Southern-Style Coleslaw (2024)

A tried-and-true family coleslaw recipe that’s slightly sweet with just the right amount of twang. It’s very similar to KFC's and comes out perfect every time!

You know you’ve come across good coleslaw when you can name the place that has it. I have three favorites and they are all very different.

My #1 favorite is this recipe which tastes an awful lot like KFC’s. It’s tangy and a little sweet with a fine shred and a little bite. It didn’t dawn on me that it tasted like KFC’s until folks started telling me so. I actually like it a teeniny bit better because I add (optional) horseradish which I think makes it!

My #2 is from a fried chicken joint nearby called Zesto (I hear they have good burgers too but I couldn’t tell you because the chicken is so good I have never once ordered anything different in all my 46 years). Their coleslaw is unlike anything I’ve ever had anywhere else. The cabbage is chopped into small cubes and there can’t be much more in it than mayo and salt because it’s not one bit sweet or tangy but, my Lord, it’s good.

My #3 is from a place that doesn’t exist anymore. There used to be a Mini-Mart gas station in my hometown of Swansea, SC that had a fried chicken counter. The chicken and tater wedges were great but the coleslaw was fabulous. It must have had a ton of horseradish in it because it had a definite bite. It was sweet and tangy and very finely grated. I’m also pretty sure there was some green food color in there somewhere because it was unnaturally green but, meh, when you’re getting your supper at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, you’re prone to overlook these things.

I know you can buy the pre-shredded cabbage nowadays but if you want real-deal Southern-style coleslaw, you've got to shred your own. I promise it’s not hard!

You can easily shred a head of cabbage with a hand-held box grater in just a few minutes. If you've never done it before and find the thought a little daunting, just cut the cabbage into eight wedges, cut out the core, then shred each wedge “against the grain”. It’s simple enough that I never bother dragging out my food processor.

Now, I like my coleslaw with a little horseradish because it has a nice bite (see my #3 above) but if you want to leave it out, feel free. This recipe makes a moist, slightly sweet coleslaw with just the right amount of twang.

HERE ARE SOME OTHER SOUTHERN SIDE DISHES!

Country-Style Baby Lima Beans- A no-fail Southern recipe for tender baby lima beans (butterbeans) cooked low and slow with bacon.

Southern-Style Canned Green Beans- The trick to making perfectly cooked Southern-style green beans with canned beans - the beans don’t fall apart but taste like they’ve cooked all day!

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans- Dried pintos beans cook up creamy and tender with a smoky, silky sauce that's perfect with cornbread.

Southern-Style Potato Salad- A simple recipe for potato salad with mayonnaise, a little mustard, a bit of pickle relish and boiled eggs.

Collard Greens- A step-by-step recipe for cooking the best authentic Southern collard greens.

- The BEST baked Macaroni & Cheese EVER. A custard-style recipe for baked southern Mac & Cheese using eggs and evaporated milk.