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Creamy Coleslaw Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Creamy Coleslaw Recipe

I still remember the first time I brought this coleslaw to a backyard cookout — the bowl was empty before the burgers even came off the grill. Since then, I've made it more times than I can count, tweaking it here and there until I landed on the version I'm sharing with you today. It's crunchy, creamy, a little tangy, and just sweet enough to keep everyone reaching for seconds.
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Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups green cabbage shredded – the crunchy backbone of the slaw; slice it thin so it soaks up the dressing evenly
  • 2 cups red cabbage shredded – adds color and a slightly peppery bite; skip it if you only have green on hand
  • 2 medium carrots shredded or julienned – for natural sweetness and a pop of orange; grate them fresh rather than using pre-shredded bags for the best texture
  • 1 cup red onion thinly sliced – brings a savory sharpness that balances the sweetness of the dressing
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise – the creamy base of the dressing; use a good-quality brand since it's the dominant flavor
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar – adds the tang that keeps the slaw from tasting flat
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard – rounds out the dressing with a little zip
  • 1 tablespoon sugar – balances the acidity; don't skip it even if you're cutting back on sweetness elsewhere
  • ¾ teaspoon celery seed – my favorite ingredient in the whole recipe; it adds a savory depth you can't get anywhere else
  • ¼ teaspoon salt – to season the dressing
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste – for a little warmth and bite

Method
 

  1. Start by grabbing a medium bowl and adding the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, celery seed, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Whisk everything together until it's completely smooth and creamy. This step takes less than five minutes but sets the tone for the whole dish.
  2. Cut the green and red cabbage in half, then into wedges, and slice the wedges thinly crosswise so they fall apart into fine shreds. A sharp knife works fine, but a mandoline slicer makes this step faster and more consistent. Aim for thin, even pieces so every bite gets coated in dressing.
  3. Slice the red onion into thin strips so its flavor spreads evenly through the slaw. Then shred the carrots on the large holes of a box grater, or julienne them into thin matchsticks. Fresh carrots give a much better crunch than pre-shredded bags sitting in the store.
  4. Add the shredded cabbage, carrots, and onion into a large mixing bowl. Give everything a quick toss with your hands or tongs so the vegetables are evenly distributed before the dressing goes in. This makes coating everything much easier in the next step.
  5. Pour the whisked dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly until every strand of cabbage is coated. Take a moment to taste and adjust the seasoning with a little extra salt or pepper if needed. The mixture should look glossy and well combined.
  6. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the slaw for at least an hour before serving, though it's even better after a few hours or overnight. This resting time softens the cabbage slightly and lets all those tangy, sweet flavors really meld together into something special.

Notes

  • I always let mine chill for at least an hour because the flavor genuinely improves as it sits
  • If I'm short on time, I use a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix instead of cutting the cabbage myself
  • I like tasting the dressing before adding it to the vegetables so I can adjust the tang or sweetness first
  • If the slaw seems a little dry after mixing, I whisk up a small extra batch of dressing and stir it in
  • I've found that a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving brightens up leftovers that have sat in the fridge
  • Using both green and red cabbage gives the slaw a much more vibrant look on the table