Cabbage and Radish Coleslaw

Fresh, crunchy red cabbage and peppery radish is paired with red onions to make this beautifully pink and purple Cabbage and Radish Coleslaw. Tossed with a homemade oil and vinegar dressing, this coleslaw is the epitome of fresh is best, and simple is better.

Some coleslaw recipes are meant to be paired with certain mains.  For example, I think a creamy, mayonnaise-based coleslaw works best with fried chicken.  But, if I’m topping a hot dog with slaw, I prefer to use a vinegar-based version like Cabbage and Radish Coleslaw. You could have the best of both worlds here if you wanted. It’s as easy as adding two or three tablespoons of mayonnaise to the dressing mixture before tossing it with the vegetables!

This coleslaw is inexpensive and easy to make. It’s a perfect summer side dish.  One of my favourite things about coleslaw is how forgiving it can be; you really can’t mess it up!  It is also easy to add things, omit things, or change things up to suit your personal tastes.  For example, this coleslaw has red onions, but not everyone likes that.  So, just leave it out.  This coleslaw has sugar, but not everyone likes that either, so perhaps you can just skip it or replace it with your favourite sweetener, like honey!  It’s all about what you like!

EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD COLESLAW RECIPE!

We love coleslaw in our home.  For most people, it is a salad type of side dish served mostly in the summer months.  I think it’s because it pairs so well with anything you can throw on a BBQ.  Coleslaw and chicken, coleslaw and ribs, coleslaw and pork – it all works!  The debate remains, however, are you making a creamy coleslaw or a vinegary coleslaw?

When it comes to a good coleslaw recipe, I have many of them!  Until just recently, I was all about creamy, mayonnaise-based coleslaws – mostly because that was what I was used to eating.  My mom made the same coleslaw almost every week for our regular Sunday night Newfoundland Cold Plate dinner.  John.e, however, grew up with a vinegary coleslaw, so every time I make it, he asks for the vinegar version.

Today, I’m sharing this new coleslaw recipe with you.  If you love it, you’re welcome.  But, if you hate it, you can blame John.e. Ha! Truth be told, the first time I tried it, I was a little nervous about the raw red onions.  I’m not a fan of raw onions at all.  I was sure they would overpower the whole dish, but they didn’t.  It was delicious!  There just might be something to this vinegar-based coleslaw craze after all!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Red Cabbage – I had this idea to keep this coleslaw pink and purple.
• Radishes – Wash them well. Trim the ends and discard. Slice the radishes into circles very thinly. I used my mandoline and set it at 1/4 of an inch.
• Red Onions
• Parsley – For colour and garnish.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any light oil like sunflower, corn, or even avocado oil.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Yes, you can use other vinegar, however, apple cider does have a distinct flavour and is certainly what I would recommend here.
• Sugar – This is optional, but I think a little bit goes a long way to balance out the vinegar.
• Celery Seeds – These add so much flavour to summer-fresh salads.
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper

HOW TO MAKE CABBAGE AND RADISH COLESLAW

Start with preparing the dressing for the coleslaw. Measure the vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar, celery seeds, salt, and ground black pepper into a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Set the dressing aside. Add the shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, sliced red onions, and chopped parsley to a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the oil and vinegar mixture again, ensuring that the sugar has dissolved and it hasn’t settled to the bottom. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and toss well with tongs until thoroughly mixed. Transfer to a food-safe container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for at least two hours. Before serving, toss once more.

STORY TIME – MY INTRODUCTION TO VINEGAR BASED COLESLAW

Many, many years ago, when I was 19, I was in my second year at school and photo journalism was a big part of my studies.  I was sharing an apartment with my sister at the time.  She had made friends with a lady in the building who just so happened to be getting married.  Working feverishly to keep things on a tight budget, the lady asked me if I would take her wedding photos for her.  A professional photographer was not in the cards for her budget, so eager to put my skills to practice, I said yes.  Two days before the wedding, she invited me up to her apartment so that we could finalize the schedule. 

When I walked into her apartment, she was making coleslaw in her dining room.  She told me to come and sit at the table.  The table was 100% covered in a mixture of shredded cabbage, carrots, and God knows what else.  She was tossing it all together with her bare hands while a cigarette dangled from her lips.  I was mortified.

As I tried to concentrate on what she was envisioning for her photos, I found myself just gobsmacked.  I’m never stuck for words, but in this one instance, I certainly was!  Before I knew what was happening, she reached for a pot of warm vinegar and spice mixture that was sitting on her stovetop.  Without hesitation, she poured it over the pile of coleslaw sitting on her table.  I later learned that she assumed the liquid would be absorbed, but it wasn’t.  It drained down through the cabbage and ran off the table onto the floor.  Again, gobsmacked!

Needless to say, the smell of that vinegar mixture and the sheer panic in her eyes as she tried to stop the overflowing mess, has never left me.  I should also mention that I did not eat any food at that wedding – not one bit!  Oh, and the photos were used in an assignment, and I got an A!

STORING COLESLAW

Coleslaw is a salad that stores quite well and can last for several days.  A vinegar-based coleslaw can last much longer than a mayonnaise-based, creamy coleslaw. This coleslaw will keep fresh for two to three days in your refrigerator, however, the colour in the cabbage may run a bit and it will wilt slightly. That’s nothing to worry about though, because it will still taste great.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME?

That’s the beauty of coleslaw, isn’t it!?  You can make it a day or two in advance without compromising the flavour.  Coleslaw just seems to get better and better over time.  Even though I am a huge advocate for making things ahead of time, I would not make this coleslaw more than 48 hours before I was planning to serve it.  Remember that the longer it sits before you serve it, the less attractive the cabbage will look. It will wilt slightly and the colour with drain a bit too. Consider doing all the prep, even making the dressing ahead of time, but not mixing the coleslaw until two hours before serving.