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Sweet tangy and delicious Summer Coleslaw Recipe! Made with just a handful of ingredients this summer slaw recipe is sure to be a keeper!
Everyone needs a good summer coleslaw recipe in their back pocket.
I kid you not, kids and adults will both go bonkers for this one. It’s a classic summer side dish that goes great with a pickle-brined chicken sandwich and with a bunch of summer barbecue classics like burgers and hot dogs.
As a child, both the KFC coleslaw and the one from Long John Silvers were a staple item to order when we ate out.
A perfect green cabbage slaw topped with coleslaw dressing is creamy and cold a perfect side dish to grilled meat, fried poultry, fish and of course on top of crispy chicken sandwiches.
The best part is, there are only a handful of fresh ingredients in homemade coleslaw, and it’s ideal for bringing to a bbq or summer potluck because you can make it ahead up to a day in advance.
The flavors of homemade coleslaw are better as it sits!
Ingredients for a summer coleslaw (easy recipe)
- Mayonnaise: I encourage you to use full-fat mayonnaise for this recipe. Lighter mayo won’t give it that same creamy flavor that coleslaw is known for! This is my favorite store-bought mayo
- Heavy cream: the cream helps create a dressing-like consistency
- Sugar: adds sweetness and balances out the tartness from the apple cider vinegar.
- Apple cider vinegar: for years I used white vinegar in place of the apple cider vinegar it works as a good substitute if you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand. Vinegar gives it the perfect tang
- Grated onions: Grating the onions on a box grater so the flavors are more pronounced amongst the other dressing ingredients
- Prepared horseradish: though this is optional, it gives the recipe a bit of a zing!
- Seasonings: I am using celery salt but you can also use celery seed. Just be sure to smash it up in a mortar and pestle
- Shredded cabbage: purchase shredded cabbage, red cabbage, a coleslaw mix, or shred your own cabbage for this recipe on a mandolin. If you’re looking to make KFC coleslaw, you may want to just buy a head of cabbage and pulse small chunks in a food processor to break the cabbage down into smaller pieces.
- Shredded carrots: you can purchase store-bought shredded carrots or shred your own carrots for this recipe
How to make an easy coleslaw recipe
- Prepare the cabbage and carrots: you can shred these by hand if you like. I usually buy shredded cabbage from the store in bags. For the carrots, I just shred whole carrots at home because I like a finer shred on them.
- Mix together the dressing: in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, heavy cream, sugar, apple cider vinegar, grated onions, prepared horseradish, celery salt, and white pepper until smooth.
- Toss the coleslaw together: Add shredded cabbage mixture and carrots to a large bowl and stir in the dressing until well combined. Taste and adjust with more seasonings based on your personal preference.
- Refrigerate for as long as you can: Ideally, I suggest allowing this salad to sit covered in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours for the best texture. However, you can serve it in as little as a couple of hours if you’d like
- Serve it up alongside grilled chicken, some baked beans, and with a burger with all the garnish!
Recipe Tips
- Swap the black pepper for white. I don’t like to see specks of black pepper in my slaw. So I usually use white pepper for this recipe
- Swap out some of the shredded cabbage for a broccoli slaw mix to make it more nutritionally dense. You can also use some fresh herbs if you wish.
- Leftover slaw can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge
Try these other summer classic recipes:
- Sour Cream Chive Potato Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Cob (Elotes)
- No Mayo Potato Salad
- Superfood Broccoli Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad (Potluck Salad)
Summer Classic Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise full fat for best results
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
- 1½ tablespoon cane sugar or granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated onions
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon celery salt or crushed celery seeds and salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 1 (14.5 ounce) shredded cabbage
Instructions
- DRESSING: Combine the mayo, cream, sugar, apple cider vinegar, grated onions, horseradish, celery salt, and black pepper in bowl using a whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust with additional sugar, horseradish, salt, or pepper as desired.
- TOSS: Add the shredded cabbage mix to a large bowl and toss with the dressing using a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and ideally anywhere between 6-12 hours before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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