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Easy Deli-Style Coleslaw

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Deli-Style Coleslaw is the classic creamy, tangy-sweet carrot and cabbage salad like the ones found in Jewish bagel shops and delicatessens in New York City and Long Island.

It’s a simple 10-minute recipe made in just one bowl.

Vegetarian, dairy-free, and pareve, it’s the perfect side dish for anything from deli sandwiches to BBQ!

deli coleslaw in a glass dish on a dark wood table.

New York delis and bagel shops have some of the best side salads there are and coleslaw is one of the best! It’s by far my favorite!

But why pay deli prices when you can make it at home? It’s so simple! Made in just one bowl!

It’s budget-friendly and it refrigerates really well!

Bring it to work to have with a sandwich and save $$!

It’s pareve so even people who keep kosher can have it with meat.

Its delicious as a side to steak, chicken, and burgers.

And it’s just as good with a tuna sandwich or a grilled cheese!

You can even use it as a pita stuffer for Middle Eastern street food like falafel and shawarma!

Also, it’s vegetarian!

And there is nutritional value to both cabbage and carrots!

FAQs

What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?

When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking though).

The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it. Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.

Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.

What does it mean when a recipe says that an ingredient is “optional”?

If an ingredient is “optional,” it means that you can add it in or not based on your own preference. An optional ingredient can be flavor related (i.e., salty, sweet, spicy, etc.), appearance related (garnish), or even something like nuts or chocolate chips in baking.

What does “savory” mean?

“Savory” refers to foods that are not sweet, such as foods that taste salty, spicy, or herbal.

What is needed for this recipe?

I’m not great at meal planning and like to keep a lot of standard seasonings, spices, veggies, and canned goods in my kitchen at all times.

But these are all you need to have on hand to make this recipe even last minute!

cabbage (shredded)
carrots
mayo
onion
white granulated sugar
vinegar
vegetable oil
salt
white or black pepper

And here are some more deli-style recipes to use as sandwich stuffers or sides!

Deli-Style Red Cabbage Salad
Deli-Style Cucumber Salad
Deli-Style Potato Salad
Deli-Style Macaroni Salad

Or just put “deli-style” in the search bar!

Yield: 4 servings

Easy Deli-Style Coleslaw Recipe

coleslaw in a glass dish on a dark wood table.

Delicious and easy cabbage and carrot slaw just like in New York Delis and bagel shops!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 28-32 ounces of packaged raw coleslaw (or the equivalent in freshly shredded cabbage and carrot)
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise*
  • 1/2 cup onion, grated very small or pureed**
  • 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper, white or black

Instructions

  1. Pour the shredded coleslaw into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the mayonnaise, onion, sugar, vinegar, water, oil, salt, and pepper and mix very well (you can add these one at a time and mix in between if you like).
  3. Chill (it tastes better after it has sat for a while and gotten cold).
  4. Pour out excess liquid if you don't want it (as the coleslaw sits, it will seep liquid). Add a bit more mayonnaise if desired for creaminess.

Notes

* You can use any mayonnaise you like, but I like using Best Foods or Hellmann's (it's the same mayonnaise—it's just called by one name or the other, depending on where in the US you buy it).

** If you grate it, you will most likely see the pieces of shredded onion in the salad.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 512Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 40gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 978mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 1g

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