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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! Pair this with hearty and filling French Tacos for a tasty meal.

A serving of crunchy cole slaw in a bowl
You can practically see the crunchiness of this delicious cole slaw!
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Ingredients to Have on Hand

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

Serve Crunchy Cole Slaw along with homemade Creamed Corn and English Pea Salad for a wonderful and unique selection of flavors and textures!

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

Special Cole Slaw Ingredient

We might not use fennel every day, 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.

Recipe FAQs

Where do I 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.

Can I leave fennel out of this recipe?

Yes, while fennel adds great flavor and a crunchy texture, you can certainly leave it out. The cole slaw is delicious either way!

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

Fennel as Garnish

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.

Cole Slaw Equipment

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.

How to Serve 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.

Substitutions

I use onion flakes instead of fresh onion in this cole slaw because I like the onion flavor, but the dried flakes mean 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.

Horseradish in spoon plus cole slaw dressing ingredients.
One tablespoon of horseradish makes such a huge difference in the flavor of this dressing.
Cole slaw dressing ingredients in a glass measuring cup with a wise.
The dressing ingredients are so unique with this recipe. I just love the subtle horseradish flavor in the dressing.
Shredded cole slaw and carrots with dressing on top.
It may not look like there's quite enough dressing for such a big bowl of shredded veggies. But once this gets combined and the moisture from the cabbage gets in the game, the flavor of the "sauce" is amazing!

Other Side Dishes to Enjoy

Here are more side dish recipes I think you'll love! All of these are delicious when served with my Crunchy Cole Slaw. Bring one, two or more to your next potluck or family gathering!

If you make Crunchy Cole Slaw I'd love to hear how it turns out. Please leave a 🌟 star rating and a comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Recipe

A serving of crunchy cole slaw in a bowl

Crunchy Cole Slaw

Crisp and fresh, this slaw has a tangy, yet slightly sweet sauce that helps to bring out the crunch in the cabbage, carrots and fennel in this made from scratch side dish.
5 from 51 votes
Print Rate Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 people, as a side dish
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Ingredients 

Slaw Ingredients

  • 1 head cabbage - grated
  • 1 green pepper - grated
  • 1 yellow pepper - grated
  • 2 large carrots - peeled and grated
  • 1 fennel bulb - sliced very thin

Dressing

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dried - chopped onion flakes
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Slice the cabbage into large chunks and shred into a large bowl. I like using a mandolin to create the perfect texture for slaw. Just be sure to wear a protective, cut resistant glove.
  • Using a cheese grater, shred the green and yellow peppers, be sure to collect as much of the juice from the peppers as you can, it'll help blend the sauce. Grate the carrots, then slice the fennel bulb and using a mandolin. Slice the fennel very thin. Save the fennel leaves, or sprigs for garnish.
  • Place all the veggies in a large bowl with the cabbage.
  • In a glass measuring cup or bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, sour cream, horseradish sauce, dried onion, sugar, pepper and salt and whisk together to create a sauce.
  • Mix the veggies in the large bowl, then add the sauce and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a few sprigs of fennel leaves.
  • Cover and refrigerate until serving. It's delicous served right away.

Notes

We might not use fennel every day, but it adds great texture and even a touch of sweetness. Fennel smells a little like licorice, but the flavor it adds to cole slaw is fresh and delicious. Serve this side dish with English Pea Salad and Sweet Corn Pasta Salad for a tasty collection of sides. 
Calories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 462mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2867IUVitamin C: 86mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 1mg

Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database, so they’re just a rough estimate not an exact science.

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More Savory & Delicious Sides

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Comments

    5 from 51 votes (50 ratings without comment)

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  1. Bob McCurdy says

    5 stars
    My husband has made this coleslaw twice now and it’s a big favorite!

    Reply

    • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

      I'm so happy to hear it! Thank you for coming back with the five star rating and leaving the nice review! 🙂

      Reply