There’s a place for coleslaw in most summer meals. Its creaminess and distinct crunch make it popular as a salad topper, barbecue side dish, and as a “picky bits” staple. Making coleslaw at home comes with many benefits, namely being able to customise it to your exact liking. And while many people will claim to have mastered this delicious cabbage, carrot, and onion-based dish, one foodie says her grandma truly cracked the code to making the best coleslaw.
Food writer and photographer Mackenzie Schieck says there’s one thing that sets her family recipe apart from most. She elaborated: “Most coleslaws have slices of cabbage and other ingredients that are small-ish but clearly discernible from one another.”
But Mackenzie’s grandma did something differently. “She chopped her ingredients more finely than anyone else”, said the Simply Recipes writer.
Many people would argue that finely chopping the ingredients removes one of the best parts of this dish, the distinct crunchiness.
After all, most recipes call for shredded veggies, which is how you get the lovely textured strands of colour throughout the creamy sauce.
However, Mackenzie insists that chopping everything up “extra small” lends the coleslaw to being “hands-down the most melt-in-your-mouth slaw” she’s ever had.
That said, it’s important to note that the coleslaw still has a “nice crunch” while melding with the sauce in a way many don’t.
How to make tastier coleslaw
Good chopping skills aren’t necessary to replicate this clever coleslaw hack if you have a blender to hand.
The Simply Recipes writer suggests shredding the veggies in the blender one ingredient at a time, until they are lightly shredded into large chunks.
Then, use a knife to chop everything up to your desired size. Of course, Mackenzie’s grandma would suggest that smaller is better.
Coleslaw recipe
Ingredients
- One small white cabbage or half a large one
- Four carrots, peeled
- One large red onion
- Half a small bunch of dill
- Chives, parsley or coriander, finely chopped (optional)
- One tbsp Dijon mustard
- 50g mayonnaise
- 50g yoghurt
- Sour cream or more mayo
- One to two tbsp white wine vinegar
- A few pinches of paprika
Method
This “classic” homemade coleslaw recipe by Good Food can be made in a few simple steps:
Remove any bruised or damaged outer cabbage leaves, then halve through the stem and remove the core with a sharp knife.
Put the cut side down onto a cutting board and slice into fine shreds (or place a few chunks into a blender), then chop finely.
Grate or blend the carrots, then slice the onion as finely as possible and add to the bowl with the cabbage. Add the herbs to the mixture, then take a jug and whisk the mustard, mayo, yoghurt and vinegar.
Season well to taste, adding more vinegar if necessary. Tip the dressing into the vegetable bowl and mix everything together with a large spoon to coat the vegetables. Sprinkle with a few pinches of paprika, and serve straight away.
The mixture can be covered and chilled for up to three days. Mix well before serving.
