Lemon Juice Is The Natural Acidity Your Coleslaw Is Missing

Crunchy, creamy, and tangy coleslaw is the ideal side to give a fresh boost to meals that include smoked meats, grilled burgers, and even hot dogs. And let's face it, almost everyone has their own recipe that they think is supreme, but there are always other ingredients to boost the flavor of coleslaw. One of those add-ins includes fresh lemon juice because it gives coleslaw layers of natural acidity and freshness.

Most coleslaw recipes call for some variety of vinegar to temper the rich mayonnaise and tangy mustard that goes into the dressing. However, lemon juice is naturally acidic and offers bright flavors beyond what vinegar provides. Those bright acidic flavors help tame those more indulgent ingredients in the bowl, similar to vinegar. Lemon juice's acidity will also slow the cabbage and other vegetables from browning before you can spoon out the last serving at your cookout or picnic. Fresh lemon juice is certainly best to get the most acidity and flavor, but if you have bottled lemon juice, give it a try.

A little lemon juice can go a long way with coleslaw, so here's where to start: You should make the dressing in a separate bowl so you can add more ingredients to taste. For every six servings of coleslaw, start with 1 ½ tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. You can also use both lemon juice and vinegar according to the recipe. To completely replace vinegar, use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for every 1 tablespoon of vinegar in the recipe. 

Should your coleslaw dressing be too acidic or tangy, there are a few ways to fix the issue. The first option is to sprinkle in some sugar or salt to temper the acidity. Alternatively, add an extra dollop of mayonnaise to the dressing. Try either option, give it a taste test, and then add more if needed.

Test out these lemon juice tips with your family's coleslaw recipe that makes it to every family gathering. Otherwise, upgrade Tasting Table's homemade coleslaw dressing recipe with fresh lemon juice, then mix it with your favorite coleslaw ingredients like green or red cabbage. For a more unique variation of the dish, cook our kale slaw recipe and replace the apple cider vinegar with lemon juice for fresh acidity.