11 Fresh Coleslaw Ideas for Crunchtastic Summer Meals
Summer's best coleslaw recipes.
It's high time to give coleslaw its moment to shine. No longer content to be a ho-hum, predictable side dish of ordinary shredded cabbage and mayo, homemade coleslaw is stepping up its flavor game with all kinds of add-ins, coleslaw dressings, and cabbage varieties to make things extra interesting. Here's a look at some of our best coleslaw recipes, along with main dish suggestions for perfect summer pairings.
Fresh lime, cilantro, sweet chili sauce, and rice vinegar make this a zesty coleslaw to go with Mexican or Asian dishes.
Pineapple and mandarin oranges spiced up with a bit of ginger and nutmeg get tossed around with cabbage and mayo to make a perky, creamy slaw. Perfect for luau and tiki parties.
Cucumbers and carrots supply the crunch, and sweet/sour apple cider vinegar keeps things light and zingy. Try it with a grilled steak to see how it balances out the richness of the meat.
VIDEO: Cucumber Slaw
Apples and jicama team up with cabbage to make a slaw with triple the crunch. Scoop it onto pulled pork sandwiches for an excellent balance of crisp, tender, sweet, and savory.
Use the season's best peaches in this slaw for a bowl of sweet, tangy, crunchy, juicy, deliciousness. How about some grilled pork chops to go with it?
6. Donna Leigh's Creamy Broccoli Slaw
Bagged broccoli salad, ramen noodles, and sunflower seeds are the big crunch factors in this creamy, tangy slaw. Try it as a colorful side dish for grilled chicken, and find more ways to turn broccoli slaw into quick dinners.
A little sweet, a little creamy, and a whole lot of mmmmmgood. This all-American slaw gets along beautifully with hot dogs, hamburgers, and really just about anything else. It's very diplomatic that way.
8. Pickled Ginger Asian Pear Coleslaw
Hit up the Asian aisle of your market for the pickled ginger and miso paste you'll use in this exotic slaw. You'll love it with this grilled ginger-glazed salmon.
Make a big batch of this no-mayo slaw when you need a crowd-pleaser for your next summer potluck. You can sub crispy chow mein noodles for the ramen noodles if you wish. What to serve it with? Everything, including grilled shrimp kabobs.
10. Picnic Marinated Summer Slaw
With cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, tomatoes, and green onions in the mix, this colorful slaw is like a garden on a plate. Serve it with a big, messy plate of BBQ ribs to cut down on the guilt just a bit.
Can you handle this much heat? With two kinds of hot peppers in this slaw, the answer had better be yes. Of course, you can always dial down the peppers and just enjoy the crispy, crunchy, sweet/savory vibe of this Asian-style coleslaw. Even so, with flavor this big you'll want to pair it with something clean and fresh like grilled tuna or halibut to keep your mouth from getting overwhelmed.
Did You Know?
The word coleslaw comes from the Dutch koosla, which means cabbage salad. #foodtrivia
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Check out our entire collection of coleslaw recipes, and get tips for making the best coleslaw.