Cabbage Salad with Roast Beef
The dressing takes thirty seconds to stir together. What it does inside your body takes ten hours to measure.
Mayo, soy sauce, olive oil, and a squeeze of lime — tossed through shredded cabbage, shaved carrot ribbons, and crunchy bell pepper strips, with sliced roast beef on top and toasted bread on the side. Five minutes from fridge to plate, no cooking required.
A 2023 randomized crossover trial tracked what happens when olive oil meets carotenoid-rich vegetables during digestion. Over ten hours, olive oil produced 55% higher total carotenoid absorption from a raw vegetable salad than coconut oil. For alpha-carotene — the carotenoid concentrated in carrots — the gap was 111%. The olive oil in this dressing is quietly optimizing what your body actually absorbs from the carrot and bell pepper.
Ingredients
- carrot 1
- bell pepper 1
- mayonnaise 2 tablespoons
- soy sauce 0.5 tablespoon
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- lime juice 1 squeeze
- cabbage, shredded 1.25 cups
- roast beef 4 slices
- bread, whole wheat 2 slices
Method
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Shave the carrot into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Cut the bell pepper into strips.
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In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, soy sauce, oil and some lime juice to make a dressing.
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Place the cabbage in a bowl and stir in the dressing. Add the carrot and bell pepper and mix together. Season with pepper and salt.
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Place the cabbage salad in a deep plate and arrange the slices of roast beef on top. Serve with the (toasted) bread.
Shave the carrot with the vegetable peeler rather than grating it. The wider ribbons hold more dressing in their curves and give the salad a crunchier texture alongside the shredded cabbage. If you are packing this for later, keep the dressing in a separate small container and toss it just before eating.
Not all salad oils work equally as nutrient carriers. A randomized crossover trial found that olive oil’s long-chain unsaturated fatty acids dissolve carotenoids into digestive micelles more effectively than the medium-chain saturated fatty acids in coconut oil — producing 55% higher absorption across five measured carotenoids.
Yao et al., 2023 — American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · DOIBehind this recipe
Why does the recipe use both mayonnaise and olive oil in the dressing?
Mayonnaise is an emulsified fat (oil suspended in egg yolk), and olive oil is a straight liquid fat. Together they create a dressing with more body and cling than either alone — the mayo coats, the oil loosens. The olive oil also matters for absorption: a 2023 human trial found that olive oil produced 55% higher carotenoid absorption from raw vegetables than coconut oil. Since the carrot and bell pepper in this salad are loaded with carotenoids, the olive oil is pulling double duty.
Can I swap the olive oil for a different oil?
You can, but it may change the nutritional picture. Research shows olive oil’s long-chain unsaturated fatty acids dissolve carotenoids more effectively during digestion than the saturated fatty acids in oils like coconut oil. Another unsaturated oil like avocado oil would likely perform similarly. Coconut oil or butter would be less effective carriers for the carotenoids in the carrot and bell pepper.
Is this salad filling enough for lunch?
With 620 calories, 14 grams of fiber from the raw vegetables and whole wheat bread, and 23 grams of protein led by the roast beef, this salad has more staying power than most five-minute lunches. The shredded cabbage adds volume, the mayo-based dressing keeps you satisfied longer than a light vinaigrette, and the whole wheat bread rounds it out.
Can I make this ahead of time?
The cabbage, carrot ribbons, and bell pepper hold up well for several hours. If you are packing it more than four hours ahead, store the dressing separately and toss it just before eating — this keeps the cabbage crisp instead of soggy. Add the roast beef on top when you are ready to eat.
