KFC Coleslaw Recipe (Simplified)
s
Servings (change as needed): 10 -12 (generous side portion))
Ingredients
- 1 medium green cabbage, Note 1 (~ 8 cups finely chopped to rice-size)
- 1 medium carrot (~ ½ cup very finely chopped)
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise (full fat is best)
- ¼ cup white sugar (or more to taste)
- ¼ cup roughly chopped onion, for blending, Note 2
- ⅓ cup milk (whole or half-and-half preferred)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar (add more to taste if needed)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
- PREPARE CABBAGE AND CARROT: For cabbage, peel off the outer layer, cut cabbage in half, remove the core and cut into chunks (~3 inches/7 cm). For carrot, peel and cut into chunks.
- PROCESS CABBAGE AND CARROT: Pulse cabbage -for each batch, pulse in short bursts (about 11–12 pulses) until finely chopped to a rice-like texture. Do not over-process or the coleslaw will be mushy. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pulse carrot, pulse about 13-15 times until finely chopped (similar size to the cabbage) and add to the bowl.
- PROCESS DRESSING: Wipe food processor bowl with a paper towel. Add all dressing ingredients, including onion, and process until smooth, about 10 seconds. The dressing will taste slightly stronger (sweet and tangy) at this stage - it will mellow once mixed with the cabbage and chilled.
- COMBINE AND CHILL: Toss the cabbage with most of the dressing (reserve about ¼ cup/59 ml to add later if needed). Cover and chill for at least 2 hours (4-6 hours or overnight is even better). The flavors and cabbage will soften as it chills. This is normal. This is the time to taste and adjust the flavors - add a little more sugar, lemon juice or vinegar, or salt and pepper as needed. If liquid collects at the bottom, stir it in or pour off a little before serving. If needed, stir in the reserved dressing.
Notes
- Cabbage: A medium cabbage weighs about 2 lbs (907 g) and measures roughly 6-7 inches (15-18 cm) in diameter. This yields about 8 cups finely chopped cabbage (rice-size pieces).
- Onion (for non-food-processor users): If not using a food processor, grate an onion with a microplane or box grater to get about 2 tbsp finely minced. Blending the onion into the dressing gives a smoother, more classic flavor without sharp onion pieces, but grating it will work well too.
- No food processor? Grate the onion and finely chop the cabbage and carrot with a knife.
- Substitutions
- Cabbage: Use a 16-ounce (454 grams) package of shredded cabbage and process in the food processor to rice-size pieces.
- Lemon juice - you can replace with more vinegar (but the taste will be sharper).
- Variations
- Taste: KFC coleslaw is sweet. If preferred, reduce the sugar by 1-2 tablespoons. Note: This version already uses less sugar than many copycat recipes. More tangy - add a little more lemon juice or vinegar to taste.
- Texture: Pulse fewer times if you prefer a chunkier texture (or chop by hand).
- Make-ahead: The coleslaw will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir before serving and, if needed, drain off excess liquid. Do not freeze.
Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1124IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 0.5mg