Better Coleslaw Is Within Reach — Just Change This One Thing

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

When the weather is warm and the sun is high, there are few tastier and more refreshing ways to get your daily dose of veggies than coleslaw. Though all of us have encountered wilted, soggy, overdressed versions of this tangy summer side, when made correctly it's a crunchy, creamy delightful accompaniment to everything, from grilled hot dogs and barbecued chicken to baked beans and potato salad as part of a sides-only plate. The trick is to use just the right amount of dressing and shred your veggies very finely to achieve the desired crisp-tender bite. 

Of course, achieving the fine texture with an ordinary kitchen knife can be time-consuming, tedious, and without a guarantee that everything will be uniform — which defeats the purpose of offering fresh, simple dishes like coleslaw. They're supposed to be easy to make with a big flavor payoff, allowing you to focus more closely on smoking your sweet barbecue short ribs to perfection. Shredding your ingredients not only gives them a uniform, finely diced texture, it does it much faster than using a knife alone, especially if you're making a pretty big batch.

While a good, old-fashioned box grater will shred your veggies like a champ, this can take almost as much time and elbow-grease as using a knife — not to mention, pressing and rubbing cabbage against the metal surface can cause your cabbage to go mushy fairly quickly. Fortunately, it's fairly easy to avoid this by choosing the right tools and preparation techniques.

Both food processors and blenders, when pulsed, can dice up your coleslaw ingredients in a hurry. However, if you hold that button for a few seconds too long, you may just end up with coleslaw puree instead of a beautiful bowl of carrot and cabbage confetti. One way to avoid this is to use a countertop rotary cheese grater like the Cambom hand cranked one. These handy tools suction to your countertop for stability, with a hand crank instead of a motor for more control over the shredding process. There's also less friction than using a box grater, reducing your chances of creating mushy veggies.

Another tip on the list of easy ways to elevate your coleslaw is to sprinkle the shredded ingredients with a little salt and let them sit for a few minutes. This encourages them to release excess moisture, leaving only crisp, flavorful veggies behind. Drain everything with a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth before tossing it with your favorite dressing recipe, or upgrading your coleslaw with Alabama white barbecue sauce for a tangy, smokey burst of flavor. You can also freeze the veggie liquid to enhance soup, sauce, and stock after the weather gets cool again.

Once dressed, it's very easy to see why finely chopping your coleslaw ingredients is the way to go. Not only are all the ingredients evenly distributed throughout the dish for better flavor, but smaller pieces make coleslaw easier and more pleasant to eat as well.