Old-Fashioned Slaw with Vinegar

A bowl of coleslaw with shredded green and purple cabbage, carrots, and sliced red onion, seasoned with black pepper, sits on a white surface next to a red-and-white checkered napkin—the perfect side for sautéed mushrooms for steak.

Old-Fashioned Slaw with Vinegar

This is the coleslaw that wins people over. It's bright, tangy, and a little sweet. There's not a spoonful of mayonnaise in sight. It comes together from a bag of slaw mix and pantry staples. A quick salting trick keeps it crisp on day two. Make this Old-Fashioned Coleslaw with Vinegar the night before your next cookout and watch it disappear first.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Salting + Chilling 2 10

Servings

Calories 181kcal

Author Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

16 ounces coleslaw mix
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1 red onion sliced thin
⅓ cup dill pickle relish
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup neutral oil avocado, vegetable, light olive oil
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Salt and drain the cabbage

Place the coleslaw mix in a colander set over a bowl or in the sink. Toss with salt and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cabbage looks wilted and glossy. Rinse briefly under cool water, then squeeze it as dry as you can — a clean kitchen towel works best, or do it by the handful. This is what keeps your slaw crisp instead of watery.

Combine the vegetables

Place the coleslaw, red onion, and dill pickle relish in a large bowl.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl, mason jar with lid, or blender, combine the vinegar, oil, sugar, celery salt, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk, shake or process until smooth.

Toss

Toss the slaw with the dressing.

Chill

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Toss again before serving.

Notes

Vinegar swap: For a sharper bite, replace 1 tablespoon of the cider vinegar with white vinegar. For something mellower, use red wine vinegar.
Sweetener swap: Substitute 3 tablespoons honey for the sugar; whisk it in well so it dissolves.
Storage: Stored airtight in the fridge, this slaw is good for up to 4 days and stays crisp thanks to the salting step.

Nutrition