About the Recipe
A bright, crunchy Salvadoran cabbage slaw with a slow-building heat, made fast with Dante’s spicy pepper vinegar. Pile it on pupusas, tuck it into tacos, or eat it straight out of the jar.
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
Chill for 30 mins
Serves:
6-8 as a side dish
Level:
Easy
Ingredients
• 1/2 medium green cabbage, thinly sliced
(about 6 cups)
• 1 large carrot, grated or julienned
• 1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (seeds in for more
heat, out for less)
• 1/2 cup Dante’s Vinegar
• 1/2 cup white Vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
1. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, onion, and jalapeño.
2. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together white and Dante’s vinegars, water, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
3. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables and toss well, making sure everything gets coated.
4. Pack the mixture into a large jar or airtight container, pressing down so the liquid rises to cover the vegetables.
5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. For deeper flavor, let it sit for 1–3 days, tossing once a day.
6. Serve cold or at room temperature, scooped straight over pupusas, tacos, or grilled meats.
Tips & Tricks
• Heat level: The longer curtido sits, the more the jalapeño and Dante’s mellow into the cabbage. If you want a sharper bite, serve it the same day.
• Storage: Keeps well refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks — it actually improves after a few days.
• Serving idea: This is the classic topping for pupusas, but don’t stop there — it’s great on grilled fish tacos or piled onto a simple rice bowl.
Curtido vs. Escabeche
Both are vinegar-forward taco-stand staples, but they’re built differently. Curtido is a fine, cabbage-based slaw with a soft, tangy crunch, finished with Dante’s for a steady, building heat. Our Nonna Knows Escabeche swaps the cabbage for chunkier carrots, onion, and jalapeño, lightly cooked and brightened with garlic and Italian herbs instead of pepper heat. Serve them side by side for a slaw option and a chunkier pickle option on the same taco spread.