Coleslaw Recipes You Can Try

Who says meat is king? Creamy, crunchy coleslaw has the ability to upstage the main event. Served as the sidekick to grilled meat, on a burger, or alongside oven baked chicken, a tasty coleslaw can draw everyone’s attention away from inyama. That’s why getting your coleslaw recipe just right is so worthwhile.

At Hellman’s we want to see you up your coleslaw game, which is why we compiled a few easy coleslaw recipes and dished on the secrets you need to know to take your coleslaw from sidekick to main event. Here are some coleslaw ideas and tips you may not have considered before.

Five Simple Secrets to Take Your Coleslaw to the Next Level

1. It’s in the Crunch

It is an unspoken rule that the perfect coleslaw has to be unapologetically crunchy. If it doesn’t make a noise when you bite into it, it’s definitely not going to upstage your boerewors or lamb patty. For this reason, it is absolutely essential that your ingredients are as fresh as can be.

Buy your ingredients no more than two days before you want to serve your slaw and keep everything chilled in the fridge for optimum freshness. Shredded cabbage can become soggy if you make your coleslaw too long beforehand, so time yourself and chop the cabbage 30 minutes before you plan to serve it. Then keep your coleslaw chilled in the fridge until you are ready to dish up. This way you are serving the crunch everyone craves.

2. Use Quality Mayonnaise

Simple ingredients like shredded cabbage can become pleasurably tantalising when mixed with good quality mayonnaise. Hellman’s Original Mayonnaise elevates everything it touches because it is made from real, authentic ingredients. Cage-free eggs, salt, sugar, sustainable oils, and lemon juice are combined to bring you a full-bodied mayonnaise, light enough in texture to dissolve on your tongue.

Try this Classic Coleslaw recipe which uses one cup of Hellman’s Original Mayonnaise. This coleslaw recipe has the perfect balance between creamy texture and bold flavour.

3. Get Creative

Coleslaw is more exciting than just a dish of shredded cabbage. Try adding different ingredients to enhance the layers of flavours within your slaw. An oldie but still a goodie, is raisins. A handful of raisins adds a fruity sweetness to the coleslaw. If you are not a raisin fan, try adding some dried cranberries instead. This will delight both young and old and add a surprising stickiness to every forkful.

For inspiration, give this Crunchy, Tangy Coleslaw recipe a try. If you’re looking for something a bit more indulgent you can substitute the plain yoghurt for mayonnaise.

Another easy coleslaw recipe is to add chopped apple to the slaw. Apples are juicy and coat your shredded cabbage with subtle sweetness. And how about celery? If it is a fresh crunch you’re after, celery is your go-to ingredient. In this Smokey Chicken Salad with Asian Slaw recipe, we used celery, mint and cucumber to provide great texture and freshness.

For a completely different coleslaw, add nuts. Peanuts, walnuts, flaked almonds or cashews bring a savoury crumble with them that will delight your dinner guests. Additionally, you can add unique flavouring by incorporating stock pots in the mix, as demonstrated in this Coleslaw recipe.

4. Eat the Rainbow

Eating a range of fruit and vegetables that are bright in colour is better for your health. This is because colourful fruits and veggies are filled with a range of nutrients that your body needs to thrive. Moreover, colour on a plate makes your meal look much more appetizing.

Try adding colourful ingredients to the mix to widen the range of nutrients in your coleslaw. Some recipes for coleslaw incorporate chopped red pepper and ribbons of carrot. Other coleslaw recipes recommend adding grated beetroot for a health boost with a deep purple highlight. For a different purple hue, use red cabbage instead of green cabbage. To get the inside scoop on red cabbage and its health benefits read: 6 Great Reasons to Eat Red Cabbage.

5. Don’t Forget the Tang

All great coleslaw recipes have one thing in common: a slightly sour tang. The best way to give your coleslaw a tang is to add one of the following:

• Three tablespoons of lemon juice

• Two tablespoons of wholegrain mustard

• Two tablespoons of white wine vinegar

• Two tablespoons of lime juice

A Delicious Standalone Act

Now that you have the inside scoop on the perfect coleslaw, you need to consider how to serve it. Seeing as your coleslaw will be the creamiest, tastiest you’ve ever eaten, you can serve it in a variety of ways and even make it the main event.

6. Tacos with Coleslaw

1. Try coleslaw in a wrap for a delicious vegetarian lunch, or in tacos (see this Curried Oat-crusted Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw recipe).

2. Get fancy and serve it in a ramekin as a palate cleanser between courses. Or added smoked chicken and crumbled feta cheese for a Grecian salad.

3. Alternatively, serve it as an accompaniment as demonstrated in this Honey Barbeque Drumettes with Crunchy Coleslaw recipe.

Applying these tips will make your coleslaw taste so good it will steal the mealtime spotlight. So get chopping, serving and eating today!