For Extra Crunchy Coleslaw, Pair Cabbage With These Sweet, Nutty Seeds

Coleslaw is always good, but it can always be improved, too. Sometimes, it's the simplest ingredients that give coleslaw better texture and flavor. One such ingredient may be sitting in your spice cabinet right now: white sesame seeds. They're an easy way to give homemade slaw some little pops of crunch, as well as add a bit of naturally sweet and nutty flavor. Straight from the jar, that subtle nuttiness works well against the slightly peppery flavor of raw cabbage. 

For even better flavor, try toasting the sesame seeds first. Just a few moments in a dry skillet turns them fragrant and golden, deepening their nutty flavor. However, keep an eye on them — these little seeds burn easily. Also, while sturdy cabbage holds up well in a dressing, keep toasted seeds away from excess moisture for as long as possible to help preserve their crisp texture. You can mix white sesame seeds directly into your finished slaw at the end, or mix them through a sesame dressing instead. While you can always throw some sesame seeds into a classic, mayonnaise-dressed, star-of-the-cookout coleslaw, they're most fitting in Asian-inspired slaws.

Asian coleslaws, unlike creamier American slaws, are usually tossed in lighter, tangier sauces made from rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil, or even creamier dressings, such as a Thai-inspired peanut drizzle. This is among the more natural ways to incorporate sesame seeds into your slaw.

Also, don't feel like you need to stick to white sesame seeds. You can also use black sesame seeds, and a mixture of the two creates a lovely speckled effect. While they come from the same plant, black sesame seeds have a more pronounced flavor and stand out more dramatically against white cabbage, which makes for a prettier picture. If you don't have any sesame seeds, you can still utilize this texture trick by throwing in a handful of another seed, such as sunflower, pumpkin, or even hempseed, although these all bring a slightly different flavor to the final slaw.