Homemade Coleslaw

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: European, Soul Food, Southern

Keyword: cabbage, salad

Prep Time: 15

resting time: 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 288kcal

This crunchy, flavorful coleslaw recipe compliments grilled meats and poultry, as well as fried fish or chicken.

1/4 medium (1/2 cup or 63 grams) white onion peeled and roughly chopped
1 stalk (1/2 cup or 45 grams) celery chopped
2 cloves garlic peeled
3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) honey
1 teaspoon (4 grams) celery salt
1/8 teaspoon (a pinch) black pepper
1 3/4 cups (300 grams) mayonnaise
1/2 small head (4 cups or 290 grams) green cabbage shredded 1/8-inch thick
1/4 head (2 cups or 145 grams) purple cabbage shredded 1/8-inch thick
1 large (3/4 cup or 75 grams) carrot peeled and grated (use the large holes to grate)

Add the onion, celery, garlic, apple cider vinegar, celery salt, pepper, and honey to a 2-quart bowl.
Use an immersion blender or blender to puree the aromatics until smooth. The mixture should resemble smooth salsa.
Once the aromatic mixture is smooth, use a rubber spatula or spoon to stir in the mayonnaise.
Stir the mayonnaise into the dressing until it's smooth and the consistency is like a thick cream sauce, adding up to 1/2-cup more mayonnaise as needed to achieve the proper consistency.

Add the shredded green and purple cabbages and grated carrot to a 4-quart (or larger) mixing bowl.
Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables in the bowl and use a rubber spatula or spoon to fold the veggies into the dressing.
After mixing the coleslaw, allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This gives the dressing time to penetrate the cabbage and the flavors to marry.
When you're ready to serve the coleslaw, stir it well, then portion it into ramekins.
If you find that your coleslaw is a little runny, use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to serve it.

You can replace the white onion with yellow onion, shallot, or green onion if you're not a huge fan of onion flavor.
Add a shredded green apple to the cabbage mixture instead of honey.
You can replace the mayonnaise in coleslaw with Miracle Whip.
Replace the green and purple cabbage with just green cabbage, Napa, Savoy, or January King cabbage.
You can use bagged shredded cabbage for convenience's sake. Buy two 8-ounce bags for this recipe.

You can add more mayonnaise to the dressing until it is the proper consistency if yours is a little runny.
You can make coleslaw dressing a week ahead and store it in a jar or container in the fridge. Shake or stir just before using.
Be sure to shake or stir the dressing before tossing the in cabbage as the liquid will separate.
The key to a good coleslaw is to ensure the cabbage is shredded or cut in 1/8-inch thick ribbons. Any thicker than 1/8-inch, and the texture is just off. If you shred it too thin, it will grow soggy quickly.
I don't recommend using only purple cabbage. Using purple cabbage to make this recipe results in a murky red coleslaw, which is not appealing.

To store this coleslaw for serving outdoors, nestle the bowl in a larger dish filled with ice water to keep it at a safe temperature.
Store this homemade coleslaw in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 days. After that, it will start to grow soggy and lose its crunchy texture.