Forget that stop at the deli salad counter! Mix up this easy and delicious slaw from good cheap ingredients.
Salads and sandwiches make up some of my favorite foods on the planet. It used to be I would make my mom take me to the deli to pick up all the fixings — back in the days when grocery stores didn’t have in-house delis. Yes, really. Can you imagine?
Or I’d order a special sandwich and side salad at Bob’s Big Boy, my very favorite diner. Bob’s doesn’t exist anymore, not really. But, I still think about it.
Last week I took my daughter out to lunch at The Broken Yolk, just the two of us. We’ve always loved their breakfasts, so I figured we’d love lunch. We shared a club sandwich and potato salad.
My daughter, aged 6, is somewhat of a connoisseur of food now. She can’t even remember eating at some fast food restaurants that we used to frequent. She was too little, and now we’ve cleaned up our diet. She took one bite of the potato salad — it was the sweet kind that they probably bought in a container — and said, “I don’t like it. Yours is better.”
Oy.
Well, she was kinda right. My Deli Potato Salad is better than the sweet kind you buy in a cardboard container. Ahem.
I will go so far to say that my coleslaw is too. This creamy coleslaw comes together in just minutes. I serve it with Pulled Pork Sandwiches, fish, BBQ, and of course, as pictured with my Spicy Sausage Burger. Mouth-watering again. Oy, again. This Creamy Coleslaw is the perfect foil for spicy foods. We never have any leftover.
It gets some sweet from the cider vinegar and some warmth from the cumin and ancho chile powder, but it’s not overpowering. It’s also meatless, naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and make-ahead. What’s not to love?
I don’t like overly sweet, soggy coleslaw. This slaw is not like that. One of the tricks is not to let it sit for too long. If you’re going to make it ahead, consider storing the dressing and the salad in the fridge in separate containers. Mix shortly before serving so you don’t get soggy slaw.
In case, of course, you like softer slaw. Then, by all means mix and chill. Chill and mix. Mix and chill. It’s all good.
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Recipe: Creamy Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound) bag coleslaw mix or 1 small head cabbage, shredded
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, scallions, and cilantro.
- In another bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, cumin, and chile powder. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss to coat. Adjust seasonings as desired.
- To make it ahead: The slaw can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Number of servings: 8
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I always read your posts, even if it’s something like homemade playdogh, which I no longer need, because I never know what I will find within. Bob’s Big Boy was an occasional treat growing up, a real restaurant. I can still remember Mom dipping her napkin into her water glass (we got glasses of ice water! ) to clean our faces before we left. I don’t care for cole slaw, but I might have to try your recipe. This is why I read all your posts. 🙂 Thank you for writing them.
Thanks, Holly, on all counts! My mom used to wash our faces that way, too! Isn’t that funny? I’ve heard that there are a few Bob’s left and Bob’s express, but I’m afraid “you can never go home again”. It just wouldn’t be the same, I don’t think.
whoa this looks fantastic!! and even tho people think of coleslaw as a barbecue food, and we are headed into winter, it’s cabbage season! so I am making this! cabbage is such an underutilized vegetable, very healthy and cheap! I am all about eating seasonally.
We use cabbage all winter because it tastes good and it’s super cheap.
A little full of ourselves? 😉 JUST KIDDING!
Your potato salad recipe is one the best I’ve found, and I’m fairly certain this coleslaw recipe will rank right up there. Aldi has cabbage on sale for $.79 a head right now…I may need to make some slaw this weekend before the cold hits!
Ahem. I said it was better than the stuff that came in the carton! I think any homemade salad is better than what comes in the carton. LOL!
I live in central Pennsylvania. A few years back my husband and father-in-law took a motorcycle trip to Texas. On the trip my husband made it a point to order coleslaw at each and every place they stopped to eat. I’m betting he has never tried a coleslaw quite like yours and now I am excited to try to make it for him!
I’m curious! I would guess he’s tasted lots of different styles…. unless they were all from the carton. LOL
The cumin and ancho added such a great flavor. My family loved it.
So glad to hear it!