For years, I’ve been trying to recreate that classic store-bought red cabbage slaw with mayo.
Even though I really love it, you usually won’t find it in my fridge. Mostly because of the high calorie count, but also because I find so many versions to have an overly sweet taste.
Every time I’ve tried making it at home, I realized how tricky it is to hit that addictive, deli-style flavor. Most recipes use sugar, but I just don’t like it here: it’s too aggressive, and worse—it takes forever to dissolve, which means waiting hours before you can eat the slaw.
Me? Wait hours? Not happening.
So I swapped the sugar for maple syrup (real maple only, please). No maple syrup? You can use date syrup instead.
Another issue I kept running into: the cabbage was always too stiff, which makes it hard to tuck into a sandwich or pita, and gives the slaw an overly “raw” cabbage-y flavor.
That problem? Solved. Once you see the method below, you’ll understand how to make the cabbage soft and tender—but still crisp.
And then there’s the calorie issue. I checked: a typical store-bought container of red cabbage slaw can have 1,000–1,200 calories/pound (500g). This version gives you about the same amount of salad—if not more—for under 350 calories.
A third of the calories. And you control everything: the sweetness, the salt, the mayo.
In short—I’m hooked. And so is everyone I’ve given a container to.
One last thing: if you can resist digging in right away, you’ll discover that this salad gets better with every passing hour.