Techniques
How to Make a Quick Slaw
A quick slaw is shredded cabbage, tossed with a dressing, that turns a plate into a meal. The whole method rests on one decision: when to add the dressing. Salt draws water out of the cabbage, so an undressed slaw stays crisp for hours while a dressed one softens and pools liquid within about 20 to 30 minutes. You work with that, either by salting and draining the cabbage first, or by dressing it right before it goes on the plate.
Instructions
- 1Shred the cabbage thin and even, about 1/8 inch (3 mm), so every strand takes on dressing the same way. A slaw mix works too.
- 2Add carrot, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, or citrus for color and bite, cut to match the cabbage so nothing dominates.
- 3Decide your path: dress at serving for maximum crunch, or salt-and-drain first if you want a dressed slaw that holds.
- 4To salt and drain, toss the cabbage with about 1 teaspoon of salt per pound (450 g), set it in a colander, and let it sit 30 to 60 minutes until it looks slightly softened and liquid collects below.
- 5Squeeze the cabbage firmly by hand or pat it dry, and taste; if it reads too salty, rinse quickly and pat dry again.
- 6Build the dressing separately, either creamy (mayonnaise loosened with buttermilk, vinegar, and a little sugar) or sharp (oil and vinegar or citrus), and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- 7Add the cabbage to the dressing and toss until every strand is coated, not drowned.
- 8For a creamy slaw, cover and rest in the fridge at least 30 minutes so the dressing works into the shreds; for an undressed or citrus slaw, serve right away.
Cook's Note
Never season or dress a slaw far ahead unless you have salted and drained the cabbage first. Salt on raw cabbage means wilt and a pool of liquid within 20 to 30 minutes, so for anything you are not draining, hold the salt and the dressing until right before it hits the plate.
How to Use This
This method backs several slaws on the site. Cole Slaw is the fully dressed creamy version, built on the salt-aware rest so the buttermilk dressing settles into the shreds. Cabbage Slaw keeps it clean with red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno, seasoned only at serving. Jalapeno Slaw is a crisp, undressed two-cabbage base you hold until the last minute, and Spicy Slaw dresses a slaw mix with orange and sriracha in about two minutes. Save any liquid a dressed slaw releases for the plate, not the bowl.
Why This Method Works
Cut cabbage is full of water held inside its cells, and salt pulls that water out by osmosis, the same principle behind a dry brine. Do it on purpose, in a colander, and the water drains away where you can discard it; skip it, and the salt in your dressing draws that same water into the bowl and thins everything to a puddle. A short rest after dressing then lets the seasoning migrate into the softened shreds, which is why a creamy slaw tastes sharp and watery the moment it is mixed and balanced half an hour later.
Make It Yours
- Creamy: whisk mayonnaise with buttermilk, white vinegar, a little lemon, and sugar for a tangy dressing that clings without feeling heavy.
- Vinegar: skip the mayo and toss with oil and vinegar, which keeps the slaw crisp longer and lets the vegetable flavor come through.
- Citrus and heat: dress with fresh orange segments and their juice plus a spoon of sriracha, torn so the juice releases into the cabbage.
- Herb and onion: fold in julienned red onion, chopped cilantro, and jalapeno for a clean, taco-ready slaw.
- Two-cabbage: mix green and red cabbage with carrot for color and a sturdier crunch.
