Southern Coleslaw

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Southern Coleslaw is a sweet side dish great for any occasion. Using Cabbage or Broccoli slaw mix is a great base for this traditional side dish.

Adding a homemade dressing with mustard and vinegar really gives it a zip that will make it stand out.

overhead of floral plate of southern coleslaw

Coleslaw, where did it come from?

Southern Coleslaw is not the original version. Coleslaw, in general, originally comes from Dutch origins. The name originally comes from a translation that means cabbage salad. This recipe is old. Like 18th century old.

Over the years, many things have been added to the basic Mayo cabbage combination to allow for different taste profiles.

I guarantee you, here in America, you can travel from region to region and find dozens of different variations of this side dish staple. You all know that I love taking a traditional recipe and making it your own.

So what we will do here is we will show you a Southern, tried and true recipe. A great basic for you to take and make your own. That is the Buttered Home way!

How to make Southern Coleslaw

Southern Coleslaw is a salad side dish. Like many others, including our FRESH CUCUMBER SALAD and our BACON AND BLACK EYED PEA SALAD, it will require some time to sit and marinate. We recommend making it ahead of time and allowing at least 2 hours for all of the flavors to marry and transform the dish.

That is the hardest part of this recipe. The waiting! Other than that, it really is simple. I love a good shortcut and the biggest time saver for this recipe is found in your produce section.

The bagged coleslaw veggie mix is a real life saver! You can go with the traditional coleslaw cabbage mix which is great on its own. Or like I have done here, you can use the Broccoli slaw mix. This one has a ton more color and makes a beautiful coleslaw.

So, let’s get to it!

~Ingredients~

4 teaspoons White Vinegar
1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Mayo
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
16 oz Coleslaw veggie mix
1/4 teaspoon salt

~Method~

In a small bowl, mix vinegar, sugar, dry mustard and salt until well dissolved.
Add in mayo and mix well.
In a large bowl add coleslaw mix and pour dressing mixture over. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate. Serve and Enjoy!

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Helpful tips

Now there just isn’t too much I can tell you that would make this already easy recipe any easier. But still, I can take some things I have found and just take a minute to tell you a couple of things that may help.

Are they any restrictions when cooking with Vinegar?

Anytime I work with vinegar in any recipe, I don’t use metal bowls. Call me crazy, but I do think it makes a difference. It is a good practice to use non reactive cookware when cooking acidic foods to keep from releasing metal into the food. Since we aren’t technically cooking it is probably ok. I think its just a good habit to be in. Habits like these will help keep you consistent. Using a heavy plastic bowl here for mixing and marinating will be a good thing.

Can I use ingredients right from the refrigerator?

I like to make sure all of my ingredients are room temperature before mixing. I will simply set my ingredients out for about 30 minutes beforehand. Doing this helps things mix better. The only time I don’t do this is when a recipe calls for Cold ingredients.

Is there a particular slaw mix I should use?

No. I have used the tri colored slaw mix and the broccoli slaw mix. Whatever your preference is. The secret is always in the dressing!

It doesn’t look like enough dressing, should I double it?

No. It is enough. The acid and sugar will break down the moisture in the cabbage and that moisture will become part of the dressing. Making more than what the recipe calls for will result in a really runny slaw. Trust the process and make sure you leave it be for at least 2 hours.

So those are just a couple of good hints, not only for this recipe, but for good cooking practices in general. Hope you find them helpful!

Basic doesn’t have to be boring

If you have been visiting us here at The Buttered Home very long, you know we love basic recipes. The kind of recipes that allow you to be a great cook. Recipes that are easily adaptable and that can be modified or added to. This is a great one to have in your arsenal. This is also a great recipe to serve alongside any good BBQ protein, like these BABY BACK RIBS.

f you make this recipe, be sure and post it to Facebook or Instagram and tag us. We love pictures of food. Also, if you pin this recipe, we would appreciate that when you make it, you use the Made It function in Pinterest too.

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