Why You Need More Salt Than You Think When Making Coleslaw

As straightforward as your family's go-to coleslaw recipe might seem, it can be equally easy to botch it. From staring down soggy bowls of unidentifiable ingredients to picking through over-sugared bowls of irregularly sized vegetables, a few cautious steps can mean the difference between an enjoyable side dish and one that is left ignored on the dining room table. The goal here is to carry an empty bowl back to the kitchen.

Once you've assembled your recipe and are ready to present the mash-up of carrots and cabbage to your dinner guests, give your coleslaw a taste. Then, don't hold back when it comes to reaching for a generous sprinkle of salt. Whether you're relying on the go-to table salt sitting next to your stove, kosher salt, or have decided to grind Himalayan pink salt over your salad mixing bowl, season your coleslaw generously so that the sweeter ingredients of your salad recipe are toned down.

Regardless of the kind of coleslaw recipe you decide to make, avoid serving anything too sweet by always giving your recipe a thorough taste test and then seasoning generously. With watery ingredients tossed into creamy dressings made with mayo and sour cream, the sweeter, more tangy flavors found in slaw recipes can easily grab hold of center stage, leaving the balancing presence of salt somewhere behind the stage curtain. Another tip here is to avoid that wateriness in the first place by slicing all your veg to the same size and staying well away from the grater. And mix everything as close as possible to serving time as possible so that liquid doesn't get a chance to seep out.

Since you should be seasoning not only the dressing but also the salad, give the final combination of the two a taste test and adjust any flavors before offering the dish to others. Don't be shy when it comes to wielding your salt shaker with confidence. You may find that you need to add much more salt than you think you need to offset the sugar or honey-boosted mayonnaise-based dressing. With a little practice, you will be able to perfectly season your routine coleslaw recipe.