Incredible Broccoli Slaw Recipe (in 5 Minutes!)

Broccoli slaw in 5 minutes? With just 5 ingredients? Sign.Me.Up!

I whipped up a batch of this last week to eat with some smoked pulled chicken and everyone raved about it. It’s perfect for any type of meal, but especially with anything grilled or anything BBQ-style.

Broccoli slaw is an elevated, even more nutritious cousin of traditional coleslaw. It’s packed with fiber, natural hydration, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Plus, it’s delicious. It’s a great way to want to devour a bowl of veggies.

This incredibly easy broccoli slaw recipe comes together in about 5 minutes when you use a package of plain broccoli slaw (or shredded cabbage, or any slaw mix) from your local store. Just about every store has pre-shredded slaw with the lettuces, and it’s just as healthy (and much more convenient) than making it yourself. I always avoid those salad kits at the store because they’re overpriced for some chopped greens, not to mention they come with unhealthy dressings. However, this type of pre-packaged plain slaw is a total winner in my book.

Incredible Broccoli Slaw Recipe Ingredients

Broccoli Slaw

Of course, you’ll need some slaw. You’ve got a lot of options here. I’m loving the broccoli slaw mix at Whole Foods right now—for about 3 dollars you get 4 cups of slaw (which is pre-shredded broccoli stems with a few shredded carrots tossed in.) If you have leftover fresh broccoli stems from another recipe, you can use your food processor shredding attachment to shred the stems into slaw, or get to work with a sharp knife and julienne cut them yourself.

I’ve been opting for the pre-shredded broccoli slaw (no dressing) because it’s so convenient and just as nutritious. If you have leftover cabbage that you want to shred (more of a traditional coleslaw) then that works, too! Or, make a mix of broccoli slaw and shredded cabbage if you fancy. All in you’ll want 4 cups loosely packed slaw for this dish.

Veganaise

I wrote about my love for Veganaise (a vegan mayonnaise) in my egg salad blog post last week. I’m not completely vegan, but I do love to eat a lot of vegan foods. When it comes to mayo, I prefer Veganaise (whether someone is vegan or not) for its lighter texture and tangier flavor than regular mayo. In this recipe, give it a try if you’ve never had it. Or, of course, you can use any mayo that you prefer here. I like the soy-free Veganaise and use it often. I’ve made this slaw for quite a few party guests who rave about the slaw and don’t even know it’s vegan.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Slaw needs some tang, particularly something vinegary to give it that coleslaw flavor. Some people use white vinegar in slaw, but I prefer apple cider vinegar for its flavor and health benefits. The combinations of acids (vinegar and lemon juice) and salt in the dressing will cause the broccoli slaw (or cabbage, or any veggie) to release water once it’s all mixed together, which is why sometimes you’ll find a bunch of water at the bottom of a bowl of coleslaw. Use less dressing than you think you need and add more (or put some on the side) if needed.

Fresh Lemon Juice

Lemon juice adds another acidic tag to slaw and brightens up the flavor. Only use fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice in a bottle is just citric acid mixed with water and lemon flavor and has no nutrition. Real lemon juice, on the other hand, is not only full of incredible flavor, it contains enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body loves.

Sugar (or Honey)

Traditional slaw has some sweetness. If you prefer a sugar-free version, go ahead and leave it out completely. It’s a small amount in the overall meal so I’m all about using it to sweeten up the slaw dressing, especially when 4 cups of broccoli comes with it. I prefer to use honey as it’s a natural sweetener full of enzymes and minerals, and I don’t have any white sugar in my kitchen. However, if you prefer this to be completely vegan, use good ‘ol white sugar instead (which is traditional is slaw dressing). Maple syrup would be too strong in this dish.

Salt & Pepper

Just like any dressing, a dash of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper round out the flavor. The amount of salt you need will depend on your mayo. Start with less than you think you need and work up from there. I use Real Salt sea salt because it dissolves nicely into dressings and dishes like this.  Pre-ground black pepper can’t hold a candle to freshly ground, so grab yourself a pepper grinder for the real thing—you can now even find them filled with peppercorns right in the spice aisle for a great price.

Broccoli Slaw Servings Ideas

We like this recipe so much that I make it at least once per week in the warmer months—it’s a great way to look forward to eating a ton of veggies! It’s perfect for anything grilled and makes a great side dish to offer to bring to a spring or summer party.

Here are some ideas that go well with broccoli slaw:

• With grilled or smoked chicken
• With any BBQ food
• With bunless burgers and oven-roasted potatoes

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