I'm Looking For A Good Coleslaw Recipe

I loves me some coleslaw, but I’m looking for a tasty, interesting recipe, not just the boring old coleslaw that you get in a boring old restaurant (or KFC). I recently had the spicy coleslaw at Chili’s, and it was delicious - I’m looking for something like that.

Anybody have a go-to coleslaw recipe that everyone raves about?

I’m a fan of almost any type of coleslaw but this is the style I grew up with and so it remains my favourite:

Serbian Style Coleslaw *.

  • I would sub champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar for the plain white vinegar. Before serving, toss in some thinly sliced red onions.

I was searching for at least a copy cat recipe of a delicious southwestern slaw from an organic burrito joint in Morgantown, WV. I didn’t eat cole slaw before I ate the slaw from here. Sorry I wasn’t able to find one, but if you ever make the journey from Alberta to Morgantown, stop by Black Bear Burritos.

http://www.blackbearburritos.com/

This is super simple, almost so simple that I feel ashamed posting it, but every time I make it people are like “OMG! That’s the best slaw eeevvaaaa!”

All it is:

  • Shredded cabbage. Sometimes I do it myself, most of the time I buy a bag of pre-shredded cole slaw mix
  • Italian dressing. I use Newman’s Own.

Mix. Serve.

I think people like it because it’s not sweet and mayo-based, and a lot of people I know seem to have NEVER had non-mayo-based slaw.

If I’m feeling really frisky, I might make a vinaigrette instead of using bottled dressing. But 99% of the time I’m making this, I’m making it because it’s easy and fast, so I skip the fancy bit.

This is the one I use:

1 small head green cabbage, outer leaves removed, shredded (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 large jalapeño, seeded if desired, thinly sliced
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Black pepper

I usually use two jalapeno peppers and leave the seeds in one of them when I chop them. It’s quite zingy.

I tried making the dressing from scratch a few times and then discovered Jimmy’s. It’s really good, just the right mix of sweet and tart.

I love ramen coleslaw – very crunchy and savory. This recipe looks right.

Cat Whisperer,
Try this one also.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Asian-Coleslaw/Detail.aspx?soid=recs_recipe_seed

I use this when I want spicy slaw. I double the spices and the jalapeno.

My mother’s recipe:

shredded green cabbage
shredded red cabbage
shredded carrots
thinly-sliced scallion tops (green parts only)
capers

dressing:
mayonnaise (not a lot, you want this runny and not gloppy)
fresh-squeezed lemon juice
dill pickle juice
fresh ground pepper

toss veggies, pour dressing over veggies, chill.

Mmm - got some good-looking recipes here. I’ll have to try them all. :slight_smile:

That’s an interesting recipe. I’m intrigued by the “raw” noodles. Do they taste right?

I’m thinking some carrot would be nice and give it a nice colour.

I make my mother-in-law’s Iowa recipe:

Grind pepper over shredded cabbage
Mix together:
2 parts sugar
2 parts cider vinegar
until sugar is mostly melted
Add:
1 part milk
Stir together, pour over cabbage, let stand 20 to 30 minutes, serve.

It’s just one of the many cider vinegar-based recipes that were a staple of my husband’s family dinners.

The noodles are a tasty addition. Imagine crunchy chow mein noodles. That sounds, good, too, come to think of it. Carrots would be great.

My Yorkshire friend’s mum (mam?) used to make a lovely coleslaw which included shredded green apple - a lovely sweet/tart addition.

I’ve made a coleslaw like that before - it does taste very good. The noodles are fine - nice and crunchy if you put them in right before you eat the coleslaw.

I made an Asian cole slaw once, something like this: ginger, sesame oil, cilantro.

I have, many times. A deli where I grew up made it and even sold it in local supermarkets.

I haven’t seen it, or enjoyed it, in years. Thanks, Athena–never thought of that simple solution, but I will try it.

There are probably recipes for Kim Chi on the interwebz.

That’s what I was going to say. There’s a bbq place here that does an apple/onion/cabbage coleslaw that is pretty good.

But take this with a grain of salt. I don’t like coleslaw, generally. The fact that I like theirs is probably a bad sign!
ETA: lovers of the vinegar-based coleslaws should love curtido. Go to a Salvadorean restaurant and order pupusas. They are served with a spicy, vinegar cabbage. Essentially like the recipes upthread using jalapenos with vinegar.

All of the above sound delicious.
My favorite is finely sliced cabbage (red and green), finely sliced onion, homemade aioli (heavy on the “ai”) and salt to taste.
Prepare at least an hour ahead.