Classic Creamy Coleslaw

Name: Classic Creamy Coleslaw
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 cups, packed (600 g) green cabbage, outer leaves removed, quartered, cored, and very thinly shredded (about ⅛ inch / 3 mm wide); 2 medium (150 g) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (white and green parts) (optional); ¾ cup (170 g) mayonnaise; 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar; 2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk, cold; 1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard; ½ tsp (1 g) celery seed; ¾ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ tsp (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, finely shredded green cabbage and carrots in a tangy-sweet mayonnaise dressing with a hint of celery seed. It's the creamy deli-style slaw that goes with barbecue, fried chicken and sandwiches, and it only needs a short chill.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: About 6 cups (8 side servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the slaw
8 cups, packed (600 g) green cabbage, outer leaves removed, quartered, cored, and very thinly shredded (about ⅛ inch / 3 mm wide)
2 medium (150 g) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
2 whole (30 g) scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (white and green parts) (optional)
For the dressing
¾ cup (170 g) mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk, cold
1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
½ tsp (1 g) celery seed
¾ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground

Equipment (7)

Large mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L)
Small mixing bowl
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board (or food processor with shredding disc)
Box grater (coarse side)
Whisk
Measuring cups and spoons
Plastic wrap or a lid for the bowl

Steps

Before you start

Plan on at least 1 hour of chilling. The cabbage softens slightly and the flavors blend during that time.
Use a small head of green cabbage, about 1½ lb (680 g) before coring. You need 8 packed cups (about 600 g) of shredded cabbage.
Chill the cabbage ahead if you can. Cold cabbage shreds more crisply and the slaw stays cooler for serving.
If you're using a food processor, use the shredding disc for the cabbage and the coarse grating disc for the carrots.

1
Whisk the dressing
- In the small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, milk, Dijon mustard, celery seed, kosher salt and pepper.
- Whisk for about 1 minute until completely smooth and no streaks of mustard remain.
- The dressing will taste slightly too strong on its own.
- It will mellow once it coats the vegetables.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth, pourable like thick cream, and the sugar no longer feels gritty when you rub a drop between your fingers.
Tip: Whisk in the milk last if the mayonnaise is very thick, so it blends without lumps.
2
Core and shred cabbage
- Remove any wilted outer leaves from the cabbage.
- Cut the head into quarters through the stem, then slice out the hard white core from each quarter at an angle.
- Lay each quarter flat and slice crosswise into very thin ribbons, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) wide.
- Measure 8 packed cups (600 g) and put them in the large bowl.
- Use a food processor with the shredding disc if you prefer.
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Ready when: Cabbage shreds are thin and fine enough to bend easily, with no thick chunks of core.
Tip: Fine shreds soak up dressing and eat tenderly. Thick pieces stay tough and make a watery slaw.
3
Grate the carrots
- Peel the carrots and grate them on the coarse side of a box grater.
- Add the grated carrots to the cabbage.
- If using scallions, add the sliced scallions too.
- Toss with your hands or two forks for 15 seconds to distribute the carrots evenly.
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Ready when: Orange carrot threads are evenly scattered through the pale cabbage.
4
Dress the slaw
- Pour the dressing over the cabbage and carrots.
- Toss with tongs or a large spoon for about 1 minute, lifting from the bottom of the bowl, until every shred is lightly coated.
- The slaw will look generously dressed at first.
- The cabbage releases a little liquid as it chills and loosens the dressing.
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Ready when: No dry cabbage or pools of dressing are visible, and the slaw looks evenly glossy and creamy.
Tip: Don't add extra dressing now. Wait until after chilling to decide whether it needs more.
5
Chill to blend
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- This lets the cabbage soften slightly while still keeping some crunch, and the flavors come together.
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Ready when: Cabbage is slightly softened but still crisp, and a little creamy liquid has gathered at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Past 4 hours the cabbage keeps releasing water and the dressing thins out. If serving later, see the make-ahead note.
6
Stir, taste, and serve
- Stir the slaw well from the bottom to bring the loose dressing back through the cabbage.
- Taste and adjust: add a pinch more salt if it tastes flat, a splash of vinegar (about ½ teaspoon) if it's too sweet or heavy, or a pinch of sugar if it's too sharp.
- Serve cold.
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Ready when: Slaw tastes balanced: creamy, tangy and lightly sweet, with a clear crunch.
Tip: Season in small pinches. The flavors continue to develop as it sits.

Good to know

Tips

Shred the cabbage as finely as you can. Thin shreds are the main difference between deli-style slaw and a coarse, chewy one.
For crunchier slaw, dress it only 30 minutes before serving. For softer, more traditional slaw, chill the full hour or longer.
If the slaw becomes watery after sitting, drain off the excess liquid and stir in a spoonful of mayonnaise to restore creaminess.
Dissolve the sugar fully in the dressing before adding the vegetables so the sweetness is even and not gritty.

Make ahead

"Shred the cabbage and grate the carrots up to 2 days ahead and store them together, undressed, in a zip-top bag lined with a paper towel in the fridge. Whisk the dressing up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in a covered jar. Toss everything together at least 1 hour before serving, or up to 4 hours ahead."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The slaw will get softer and more watery each day, so stir it before serving. Room temperature: don't leave it out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F / 32°C). Freezer: not recommended. The cabbage turns limp and the mayonnaise dressing separates. No reheating needed. Serve cold."

Substitutions

green cabbage → Packaged coleslaw mix (about 16 oz / 450 g). Convenient, but the shreds are thicker and the slaw won't be quite as tender. Chop the shreds into shorter lengths if they're very long.
apple cider vinegar → White wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Use the same amount. Lemon gives a brighter, fresher flavor.
mayonnaise → Half mayonnaise (⅓ cup / 80 g) and half sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (⅓ cup / 80 g). Gives a lighter, tangier dressing. Add the milk gradually, since yogurt is thicker.
whole milk → Buttermilk. Same amount. It adds extra tang, so you may want to reduce the vinegar by ½ teaspoon.