Simple and Sweet Restaurant-Style Coleslaw

I am a coleslaw lover.  I have been since I was a little girl.   Ironically, I rarely make it but I will order it when it is offered as a side.  For years I have tried to make it, but it just never tasted like I wanted it to taste.  I must have some little taste tester sitting in my mind that is picky when it comes to a good slaw.  One would think that I could make this very easy salad blindfolded….I have tired and I have made some really bad coleslaws.

What I have learned and need to remind myself of, is that sometimes, simple is best.  That is the case with coleslaw.  It only takes a few everyday ingredients to make a sweet and tasty coleslaw.  I say sweet because I think this particular slaw is on the sweet side.  I didn’t mind….I have a sweet tooth that hasn’t been treated to anything sweet lately!   Terry asked for seconds and thirds….I think his sweet tooth has been neglected, also.

That said, you may want to cut the sugar in half to start, then taste and add so that the taste tester in your mind will smile and give it a big thumbs up!

1 16-oz. bag coleslaw mix
2/3 cup mayonnaise
3 T. vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp poppy seeds

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, oil, sugar, vinegar, salt and poppy seeds.

Add the coleslaw mix to the bowl and stir to make certain the sauce is evenly distributed.  Refrigerate the slaw for at least a half hour prior to serving.

The sauce is creamy.  I really like the consistency but, while the salad is resting, the cabbage releases liquid which thins down the sauce quite a bit.  You can add additional cabbage to get the slaw to the cabbage/sauce ratio that pleases your family.

For the two of us, I half the recipe.