White cabbage salad with bacon and Comté cheese: the "bistro" recipe that gives vitality!

I have a particular fondness for this salad recipe with white cabbage, bacon and Comté cheese: it has that simple bistro feel that always works, but with a real interplay of textures.

The cabbage stays nice and crisp, the bacon adds a smoky, crispy-yet-melty flavor, and the Comté cheese ties it all together with its nutty notes. It's the kind of dish I make when I'm craving something straightforward, uncomplicated, and really filling!

I tested and retested it to find the right balance: if you just pour vinaigrette over it, the cabbage can stay a little stiff. So, my little trick is to massage the cabbage for a minute with a pinch of salt and a splash of vinegar. It softens it, makes it more pleasant to chew, and still keeps it crisp.

Seasonally, I like to add a crisp, tangy apple and a handful of walnuts: it stays true to the traditional spirit of coleslaw and pairs perfectly with Comté cheese. Nutritionally, you get fiber and vitamin C from the cabbage, healthy fats from the walnuts, and protein from the bacon and cheese.

Serve the cabbage, bacon, and Comté cheese salad as a main course with good country bread, or as a hearty starter. And if you prepare it a little in advance, just keep the bacon warm and mix it in at the last minute: you'll get the hot-cold contrast that makes it truly addictive.

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White cabbage salad with bacon and Comté cheese

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: main courseKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: average

Parts

4

parts

Preparation time

17

minutes

Cooking time

8

minutes

Calories

610

kcal

Total time

25

minutes

Finely shredded white cabbage, crispy bacon lardons, and shaved Comté cheese: a crunchy, savory, and incredibly comforting salad. The mustard vinaigrette ties everything together without being heavy, with just the right amount of zing.

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Ingredients

• 600g white cabbage (net weight), finely shredded

• 200g of smoked bacon

• 150g cheese of Comté

• 1 apple (Granny Smith or Pink Lady type)

• 50g of walnut kernels

• 1 small onion (or 2 shallots)

• 3 tablespoons of walnut oil (or neutral/rapeseed oil)

• 1 tablespoon of oil (for cooking the bacon, optional)

• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon of honey

• Fine salt

• Black pepper

Preparation steps

• Shred the white cabbage as finely as possible. Put it in a large salad bowl.
• Add a good pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar. Massage the cabbage for 1 minute with your hands: it will soften slightly and make the salad more palatable.
• Finely chop the onion (or shallots). Add it to the cabbage.
• Cut the apple into thin matchsticks (keep the peel on if it's nice and untreated). Add it to the salad bowl.
• Roughly chop the nuts and add them.
• Brown the bacon in a pan over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until well colored. If there is a lot of fat, remove some of it, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
• Deglaze the pan with 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar (be careful of splattering). Scrape up the browned bits for 10 seconds, then turn off the heat. Pour this sauce over the salad (this is where the flavor develops).
• Prepare the vinaigrette: mix the mustard, honey, a little pepper, and 1 tablespoon of water. Then whisk in the walnut oil. Taste and adjust the salt/vinegar if needed.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly.
• Add the bacon pieces while they are still warm (not hot) and mix one last time.
• Make Comté cheese shavings with a vegetable peeler (or coarsely grate it). Add them when serving so they retain their texture.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 320g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

If you're preparing the salad in advance: mix the cabbage, apple, onion, and vinaigrette, then add the bacon and Comté cheese just before serving. This will preserve the crunch and the warm-cold contrast.

💡 Chef's Tips

For a perfectly tender cabbage without any fuss, cut it into quarters, remove the core, then slice it very thinly with a knife. A salt and vinegar massage really transforms the texture. If your Comté cheese is very aged, use a light touch with the salt.

🔄 Variations

• For a more rustic version: replace the apple with 2 grated carrots (same crunchy spirit, a little sweeter).
• For a spicier version: add 1 teaspoon of horseradish (or a little more mustard) to the vinaigrette.

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.