This rainbow slaw has only a few ingredients, but is both bright on your plate and in your mouth. Easy, crunchy and flavorful, it's versatile and great for potlucks and more.
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Coleslaw is something I only really knew one version of growing up, which is what my grandparents and mum made. It was pretty nice, with a fairly light mayo dressing. They added caraway and apple which were good, but it was still something I wouldn't go out of my way to have that much.
As an adult, when I had ready-made versions, I realized how much I really didn't like how strongly mayo-tasting many were. So I ate it even less. That was until I discovered non-mayo variations on the coleslaw-theme, as I have made here.
I call this rainbow slaw although I appreciate it's more like half of a rainbow. I considered adding a few other things to make it a bit more colorful, but decided to keep it simpler.
That way, it's both easier to make and goes with a broader range of dishes. Plus, quite honestly, it works well.
Steps to make this rainbow slaw
- Grate the carrot, shred the carrot and slice the snow peas lengthwise.
- Put all in a bowl and mix.
- Blend together the dressing, pour over the slaw and mix through. Serve or chill until needed.
The only real work involved in this is chopping the vegetables, as with any coleslaw, but I have made things a bit easier by coarsely grating the carrot rather than cutting in julienne pieces.
If you have a food processor with a grating attachment, that means you can have it all done in a minute or two, and you can use it for the cabbage as well. I don't think you have a choice but to slice the snow peas but they don't take long.
The dressing is also really simple but with lots of flavor. I think it is probably best to not leave the dressing on for a while, if you can, so the vegetables stay nice and crisp, but it definitely keeps pretty well too.
What can be a good idea is to add the dressing to the vegetables, leave a few minutes then transfer to a serving dish, draining any liquid. That way you don't have excess liquid but still plenty flavor.
This is a simple but delicious twist on the classic coleslaw, but one that is packed with flavor and would be great alongside many meals. Definitely one to add to the list of tasty, quick, versatile and fresh sides.
Looking for more crunchy slaws and salads? Try these!
- Mango jicama slaw.
- Try the Asian sesame slaw in my seared tuna sandwich.
- Moroccan raw carrot salad.
- Beet apple salad with maple vinaigrette.
- I also love the sound of this Asian quinoa slaw salad from The Kitchen Girl.
- Plus try some other make ahead salads and get more summer recipes.
Rainbow slaw
Ingredients
- ½ cup carrot (½ cup is 1 medium) coarsely grated
- 1 ½ oz snow peas ( 1 ½oz is around ½ cup once thinly sliced)
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
Instructions
- Mix together the carrot, radish and red cabbage in a bowl.
- In a small dish, mix together the vinegar, lime juice, oil and sugar until blended then pour over the vegetables and toss to coat them all.
- Serve soon after making for best crispness.
Nutrition
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This post was first posted in August 2015 and has been updated, primarily with new photos.
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Tisha
The colors are so vibrant! This looks incredible!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, I love the colors too, as well as the tasty crunchiness.
Noelle
Wow this looks like something I could even get the kids to eat, thank you!!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, and glad to hear!