Well I hope you all have plans for a spectacular Memorial Day weekend! I love celebrating this holiday weekend because it means that summer has officially begun. I foresee many barbecues, grilling parties and potlucks in our near futures.
So for your next family or friend gathering, you can come prepared with this cool, colorful and creamy Red Cabbage and Broccoli Poppyseed Slaw. Go ahead, be the unexpected hit at the party!
Do you know what I remember about coleslaw? Kentucky Fried Chicken and my dad! I remember my family at least once a month ordering a bucket of chicken, a couple of sides and a handful of buttermilk biscuits and sitting around the dinner table arguing who was going to get the drumsticks.
Nowadays I wouldn’t be caught within a hundred feet of a chain restaurant deep fried drumstick (no offense!), but that slaw?! I miss that slaw.
Coleslaw done right can be so crisp and refreshing. It doesn’t have to be soggy, mushy and warm from having sat out on the potluck table for too long.
I opted to make my coleslaw using broccoli slaw instead of the traditional cabbage slaw. I like the crisper texture of the broccoli that holds up its crunch even after having soaked in the dressing for a day or two.
Some bagged broccoli slaw mixes come with red cabbage and others just come with the strings of broccoli and shredded carrots. Red cabbage is just too pretty to pass up, so since my local grocery store only had the broccoli and carrot slaw, I just had to buy a red cabbage to add to it.
By the way, why to they call it red cabbage when it is quite obviously purple??? Another one of those many questions that will be left unanswered.
I’m a bit of a baked potato fanatic. I can’t tell you how many different baked potato varieties I’ve come up with. As far as I’m concerned, a baked potato is a vehicle for any sort of toppings you would like. We’ve done baked fajita baked potatoes, Greek baked potatoes, Asian stir fry baked potatoes, you name it.
So why not an all out BBQ baked potato with slow cooked beef brisket, homemade BBQ sauce, and some good old slaw on top? Another baked potato home run! You could even crush some potato chips on top if you want to go all-American up in here.
This broccoli slaw tastes even better the longer it marinates, so make it early in the day and give yourself a break right before dinner, when you’re usually scrambling around the kitchen trying to get everything cooked on time for the little scavengers we call our “family”.
And not to mention the poppyseed dressing that mixes into the slaw is delicious! You’ll have a little extra after mixing up the coleslaw and it is perfect for salads. In fact, make the dressing by itself even if you don’t make the coleslaw. Maybe I’ll make a post for just the dressing too!
Until then, enjoy this simple summery side dish that you and your family will love.
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon poppyseeds
- ¾ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- dash of salt
- 3 cups broccoli slaw
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage*
- In a small bowl combine all ingredients except broccoli slaw and cabbage. Whisk until combined.
- In a large mixing bowl add 3 cups broccoli slaw.*
- Cut red cabbage into thin strips. Add two cups red cabbage to broccoli slaw.
- Pour ½ cup dressing over broccoli and red cabbage. Gently stir to coat all veggies. Add more dressing if desired.
- Cover tightly and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Store remaining dressing in the fridge for up to two weeks.