• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Auntie's Favorites
  • Holidays
    • New Year's
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Subscribe

crinkledcookbook.com logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Easter
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Easter
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Jul 31, 2020 · Modified: Jun 20, 2022 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income via ads.

    Crunchy Cole Slaw

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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!

    Note: The links you find on this page are paid links, Amazon Associates. That means I make a small commission when you click and shop. Your cost is always the same and I only link to products or ingredients that I use or totally love.

    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.

    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 absolutely amazing!

    Other Sides

    Here are a few other side dish recipes I think you'll love! All of these are delicious when served with my Crunchy Cole Slaw.

    • Creamed Corn
    • Classic Potato Salad
    • Creamy Pea Salad
    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 50 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.
    Did you make this recipe? Scroll up and leave a star rating.Tap @crinkledcookbook and follow me today.

    Nutrition

    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 and are offered here only as a guideline for informational purposes.

    Pin Recipe Share on Facebook

    More Sides

    • A serving of salad on a large plate.
      Easy Mediterranean Edamame Salad
    • Sweet corn salad on a plate with corn on the cob in the background.
      Sweet Corn Pasta Salad
    • Sweet potato casserole, with a spoon scooping up a serving.
      Orange-Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole
    • Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Salad

    Looking for something?

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Melinda with corndogs

    Hey there, my friends! It's so great to have you here. My name is Melinda and I absolutely love cooking. In fact, I've been creating delicious recipes for over 30 years. Fun fact about me, I used to work as a TV journalist.

    Meet Melinda→

    Easter Recipes

    • A bunny shaped cake with paper ears, surrounded by jelly beans on a foil-lined pan.
      Bunny Cake Recipe
    • Fruit arranged on a shortbread crust.
      Fresh Fruit Tart
    • Strawberry rhubarb pie on a plate.
      Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
    • Sweet potato casserole, with a spoon scooping up a serving.
      Orange-Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole
    Logos from websites that feature the Crinkled Cookbook.

    Most Popular

    • Banana bread sliced into wedges with raspberries in the background.
      Crockpot Banana Bread
    • Blue cheese crumbles on top of blended ingredients.
      Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
    • A slice of chocolate pound cake with raspberries on the side.
      Old Fashioned Chocolate Pound Cake
    • Irish stew in a small bowl with a spoon.
      St. Patrick's Day Stew

    Find a Great Recipe

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Meet Melinda

    Contact

    • Sign up for emails and recipes!
    • Contact

    Disclaimers

    • Privacy Policy & Terms
    • Comment Policy

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2019 - 2023 Crinkled Cookbook LLC