Coleslaw Dressing

Bright, crunchy coleslaw is a handy side dish for so many meals, from summer cookout menus to winter’s braised meats. It’s wild that store-bought coleslaw dressing is popular since homemade salad dressing recipes are incredibly easy to make. Just gather the ingredients and find a bowl to create this homemade coleslaw dressing! Dressings are easy to customize too. Simply adjust the spices, herbs and seasonings to suit your taste.

How do you use homemade coleslaw dressing?

This homemade coleslaw dressing recipe tastes fantastic on any coleslaw recipe, whether it’s a traditional creamy coleslaw made with cabbage and carrots or a fun blend of raw produce, like radishes, broccoli, apples or raspberries.

You could also use homemade coleslaw dressing in your favorite green salad recipes or as a base for cold salad recipes like chicken salad. It is thick enough to spread on a tasty sandwich for extra zip or to serve as a tangy dip alongside crinkled potato chips or veggies on a crudites platter.

Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients

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• Mayonnaise: Creamy, zippy mayo is the base of this dressing. Regular or reduced-fat mayo works in this homemade coleslaw dressing recipe.
• Sugar: Granulated white sugar tames down the mayonnaise’s tangy bite. To reduce sugar in recipes like coleslaw dressing, swap in an alternate sweetener like maple syrup or honey.
• Cider vinegar: Punchy, acidic cider vinegar brightens up the other flavors in this coleslaw dressing recipe.
• Seasonings: Celery seed, ground mustard, salt and pepper add savory flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Mix all the ingredients

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In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, cider vinegar, celery seed, salt, pepper and ground mustard until blended.

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Recipe Variations

• Change the vinegar: White wine or champagne vinegar can be used instead of cider vinegar.
• Play with spices: Pickling spices, cayenne pepper or ground coriander would add depth to the homemade coleslaw dressing.
• Add herbs: Jazz up the coleslaw dressing recipe with minced fresh chives, dill, tarragon or parsley.

How to Store Coleslaw Dressing

Store leftover homemade coleslaw dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the freshest flavor, we suggest storing the dressing separate from the coleslaw veggies, though you can also store dressed coleslaw in the fridge.

How long does coleslaw dressing last?

In the refrigerator, the coleslaw dressing recipe keeps for up to five days. Leftover dressed coleslaw keeps for up to three days, but it may get a bit soggy as it sits.

Coleslaw Dressing Tips

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What can you serve with coleslaw?

Coleslaw is fresh, bright and crunchy, so it can be served with a variety of main dishes. It’s a classic cookout side dish for burgers, brats and hot dogs. It can liven up fried food, like crispy fish tacos or fried chicken, and cool down fiery barbecue recipes, like pulled pork or ribs. Because sturdy cabbage can be tossed with dressing for several hours without wilting, coleslaw is an excellent make-ahead side dish for a crowd.

Why does this dressing have sugar?

Many salad dressings contain sugar to balance the savory oil and acidic vinegar. Sugar also draws out the sweetness of vegetables like lettuce and cabbage, which is specifically beneficial in coleslaw. Cabbages can taste a tad bitter, and the sweet dressing smooths out that too-strong edge.