Name: Creamy Coleslaw
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup mayonnaise; ¼ cup sour cream; 2 tablespoons cider vinegar; ¾ teaspoon sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 lb green cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced (8 cups); 3 medium carrots, shredded

Cole slaw made with cabbage and carrots in a bowl with serving utensils.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert

Keep this timeless coleslaw recipe in your back pocket so you’re ready when BBQ season comes around. Homemade coleslaw is a classic for a reason, and this take on the refreshing picnic side dish features plenty of shredded cabbage (we like green cabbage, but purple cabbage works too), carrots for color and sweetness, and a creamy dressing with both mayo and sour cream that gets bracing acidity from a couple of tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

There are hundreds of slaw recipes out in the world and they all have a place, but we consider this simple version from Gourmet our best classic coleslaw since it all comes together in one large bowl with a prep time under 15 minutes. We love a mandoline for getting the cabbage very thinly sliced (watch your hands and quarter the cabbage so that you can work with one section at a time) and a box grater for uniform shredded carrots.

Toss the cabbage mixture with the coleslaw dressing and let it soften for about 30 minutes. The bowl doubles as your storage vessel, making this one of our favorite make-ahead salad recipes. Chill it for up to a day, covered, or transfer to an airtight container, and be one step ahead of your next potluck. What to serve with creamy coleslaw? We think it’s pretty versatile, but slaw works best when it offers textural contrast to a meal. Bring on the hot dogs and sausages, pulled pork sandwiches, burgers, ribs, and grilled chicken.

Editor's Note: This recipe was originally published in the August 2004 issue of ‘Gourmet’ and first appeared on Epicurious that same month.

Recipe information

Yield
8 servings

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

¾ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 lb green cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced (8 cups)

3 medium carrots, shredded

Preparation

Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined well, then toss with cabbage and carrots. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Do Ahead: Coleslaw can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.