl. Scatter over the chopped parsley if using and serve immediately, or cover and chill for up to an hour before serving.About 2 min

Tips

  • Grate the apple just before mixing, not in advance, or it will brown. Tossing it with the grated beetroot immediately after grating helps keep its colour.
  • If you want a sharper, more vinegary slaw, leave out the honey and double the cider vinegar.
  • Wear gloves — raw beetroot stains fast and thoroughly.

Ring the changes

  • Stir in 100g of cooked, cooled Puy lentils to make this a more substantial side that can stand alone as a light lunch.
  • Replace the crème fraîche with full-fat plain yoghurt for a lighter dressing with more tang.

Keeping it

Best eaten on the day it's made. The beetroot will bleed into the dressing overnight and the vegetables will soften. Store covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

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Tony C Smith
Tony C Smith

Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 4 April 2026.