This is the very best coleslaw. It’s light, crisp, crunchy and keeps well.
I posted this recipe a few years ago – but, it’s the beginning of summer and in case you missed it the first time, here it is again.
When I was in high school, I worked at the local restaurant (it was a small town, there was only one).
The owner made the best coleslaw!
Everyone raved about it and everyone wanted the recipe.
It was a secret.
She made the dressing in big batches, once a week and no one was allowed to watch too closely.
She sold the restaurant, retired and moved away, taking her coleslaw dressing with her.
Or so I thought.
After we kids were grown and gone, my mother had worked, a few mornings a week, at that same restaurant.
Turns out my mother managed to snag the recipe at some point.
Maybe she was entrusted with it when the owner was gone during the summer; maybe she
just watched and learned.
She doesn’t remember.
She never made the dressing as the recipe makes 8 quarts.
I found it the other day, in her old box of recipes that now sits in my kitchen.
I reduced it… Slightly
The recipe, Tangy Coleslaw, has been updated, nutrition information added, and re-posted here: Coleslaw, Tangy Dressing
The cabbage stays wonderfully crunchy with this dressing and will keep several days…. If you don’t stand in the fridge with a fork…
Last updated:
I love cole slaw and this sounds like a great recipe for it. I’m especially happy to see it’s not loaded with a cup of sugar like most of the recipes for it are. I will try this!
Great recipe!
My CSA gave me three heads of cabbage this week. You know what I’m making!
this looks really good!
And I thought my mom was the only one who did the celery seed thing!
Pam, I was never particularly successful with coleslaw before this…
Thanks, Kiki!
Pam, 3 heads!!!! Yikes!
Shayne, and it keeps well ;-))
Tana, well, this is an old recipe…..(I like celery seeds)
What a find for you and for all of us as well. I also want to thank you for your suggestions regarding the asparagus. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary
I adore cabbage salads and am always looking for new ideas. I do like that it will keep in the fridge once dressed!
I also am crazy about cabbage salad, but tend to reserve it as a USA pleasure. My mom makes great cole slaw from her grandmother’s recipe…
I was kind of worried that the cole slaw dressing was going to be full of mayo and that I was going to have to bite my tongue and say WOW that looks great, even though I hate mayo. But this really does look amazing.
Cole slaw is such a perfect summer salad. Did miss this the first time, so thanks for posting again. Never tried my slaw with red peppers, so this will be a fun one to make. Love that it has no mayo. I do a hot potato salad with similar dressing…but not a secret dressing like this one 🙂
I love cider vinegar in my cole slaw dressing. I might have to substitute something for the 8 Tbsp of sugar, though, as our family has to watch the sugar consumption. I, too, love that it has no mayo.
Mary, you are so welcome!
Helen, this is a good keeper – except we eat it fast!
Betty, I just got hungry for it – then found this recipe… it was a treat for me!
Joanne, no mayo…. Great for picnics! One of the reasons I like it – not the standard.
Eli, the original didn’t have red peppers in it, either. But I like the added bit of zing!
Lydia, yeah, it’s a bit of sugar, but it makes quite a bit. With V I have to be careful, too, but we eat so little otherwise…