This creamy coleslaw with a tangy buttermilk dressing is the perfect summer salad to serve with a barbeque. Super simple to make, with an amazing flavour, this salad tastes great made fresh on the day. The flavour improves with standing so you can make a huge bowl and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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Our first social barbeque in over a year
With the lockdown restrictions finally being eased here in the UK we were lucky enough to have a barbeque with my daughter, her husband and my good friend, neighbour (and chief recipe taster) Penny. It's the first time we've been able to have a proper barbeque, with guests, in over a year, so we pulled out all the stops.
For the meat, we barbecued some satay chicken skewers and minted lamb chops. For salads, we served this delicious coleslaw, and my South African tomato and onion pasta. To round it all off we had crusty bread rolls on the side.
Now Penny is not a big eater. But I have to say she surprised me. I had made a huge bowl of coleslaw (which would probably have lasted us all week) but Penny demolished it and took most of the leftovers home for lunch the next day. The only reason she didn't take all the coleslaw with her was because my daughter wanted some with a crusty roll for breakfast the next day!
Why I love this coleslaw
This has to be one of my favourite salads to make. It is similar in taste and texture to the famous KFC coleslaw, but because it is homemade, you can tweak the ingredients to your own taste. If you prefer more sweetness, add a little extra sugar. On the other hand, if you prefer more acidity add an extra splash of vinegar or lemon juice.
- It stays fresh for days in a covered container in the refrigerator. We eat a lot of salad in summer, so it's nice to have a salad that improves with standing. I tend to make enough to last for a week and it tastes so good I sometimes eat it by the spoonful right out of the dish.
- It's really easy to make - chop the vegetables in a food processor and then mix in the dressing ingredients - job done
- This salad goes well with barbequed meat, but you can also use it to add flavour to sandwiches - try spreading some on your next ham sandwich! You could even spread some on a crusty bread roll and eat it just like that (ask my daughter - it's her favourite way of eating it).
Recipe information
You can get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this creamy coleslaw salad on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Prep time - 15 minutes
- Cooking time - no cooking required
- Yield - makes 4 cups of salad
- Calories - 81 per serving (half a cup)
- Main equipment - Food processor for chopping the vegetables. You could get by with using a cheese grater but it would be a LOT more work!
Ingredients
You will probably have most of these ingredients in your cupboard already.
Cabbage - the best cabbage for this salad is a crispy firm white cabbage. You could use savoy cabbage instead (or a mixture of the two for additional texture).
Carrots - you will need half the amount of carrots as cabbage.
Onion - this adds a slight tang to the salad, but don't overdo it. Too much onion will overpower the flavour of the salad. You will only need a small amount of onion (approximately 1 tablespoon of finely chopped white onion will be sufficient).
Mayonnaise - use the thickest mayonnaise you can find. This salad will draw water on standing so you don't want to end up with a runny mess. I like to use Hellman's mayonnaise - it's thick and creamy and perfect for this salad.
If you prefer to make the mayonnaise yourself, you might like to try one of these recipes:
Buttermilk - adds a creamy, tangy taste.
Lemon juice and vinegar - for freshness and acidity. I used white spirit vinegar, but you can substitute this for apple cider vinegar or any other white 'fruity' vinegar.
Sugar - for a hint of sweetness. I use granulated white sugar - light brown sugar would work just as well.
You will also need salt and plenty of ground black pepper for seasoning. Add this to your taste.
Instructions
This is SO easy. Just three easy steps ...
- Chop the vegetable finely in a food processor
- Mix the dressing ingredients
- Combine
The secret to this salad is chopping all the ingredients to the same size. Aim to get them chopped to about the same size as a grain of rice.
Chop the cabbage, carrots and onion in a food processor.
Now mix all the dressing ingredients in a jug until well combined.
Note - you may not need all the dressing for the salad. The amount you will need depends on various factors:
- the quantity of chopped vegetables
- the water content of the cabbage
You only need enough dressing to coat the salad - the salad should not be swimming in the dressing.
Start by adding ¾ of the dressing and mix well. Add more dressing a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
If you put too much dressing in the salad by mistake, grate up some additional cabbage and carrots in the ratio of 2 : 1 (ie two parts cabbage to one part carrot) and mix that through to absorb some of the extra dressing.
Stir well to combine. Taste for seasoning and add salt to your own taste, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with parsley and leave in the refrigerator until required. This salad is best served chilled.
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Variations
If you want to add more flavour and texture to the salad try these suggestions:
- Add 2 tablespoons of raisins or sultanas to the food processor with the cabbage, carrots and onions.
- Mince 1 clove of garlic with the vegetables in the food processor.
- Add half a peeled green apple to the food processor with the vegetables.
- Stir through 1 to 2 tablespoons of pinenuts with the dressing.
Frequently asked questions
No - unfortunately this salad does not freeze well. The vegetables will draw too much water and the defrosted salad will be very watery and unappealing.
Yes - you can make this salad up to 5 days in advance and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. Stir the salad before serving to distribute the dressing.
Coleslaw originated in the Netherlands, the Dutch name koolsla means "cabbage salad" (kool - cabbage and sla - salad).
Save for later
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Why not visit my sides and salads page where you can find many other delicious salad recipes?
📋The recipe
Creamy coleslaw with a tangy buttermilk dressing
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Food processor
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring jug
Ingredients
- 2 cups white cabbage
- 1 large carrot
- ½ small onion (about 1 Tablespoon grated)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt optional
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage and carrots into large chunks and place in a food processor fitted with a metal cutting blade. Add the onion.
- Pulse until the vegetables are approximately the size of rice grains.
- Transfer the vegetables to a mixing bowl.
- Measure the rest of the ingredients into a jug and stir well to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix through.
- Taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper to taste.
- Transfer the coleslaw to a serving dish, garnish with chopped parsley and leave in the refrigerator until required.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
- the quantity of chopped vegetables
- the water content of the cabbage
- Add 2 tablespoons of raisin or sultanas to the food processor with the cabbage, carrots and onions.
- Mince 1 clove of garlic with the vegetables in the food processor.
- Add half a peeled green apple to the food processor with the vegetables.
- Stir through 1 to 2 tablespoons of pinenuts with the dressing.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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