Mustardy Coleslaw Recipe

Yellow mustard adds flavor and balance, making it a perfect side or sandwich topper.

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated October 31, 2022
A finished cup of mustardy coleslaw.
Bringing mustard into the fold, this slaw is balanced, deeply flavored, and perfect to pile on a pulled pork sandwich. .

Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Why It Works

  • A sugar-and-salt mixture purges the cabbage of excess moisture, leaving it tender, but still crunchy, and well seasoned.
  • Yellow mustard gives just enough bite, without overwhelming the slaw with the heavy hand of a hotter and more pungent mustard.
  • Sugar, mayo, and vinegar make the dressing creamy, sweet, and tangy, resulting in a slaw that has a lot going on, but with a very balanced flavor.

I didn’t become enchanted with coleslaw until I went big into barbecue and learned how to make it properly. Tangy, sweet, crunchy slaw is the perfect foil for the rich fattiness of barbecued meats, and Kenji’s classic creamy coleslaw recipe includes a technique of ridding the veggies of excess moisture, leaving behind a tender, yet crunchy, well-seasoned slaw. 

Of all the variations I created (zippy vinegar slaw, Lexington-style red slaw, tangy apple slaw, and a spicy jalapeno slaw), this mustard variation is my absolute favorite. I tinkered with the recipe on and off for years before finding the right balance between creamy, sweet, and tangy, with a mellow mustard bite.

My dressing is made of equal amounts of mayo, yellow mustard, vinegar, and sugar. A bit of hot sauce and some celery seeds deepen the flavor without over-complicating things. I love the balance and depth of flavor of this universal crowd-pleaser.

Adding mustard into the dressing for this coleslaw creates an incredible amount of flavor that won't have you reaching for the standard mayo slaw anytime soon.

June 2014

Recipe Details

Mustardy Coleslaw Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 30 mins
Salting Time 5 mins
Total 10 mins
Serves 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/3 cup yellow mustard

  • 1/3 cup cider vinegar

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce, preferably Texas Pete

  • 1 teaspoon celery seeds

For the Slaw Mix:

  • 1 large head green cabbage (about 3 1/2 pounds), finely shredded on a mandoline or by hand

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater

  • 2/3 cup sugar

  • 1/3 cup kosher salt

Directions

  1. For the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, and celery seeds.

    Whisking the mustardy coleslaw dressing.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

  2. For the Slaw: Combine cabbage and carrot in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and salt and toss to combine. Let stand 5 minutes, then transfer to a large colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

    A bowl of grated veggies for mustardy coleslaw.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

  3. Transfer vegetables to a salad spinner and spin dry. Alternatively, transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with a triple layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and blot mixture dry with more towels. Return to large bowl.

    A bowl of grated veggies for mustardy coleslaw in a salad spinner bowl.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

  4. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, and/or sugar.

    Tossing together dressing and veggies for mustardy coleslaw.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Special Equipment

Mandoline (optional)

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
101Calories
5gFat
14gCarbs
2gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories101
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g6%
Saturated Fat 1g4%
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 233mg10%
Total Carbohydrate 14g5%
Dietary Fiber 3g11%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 51mg253%
Calcium 73mg6%
Iron 0mg3%
Potassium 301mg6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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