I’m not the world’s biggest coleslaw fan. When it’s served as a side at restaurants it seems like a crap-shoot whether or not it will actually be good coleslaw or not. So when my husband came back from a weekend fishing at a friend’s cabin and told me we had to make this coleslaw, I was skeptical. Well it turns out Mom and Dad Bond knew what they were doing and this was a vinegar based slaw which is nice and tangy plus a little sweet. I was hooked!
The best part about this slaw is that it’s really easy. I can whip up the dressing in under 10 minutes (and that includes grating an onion). The dressing can also be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a few weeks. So I can whip up a really big batch and have it ready to add to some cabbage when the mood strikes.
Here’s what you need for the dressing:
(that big container that’s almost empty is my sugar container – apparently you can see my entire dining room through it).
Start by measuring a ½ cup of oil and a ½ cup of apple cider vinegar (I’ve always loved how oil and water won’t mix, it’s neat looking at them settle in the measuring cup). Pour the oil and vinegar over a cup of sugar.
Now add your seasonings – ½ t dry mustard and 1 t celery seed.
Now comes the onion – which in my opinion is the secret to this dressing. It doesn’t taste really oniony but I think it adds a ton of flavor. You want to grate the onion right over the bowl using the larger holes of your grater. By grating it over the bowl you are going to be able to save all flavorful onion juices.
Stir everything together, making sure the sugar is dissolved.
Now it’s time to add the cabbage. I’m lazy and I love the pre-shredded coleslaw that you can get at the grocery store. This dressing is enough for two of the packages of cabbage. If you only want to make one, use half the dressing and save the rest for later (it keeps for a few weeks). Toss the dressing with the cabbage – don’t worry if it’s a little dry, everything is going to hang out in the fridge for about three hours before you eat it and trust me more liquid is going to be pulled out of the cabbage as it sits.
This is great to serve along the side at a summer barbecue or any time you are looking for a light side.
Enjoy!
- 1 c sugar
- ½ c cider vinegar
- ½ c canola oil
- ½ t dry mustard
- 1 t celery seed
- 1 small onion
- 2 pkgs shredded cabbage
- Combine all ingredients up to the onion in a medium bowl. Grate the onion directly over the bowl. Mix well. Toss with shredded cabbage and let stand in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Note: More liquid will be produced as everything gets to know each other in the fridge, so don’t worry if it looks a little dry when you mix it together.
[…] and Derek got to enjoy the Bond family’s coleslaw and potato salad. I shared their recipe for tangy vinegar coleslaw almost 10 years ago and it not only became but remains a family favorite for […]