Everyone’s Favorite Creamy Coleslaw

SOUND BITE

My mother, Alfreda, was the best cook and instinctively knew how to make just about anything without a recipe. Her creamy coleslaw appeared at every backyard BBQ party and was gobbled up in minutes. Lucky for me, this is one recipe she actually wrote down. The only changes I’ve made are adding some finely diced red bell peppers and switching the plain, white vinegar to apple cider vinegar. And, for convenience, I use bagged coleslaw mix.

Vinegar-Based Coleslaw Dressing

When it comes to coleslaw, there’s basically two classic recipes: creamy or tangy.

I happen to love both.

Creamy coleslaw is the one most people know and love—cabbage and carrots tossed in a rich, slightly sweet dressing made with mayo, a splash of vinegar and a touch of sugar.

Then there’s vinegar-based coleslaw, the lighter, zippier alternative. This one skips the mayo and instead uses a simple mix of vinegar, oil, sugar and seasonings.

It’s crunchy, tang, and just sweet enough to keep you coming back for more.

If you love coleslaw but don’t love the heaviness of a creamy dressing, this one’s for you! And because there’s no mayo, it’s better suited to outdoor gatherings in warm weather.

Here’s my very simple, pretty standard formula based on my mom’s old recipe:

½ cup neutral-tasting oil, like safflower or sunflower. Olive oil doesn’t work here. It’s just too strong.

½ cup plain white vinegar (Nothing fancy here. The plain stuff.)

¼ to 1/3 cup granulated sugar (this is important to balance the tang of the vinegar; start with ¼ cup and see if that’s enough for you)

Then I add 1 tsp celery seed, ½ tsp sea salt and ¼ tsp freshy ground black pepper.

Bring these ingredients to a boil in a small pot. Reduce the heat and simmer for one minute. Pour over 1 lb of coleslaw mix which you can embellish with finely chopped green onions and red bell pepper. Stir it up. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours minimum, but the longer, the better.

Whether it has creamy crunch or a zesty, vinegar-packed bite, a killer coleslaw is a summer salad essential.

And I’ve given you two tasty recipes to SLAY YOUR SLAW!