Ingredients
FOR THE VEGETABLES
• 8 cups finely chopped green cabbage
• ¼ cup finely chopped carrot
• 2 tablespoons finely minced yellow onion
FOR THE DRESSING
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup whole milk
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Remove any damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the tough core.
2. Roughly chop the cabbage, then process it in small batches using short pulses in a food processor. Stop when the pieces are about the size of rice grains. Do not process the cabbage into a paste.
3. Peel and finely chop the carrot. Measure ¼ cup after chopping.
4. Mince the yellow onion as finely as possible.
5. Place the chopped cabbage, carrot, and onion in a large mixing bowl. Toss until the vegetables are evenly combined.
6. In a separate bowl, add the mayonnaise, granulated sugar, whole milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, white vinegar, salt, and black pepper.
7. Whisk the dressing for 1 to 2 minutes, until it is smooth and the sugar is mostly dissolved.
8. Pour the dressing over the chopped vegetables.
9. Stir thoroughly, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until all the vegetables are evenly coated.
10. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the coleslaw for at least 4 hours. For the best flavor and texture, refrigerate it overnight.
11. Stir the coleslaw well before serving because some dressing may settle at the bottom of the bowl.
12. Serve cold with chicken, barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, or your favorite family dinner.
Notes
• Chop the cabbage, carrot, and onion very finely to create the familiar restaurant-style texture.
• When using a food processor, work in small batches and use short pulses. Overprocessing can make the cabbage wet and mushy.
• Do not skip the chilling time. The coleslaw needs at least 4 hours for the dressing to flavor and slightly soften the vegetables.
• Overnight chilling produces the closest copycat flavor.
• For a less-sweet coleslaw, reduce the granulated sugar to 3 tablespoons.
• If buttermilk is unavailable, combine ¼ cup whole milk with ¾ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it stand for 5 minutes before using.
• A bagged coleslaw mix can be used, but chop the long shreds into much smaller pieces before measuring.
• Cabbage naturally releases moisture while resting. Stir the coleslaw before serving and drain off a little excess liquid if necessary.
• Store leftovers in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freezing is not recommended because the mayonnaise dressing may separate and the cabbage can become watery.