Coleslaw is the perfect tangy side dish to complement BBQ menus or a plate of Trinidadian pelau. It has a crisp texture and a slightly creamy dressing with just the right sweetness and acidity.
Coleslaw is the ultimate crunchy, creamy, and tangy salad. It can be served on its own, as a topping on sandwiches, or as a side dish. While it's typically associated with summer and outdoor meals, coleslaw also pairs beautifully with Trinidadian pelau, a popular rice dish enjoyed year-round. If tangy salads are your thing, you might also like my cassava salad recipe. This quick and easy coleslaw recipe comes together in a cinch especially if you use a food processor to get the shredding done and out of the way! But if you want to skip shredding your own cabbage, one 14oz-16oz bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix works well with the dressing in this recipe.
Anytime I make pelau, I always make a batch of coleslaw. I like my coleslaw light on the dressing so it doesn't overpower the other items on my plate, therefore this recipe isn't super creamy. I believe the cut of the cabbage matters too—when thinly sliced but not shaved, it's just the right texture for me!
[feast_advanced_jump_to]Ingredients
Chances are, you already have the ingredients for this recipe in your fridge and pantry. For the vegetables, I use green cabbage and carrots. I like using store-bought mayonnaise for convenience, but you can certainly make your own—as long as you have about ½ cup for this recipe. For the tanginess, I use apple cider vinegar and mustard. Maple syrup adds sweetness, and salt and black pepper harmonize all the flavors.
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar
- Yellow mustard
- Maple syrup
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions for slicing with a knife
You can slice the cabbage using a knife, food processor, or mandolin. Here are instructions for slicing with a knife.
Instructions for food processor
If using a food processor, after Step 4, cut the cabbage into thin wedges small enough to funnel into the processor. See video below.
Cabbage tip
After shredding each wedge of cabbage, place it into a measuring cup and press it down to measure out about 5 cups. We're just eyeballing the amount here, so the amount doesn't need to be exact.
Make the dressing
Dressing Tip
Place all the dressing ingredients in a small blender and pulse until it's combined and smooth!
Substitutions
You can substitute most of the ingredients to make this easy coleslaw your own or to suit what you have in your pantry. I've used all of these substitutions in the past with no problems.
- Cabbage and carrots - if you don't want to prep your own cabbage and carrot, one 14oz-16oz bag coleslaw works great with the dressing in this recipe. Also, purple cabbage is so pretty as a mix in or alternative.
- Mayonnaise - you can use your favorite brand of mayo, make your own, or substitute any kind of vegan mayo. Alternatively, if you prefer to use Miracle Whip, be mindful not to add as much maple syrup since MW is slightly sweeter than mayo.
- Apple cider vinegar - white distilled vinegar works just fine in this recipe.
- Yellow mustard - I love a lil' mustard in my coleslaw dressing, you can use dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard in place.
- Maple syrup - maple syrup gives this dressing such great flavor, you can easily substitute it with honey or 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar or white sugar.
Storage
To store coleslaw, I like to keep it in a glass dish with an airtight lid in the fridge for up to 4 days. Additionally, make sure to give it a good mix each time before serving.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Quick and Easy Coleslaw
Coleslaw is the perfect tangy side dish to complement summer BBQ menus or a plate of Trinidadian pelau. It has a crisp texture and a slightly creamy dressing with just the right sweetness and acidity.
Ingredients
- 5 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrot, shredded
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place 5 cups of shredded cabbage and 1 cup of shredded carrots in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and whisk together vigorously until smooth.
- Pour dressing over cabbage and carrots and stir to coat completely.
- Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Coleslaw will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Give it a stir before serving.
Notes
- This recipe serves 6.
- One 14oz-16oz bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix can be substituted if you don't want to prep your own cabbage or carrots.
- You can also use a blender instead of whisking by hand to make the dressing.
- Options for shredding the cabbage: Half head of cabbage yielded about 5 cups. Start by chopping a whole head of cabbage in half and then into quarters. Thinly slice the quartered wedges with a sharp chopping knife or place the wedges in the food processor with the slicer blade attachment in place. If it doesn't fit, cut the wedges smaller. You can also use a mandolin to shred the cabbage thinly.
- Turn the slicer blade over to shred the carrot, or alternatively, grate it by hand using a box grater with the large holes.
The post Quick and Easy Coleslaw appeared first on Alica's Pepperpot.