Lately, we’ve been all about the coleslaw around here. A good barbecue supper and even some family favorite main dishes just would not be complete without a bowl of creamy coleslaw to serve with it.
It’s a funny little turn of events to me because, full-disclosure, coleslaw hasn’t always been my favorite summer side dish. In fact, it may historically be the side dish I’ve skipped over the most in lieu of bigger helpings of flavorful beans or corn casserole, pasta salad, corn bread, fries, or potato salad, when they’re available.
Through the years, if I’ve served coleslaw, I would almost always purchase some that was premade at our grocery store deli, a restaurant or use the ready-made dressing packets in a coleslaw kit. And while those items are fine in a pinch, as it turns out the key to craveable coleslaw for me is in the coleslaw dressing.
When it comes to coleslaw, homemade dressing really is the best!
I still buy the bag of prepared coleslaw veggie mix regularly, shredding an entire head of cabbage would be too much food for my little crew. However, I’ll make the dressing myself, and let me tell you, y’all, it’s a game changer! My favorite dressing for crunchy, quintessential cabbage and carrot slaw is creamy, tangy, and perfectly balanced with just a little hint of sweetness…just enough sweetness to keep it interesting.
This classic creamy coleslaw dressing is a wildly simple recipe, and it can be made without spending any extra money at all, as it uses all pantry staple ingredients: mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, and celery seed.
I consider celery seed a pantry staple spice, as it’s widely used in recipes for homemade pickles, potato salad, marinades, and coleslaw dressing, and I do, in fact, use it fairly often. It has a bold flavor profile for a tiny little spice, and a little bit goes a long way. It’s earthy and peppery with hints of citrus, and it adds wonderful depth to this rich dressing recipe.
I highly recommend adding it to your spice collection if you don’t already have it on hand.
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones that become essential family favorites, and this homemade coleslaw dressing is one of them for us. Whether you’re serving coleslaw with barbecue, burgers, fried chicken, or just sneaking a little spoonful when no one is looking, I hope this no-fuss dressing recipe brings a little extra joy to your table this summer.
Happy eating, y’all and happy 4th of July! xo – M
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Homemade Creamy Coleslaw Dressing
This classic creamy coleslaw dressing is rich, tangy and perfectly balanced with a little sweetness. It’s quick to make with pantry staples and it will be the perfect finishing touch for your classic, crunchy summer slaw! This recipe dresses a 14 oz bag of prepared vegetable coleslaw base or roughly 5 – 6 cups of homemade coleslaw base mix perfectly.
5
servings10
minutes0
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
3/4 cup mayonnaise (regular or reduced calorie)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or, more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
Directions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Use immediately to dress to 6 cups of prepared coleslaw vegetable base, or cover and refrigerate the prepared creamy coleslaw dressing until ready use.
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