Sensational Slaws

June 06, 2008
Caitlin Bensel
Coleslaw is the salad of choice at most barbecue joints and cookouts and is so much more than shredded cabbage.
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Broccoli-and-Arugula Salad

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Thom Driver.
Broccoli-and-Arugula Salad Recipe
Packaged broccoli slaw adds instant crunch and color to this salad. You can also toss it into stir-fries, use it to bulk up chili, or add it to quiche or casseroles for a veggie boost.
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Cashew, Coconut, and Cabbage Slaw

Photo: Iain Bagwell
Cashew, Coconut, and Cabbage Slaw Recipe
Refreshing the coconut flakes in a bit of coconut oil gives them a lovely sheen and makes the salad incredibly aromatic. The lime juice and zest bring the whole thing together.

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Colorful Collard Slaw

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Colorful Collard Slaw Recipe
Our crunchy coleslaw, made with apples, thinly sliced collards, and carrots, can be prepared a day ahead; toss with dressing right before serving.
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Tangy Red Cabbage Slaw

Photo: Con Poulos; Styling: Jeffrey W. Miller
Tangy Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe
Fruit juices, oil, and sugar combine to make a delicious and flavorful dressing for red cabbage and shredded carrots.

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Mango-Jalapeño Slaw

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine 
Mango-Jalapeño Slaw Recipe
Serve this fruity slaw on the side, or pile it onto your burrito bowl for more texture. Buying pre-shredded coleslaw saves you time better spent cooking.

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Broccoli-Apple Slaw

Photo: Rob Culpepper; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Broccoli-Apple Slaw Recipe
Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, horseradish, sugar, lemon rind, and salt for a creamy sauce. Then add apple, onion, and broccoli slaw for the crunchy base.
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Napa Cabbage-and-Sweet Pepper Slaw

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Napa Cabbage-and-Sweet Pepper Slaw Recipe
Put this on your pulled pork sandwich and you'll never go back to regular coleslaw again.

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Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing

Photo: Helen Norman; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing Recipe
We like fresh tarragon in this creamy, zippy dressing, but other herbs work just as well.

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Bacon and Brussels Sprout Slaw

Jennifer Causey
Bacon and Brussels Sprout Slaw Recipe
Crunchy, creamy, tangy slaws add a welcome contrast to the heartier dishes.
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Pickled Onion Slaw

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Pickled Onion Slaw Recipe
A lightly pickled onion makes for a great flavor-addition to this classic slaw.

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Creamy Carrot-and-Broccoli Slaw

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Creamy Carrot-and-Broccoli Slaw Recipe
Prepared slaw mix has gone beyond traditional cabbage to include shaved broccoli and even Brussels sprouts as the base, making it a great quick side for busy weeknights. Broccoli slaw is as endlessly adaptable as any package of mixed greens: Try a creamy yogurt dressing, or opt for a vinaigrette, like sesame-ginger, warm bacon-and-shallot, or curry-and-cumin.

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Creamy Black Pepper Coleslaw

Jennifer Causey
Creamy Black Pepper Coleslaw Recipe
Cutting the cabbage coarsely gives the dish a different look from shredded-cabbage slaws. A full teaspoon of black pepper lends pleasant warm heat without overpowering. Make the dish up to a day ahead if you like--the veggies will stay crisp and the flavors will meld as the slaw chills.
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Purple Cabbage Slaw

Purple Cabbage Slaw Recipe
This ultra-simple slaw blends purple cabbage, rice vinegar, and mint for a burger-topper you didn't expect would be so good.

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Smoky-Spiced Slaw

Jennifer Causey
Smoky-Spiced Slaw Recipe
A little chipotle pepper in the dressing lends smoky heat to the dish. A touch of sugar and tangy lime juice balance the pleasant bitterness of radicchio. You can make this slaw up to a day ahead. The radicchio will soften a little as it chills, but the broccoli and cabbage stay crunchy.

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Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apples and Pecans

Photo: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apples and Pecans Recipe
Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts are the perfect base to this lemony dressing. Top with apples, cheese, and pecans for a creamy, yet crunchy contrast.
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Creamy Slaw

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
Creamy Slaw Recipe
This will be your new go-to slaw recipe. With a creamy mayo and vinegar base, it's the perfect addition to your summer table.

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Confetti Slaw

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas 
Confetti Slaw Recipe
You might be tempted to buy the prepackaged coleslaw mix, but slicing your own vegetables makes for a better and fresher tasting (not to mention customizable) slaw.

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Broccolini Slaw

Caitlin Bensel
Broccolini Slaw Recipe
Instead of cabbage, this quick slaw gets its crunch from fresh carrots, beets, and Broccolini. Serve with simply baked fish or as an alternative to coleslaw with hamburgers or barbecue.
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Cilantro-Cabbage Slaw

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Linda Hirst
Cilantro-Cabbage Slaw Recipe
A simple dressing of oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, and sugar is the flavorful topper to this cabbage, onion, and cilantro mixture.

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Collard Slaw

Photography: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Torie Cox.
Collard Slaw Recipe
Collards bring a new bite to your classic slaw. Plus, celery seed and sesame seed add a new nuttiness you might not expect.

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Brussels Sprout-and-Leek Slaw with Bacon and Pecans

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman
Brussels Sprout-and-Leek Slaw with Bacon and Pecans Recipe
A sprinkle of bacon, toasted pecans, and a sweet sauce makes for a delectable savory side dish.
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Jalapeño-Lime Slaw

Photo: Quentin Bacon; Styling: Anghard Bailey
Jalapeño-Lime Slaw Recipe
This citrusy take on coleslaw is fresh and pleasantly spicy, an ideal side dish or burger or brat topping.

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Peach-Ginger Slaw

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Annette Joseph
Peach-Ginger Slaw Recipe
Turn coleslaw into a special summer treat with the addition of chopped fresh peaches, pecans, pepper jelly, and pecans.

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Creamy Lime Slaw

Photo: Thomas J. Story; Styling: Dan Becker
Creamy Lime Slaw Recipe
Add more zesty, fresh flavor to creamy slaw with lime juice, lime zest and cilantro.
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Jicama Slaw

Photo: Thayer Allyson Gowdy
Jicama Slaw Recipe
In addition to shredded cabbage and bell pepper, this coleslaw features thinly sliced jicama—a root vegetable with a thin brown skin and a crisp white flesh. It has a sweet nutty flavor that’s good both raw and cooked.

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Celery Root Slaw

Photo: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Claire Spollen
Celery Root Slaw Recipe
A bistro classic, slaw is among the most widely embraced applications for this peppery root. Like many greats, the dish's appeal is in its simplicity--a tangy dressing matched with crisp veggie, polished with parsley.

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Santa Fe Slaw

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon
Santa Fe Slaw Recipe
This Southwestern-style slaw features shredded cabbage along with torn spinach, shredded jicama, tomatoes, and chipotle peppers.
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Cabbage Slaw

Photo: Levi Brown; Styling: Thom Driver
Cabbage Slaw Recipe
Get back to the basics with this easy slaw featuring thinly sliced radishes and fresh mint. Instead of a creamy dressing, it’s tossed with a citrusy vinaigrette.

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Cabbage and Apple Slaw

Photo: Beatriz Da Costa
Cabbage and Apple Slaw Recipe
Bring fruit to the table as a surprise ingredient in this colorful cole slaw recipe. The crunch of the ripe apple perfectly complements the bite of the crisp cabbage. Chill before serving to let the flavors blend.

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Crunchy Buttermilk Coleslaw

Crunchy Buttermilk Coleslaw Recipe
Creamy buttermilk and fragrant fresh ginger lend bold flavor to this crunchy side. It's the perfect foil to spicy barbecue sauces.
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Crunchy Broccoli Slaw

Crunchy Broccoli Slaw Recipe
Making eating vegetables fun by loading broccoli florets with crumbled bacon, red onion, raisins, honey, and white balsamic vinegar. Hope for leftovers with this dish–it's even better the next day.

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Chipotle Coleslaw

Photo: Leo Gong; Styling: Karen Shinto
Chipotle Coleslaw Recipe
Touched with a tad of smoky heat, and sweetened with a spoonful of molasses, this savory slaw is the ideal topping for a pulled pork sandwich.

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Carrot-Pineapple Slaw

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Carrot-Pineapple Slaw Recipe
Pineapple, raisins, and carrots combine for a sweet, mellow treat that looks like a burst of sunshine on the plate.
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Broccoli Slaw

Broccoli Slaw Recipe
This sweet-and-crunchy broccoli slaw is a terrific dish to take to a potluck after a busy day because you can make it the night before.

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Asian Coleslaw

Asian Coleslaw Recipe
A savory combination of crunchy cabbage and crisp daikon radish dressed with a creamy, Asian-inspired dressing, this coleslaw is a killer accompaniment for grilled pork or fish.

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Three-Pepper Slaw

Lee Harrelson
Three-Pepper Slaw Recipe
Bell peppers deliver both succulence and a satisfying crunch, which is why they make such an inspired addition to this traditional cabbage slaw. A tiny bit of chopped jalapeño adds a touch of heat.