A good homemade coleslaw should be crisp, creamy and lively rather than swimming in dressing. This is the one I serve with barbecues and spicy dishes: plenty of crunch from cabbage, carrot and red onion, then paprika, chilli and a little Worcestershire sauce to give it more character than the usual shop-bought tub.
It takes about 15 minutes to make and benefits from a short rest in the fridge. The heat is gentle as written, but the cayenne and chilli flakes are easy to adjust depending on what you are serving alongside it.
Serves
6 as a side
Preparation
15 minutes
Chilling
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 500g white cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 large carrot, about 120g, coarsely grated
- 1 small red onion, about 100g, very finely sliced
- 120–150g mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt only if needed
Vegetarian note: ordinary Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies. Use a vegetarian version—or a small splash of light soy sauce—if needed.
Method
- Prepare the vegetables. Put the shredded cabbage and grated carrot into a large bowl. Add the finely sliced red onion and toss everything together so the colours are evenly distributed.
- Mix the dressing. In a smaller bowl, combine 120g mayonnaise with the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, chilli flakes, cayenne and a generous grinding of black pepper.
- Dress the coleslaw. Fold the dressing through the vegetables until everything is lightly and evenly coated. Add the remaining mayonnaise a spoonful at a time only if it looks too dry for you.
- Taste carefully. Check the seasoning before adding salt—the mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce may already provide enough. Add more chilli, cayenne or vinegar if you want a hotter or sharper finish.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Give it another good stir when it comes out of the fridge.
Catherine’s tip
Cabbages do not arrive in standard sizes and some release more water than others, so treat the final 30g of mayonnaise as optional. Start with less, mix properly and let the coleslaw rest before deciding whether it needs more. You can always make it creamier; rescuing an overdressed coleslaw is much harder.
Serve it with my spicy Mexican cheese-stuffed meatballs, burgers or anything smoky from the barbecue.
Storage: Keep covered in the refrigerator at 5°C or below and use within three days. Do not leave it sitting out in warm weather; return it to the fridge between servings.
Foodwizardry 