THE BEST Coleslaw Recipe | Foodiecrush.com

My favorite creamy, easy coleslaw recipe stays crunchy, not soupy, in this slightly sweetened, vinegar-spiked, homemade coleslaw dressing.

Potato salad. Baked beans. My favorite the best baked mac and cheese. Those recipes have always made up my barbecue buffet table daydreams. But coleslaw? It was always on the bottom rung of my side dish desires, until now. This creamy coleslaw recipe is a game-changer and has officially made me a coleslaw lover, and it’s just begging to sidle up to your summer burger or bbq chicken. This traditional coleslaw recipe features mayonnaise mixed with cider vinegar and then seasoned with a little celery salt for the puckery punch I love. Sliced green onion and freshly ground black pepper add a little heat, with a bit of sugar to offset the vinegar pucker. Chopped Italian leaf parsley adds just the right amount of a fresh, herby taste. Pack this creamy coleslaw on your next cookout or summer potluck, because it is the best one I’ve tried.

Why You’ll Love It

• This coleslaw recipe is creamy without being weighed down or gloopy
• It’s well-balanced, tangy, creamy, fresh, and crunchy
• It’s the perfect counter to burgers, ribs, barbecue, and more, and is always a hit at potlucks

Why You’ll Love It

• This coleslaw isn’t goopy or soupy, and it’s void of the overpowering bite of raw onion
• It has a nice crunch, thanks to sprinkling the coleslaw mix with salt first (and then rinsing it) to preserve its crisp texture
• I keep things simple and fast by using pre-shredded coleslaw mix
• The coleslaw dressing is creamy and well-seasoned for the perfect texture and flavor

What is Traditional Coleslaw Made of?

Two factors distinguish a good coleslaw from the rest: The crunch and the flavor of the dressing. My favorite coleslaw dressing is so good it deserves a post of its own.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this coleslaw recipe:

• Coleslaw salad mix—rather than buying a whole head of cabbage and carrots in need of peeling, I took the shortcut and bought a bag of pre-packaged coleslaw mix. You might find it in your veggie aisle bagged with a combination of red and green cabbage, or green only. Either or all will work.
• Granulated sugar—for just a little sweetness
• Kosher salt—for a cabbage salt bath to help preserve that crunchy texture (more on this below)
• Celery salt—(not to be confused with celery seeds) to season the coleslaw
• Mayonnaise—to add some creaminess (I love Hellman’s brand)
• Apple cider vinegar—for a little bit of acidity (you could also use white vinegar)
• Green onions—for color and flavor (I love the fresh, savory, oniony flavor they lend (without being too strong)
• Freshly ground black pepper—for a little pep
• Parsley—I mostly use this for color here, but I also love the freshness parsley brings to the dish

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make This Coleslaw Recipe

• Salt your coleslaw. Add the pre-packaged coleslaw mix into a strainer and place it in the sink. Sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and salt and toss to combine. Let that sit for five minutes to draw the moisture out of the cabbage, then rinse well with cold water. Give the coleslaw mix a spin in a salad spinner to dry (or pat dry with paper towels).
• Make the creamy dressing. Simply whisk together the mayo, a little sugar, cider vinegar, salt and pepper, chopped onions, parsley, and some celery salt. Add part of the slaw dressing to the coleslaw mix and give it a good toss. If needed, add more dressing to taste.
• Give it a rest. Let the coleslaw chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving it. This gives the flavors time to come together (don’t worry, the cabbage won’t wilt before you’re able to serve it).

How to Keep Coleslaw Crunchy

One of the things I find unattractive about many creamy coleslaws is when the crunch disappears and the cut cabbage becomes limp and lame, resulting in a soupy, drippy mess. This homemade coleslaw is not that. After a fair amount of investigation, I found a solution to avoid the listless creamy coleslaw bite thanks to the folks at Serious Eats.

Their suggestion? A quick brine! Draw out the water from the cabbage with a sugar and salt brine for a mere 5 minutes, then rinse well with cold water and put it through the spin dry of a salad spinner. Don’t worry. Adding this simple cure won’t change your coleslaw into a bread and butter pickle, like this one. The result is a firmer cabbage crunch where the flavor, and color, are deepened.

FAQ and Recipe Tips

• What Kind of Salt Should I Use for the Salt Bath? Kosher salt is a must here. Kosher salt isn’t nearly as salty as table salt because of its larger flake size. If you use table salt for the salt bath, your creamy coleslaw will likely wind up being far too salty.
• For an even tangier coleslaw dressing, substitute 2 tablespoons of the mayo with sour cream. I don’t think this recipe needs it, but I know some people are fans of mayo-sour cream slaw dressings.
• If you choose to shred cabbage and carrots on your own, shred them a bit thicker, similar to those in a pre-packaged coleslaw mix. If the cabbage is too thick, it will wilt after sitting in the dressing for a few hours.
• If you’re sensitive to salt, whisk the coleslaw dressing ingredients together, except for the two kinds of salt. Taste, then add more salt a little bit at a time. All palates are different, and the key to any good recipe is to taste and season as you go!

Storage Tips

This coleslaw will keep stored in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. I do not recommend freezing coleslaw.

What to Serve with Coleslaw

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.