Give Store-Bought Coleslaw An Umami Flavor Boost With One Add-In

Coleslaw exists on a continuum. On the less enviable end, you have a pile of haphazard vegetable clippings warming beside cheeseburgers and party melts at diners the world over. On the tastier side: the crisp, fresh, salad-adjacent garden party that somebody's clearly made with love. And sometimes, that somebody is you. That doesn't mean, however, that you need to spend all day laboring over an ever-threatening mandoline. A bag of the pre-cut stuff from your supermarket or grocery store also works. All you have to do is marry it with something like the powerful punch of Parmesan for a perfect match.

Chowhound tapped two experts to detail why this rinded cheese is so great among all that cabbage. "I have added Parmesan to coleslaw and was surprised at how good it was. It adds a little bit of saltiness to an otherwise tart side dish," Lindsey Chastain, founder of homesteading blog The Waddle and Cluck, says. And the composition, of course, is important. "Finely grated Parmesan is the way to go. I tried other types, and it got too gummy because the vinegar does break down the cheese a little," she notes.

We also asked David Davidov, recipe developer and founder of the blog The Cooking Foodie, about this daring dairy addition. "Finely grated Parm adds a surprising umami note that balances the sweetness of the dressing," he says. But take note: "It works best in creamy mayo-based coleslaw, where it melts slightly into the dressing and gives a rich, savory backbone," he adds.

The first thing you need for this homemade-adjacent side is the cabbage blend, which also typically comes mixed with at least a smattering of carrots. Whether it's already triple-washed or you're giving it a good rinse yourself, make sure to pat it all dry before you get to dressing. Water drops will prevent the mayo (or the creamy blanket of your choice) from fully enveloping the principal ingredients, so sop them up.

There are also a few ways, and times, that you can introduce the Parm. You should, as both Lindsey Chastain and David Davidov intimated, first gate it down to a snowfall daintiness. You can mix a quarter cup (or more to taste) in with your preferred recipe's binder, it is likely salt, pepper, mayo, and lemon juice, and then toss to coat. Or, you can sprinkle it on top like you'd crown a plate of pasta. The former method should encase every inch, but the latter gives you a little more control of just how much of the Parm's pop you want to taste. You can also enhance your coleslaw even further with even more ingredients like nuts and select dried botanicals.