Crunchy Cole Slaw

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Crunchy Cole Slaw is crisp and delicious. It has a tangy, yet slightly sweet sauce that helps to bring out the crunch in the cabbage, carrots and fennel. Yes, this is a fennel recipe too!

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A serving of crunchy cole slaw in a bowl — You can practically see the crunchy-ness of this delicious cole slaw!

Ingredients to have on hand

cabbage
green and yellow pepper
carrots
fennel
Greek yogurt
horseradish sauce
sour cream

Cole slaw ingredients on a cutting board. — Fresh and beautiful. Cole slaw ingredients are usually available all year long.

Why Fennel?

We might not use fennel everyday, but believe me, it adds great texture and a touch of sweetness. It's perfectly suited for a distinctive cole slaw like this. Fennel smells a bit like licorice, but the flavor it adds to a side dish like this is fresh and delicious.

Fennel bulb on a cutting board. — Fennel is easy to prepare. Be bold with it and enjoy the fragrant flavors it'll add to any dish.

Where do I find fennel?

Believe it or not, it's easy to find fennel. Most grocery stores have it. Sometimes it's in short supply since it is an ingredient that most folks don't use every single day. Just look for the distinctive bulb and the feathery-like stalks in the produce section.

Fennel bulb, cut in half. — Fennel is easy to prepare. Just make a cut between the bulb and the stems.

Save the Fennel Stems

Even though the feathery, green stems on the fennel aren't added to the cole slaw, I love to save them for use as a garnish. Gorgeous.

Fennel bulb with small slices in the top of bulb. — The bulb is where you'll find the crunchy-ness of the fennel. Just make a fe small cuts across the top and it'll slice beautifully.

Equipment

I like using this handy tool to create the perfect texture for slaw. But a mandolin will work too, as long as the blades are wide enough to hold cabbage.
Be sure to also use a protective, cut resistant glove.

Slicer and fennel bulb. — The best way to get the thinnest slices possible is to use a mandolin

A protective glove worn, shows how to safely use a mandolin shredder. — Be careful and always use a protective glove. Those blades are razor sharp and unforgiving.

Cole slaw ingredients, shredded in a bowl. — So fresh, so delicious. There's nothing better than cole slaw.

Shredded cole slaw and carrots, dressing in a small bowl on the side. — Another great plus about making - and serving - cole slaw is it will stay fresh for days in the fridge.

Serving Cole Slaw

This cole slaw is delicious served right away, but the crispy crunch will remain even if you wait until the next day to enjoy it. That's what I love most about this recipe, how the veggies all keep that crunchy disposition for about a week, and don't get soggy.

Dried onions plus cole slaw dressing ingredients. — A little onion flavor goes a long way, and with dried onion no one has to bite into a big chunk of raw onion.

Veggie Options

I use onion flakes instead of fresh onion in this cole slaw because I like the onion flavor, but the dried flakes means no one's going to bite into a chunk of raw onion. But if you prefer the freshness of a using raw onion use about ¼ cup diced.

I've made this with a red pepper too, but I think the green pepper offers a more subtle and smooth flavor.