Cabbage keeps a different kind of crunch
The idea
Cabbage can give a salad a firmer bite than leafy greens. Cutting it finely makes the strands easier to distribute, while the dressing shapes the final balance of tang and seasoning. It is worth treating cabbage salad as its own accompaniment, not simply as a substitute name for any garden salad.
A practical next step
Read which salads are listed with a platter. Two different salads can contribute different textures rather than repeat the same side.