Gordon Ramsay Coleslaw

The difference between a crisp, creamy coleslaw and a sad, watery one is not the dressing, it is what you do to the cabbage first. Gordon Ramsay's version keeps it classic, green and purple cabbage, carrot, a light mayo-and-vinegar dressing, and celery seed, but one extra step keeps it crunchy for hours instead of weeping into a puddle.

The recipe card below has the full method. This guide explains why slaw goes watery, the salt-and-drain fix, and how to balance the dressing so it coats without drowning.

Why Coleslaw Turns Watery

Cabbage is about 92% water, and that water is the enemy of a good slaw. Salt draws it out by osmosis: salt outside the cells pulls water out through the cell walls to balance the concentration. So the moment you dress a bowl of raw shredded cabbage with a salty, creamy dressing, the cabbage starts leaking water, which thins the dressing and leaves the slaw sitting in liquid within an hour.

Cabbage is a genuinely nutritious, water-rich vegetable, which is exactly why the water has to go somewhere. Once you understand it is osmosis, the fix is obvious: pull the water out on purpose, before you dress it. Coleslaw itself takes its name from the Dutch koolsla, meaning cabbage salad, brought to America by Dutch settlers.

The Salt-and-Drain Fix

Toss the shredded cabbage with a teaspoon of salt and let it sit in a colander for 20 to 30 minutes. It will release a surprising amount of water. Rinse briefly, then squeeze it dry in a clean towel or press it in the colander. Now dress it: because the cabbage has already given up its water and stays crisp-tender, the dressing coats it instead of being diluted, and the slaw holds its crunch for hours, even overnight. Skip this step and you are back to watery slaw and reaching for a spoon to drain the bowl.

For the dressing, whisk the mayonnaise with both vinegars, the sugar, celery seed, and pepper before it meets the cabbage, and taste it: it should be brighter and sharper than you expect, because the cabbage mellows it. Shred everything fine and even so every strand gets coated.

Make It Your Own

The base takes well to a twist. For an Asian-style slaw, swap the white vinegar for rice vinegar and add a little toasted sesame oil, a splash of soy, and some sliced scallion; finish with sesame seeds. For a sharper, lighter slaw, lean up the vinegar and cut the mayo with a spoon of Dijon or a little yogurt. A grated apple or a handful of raisins tips it sweet.

What to Serve It With

Coleslaw is the classic cool, crunchy foil for anything rich or smoky: pile it next to buttermilk fried chicken, pulled pork, or a lamb burger, or pop it right on the sandwich. It is a natural picnic and barbecue side that travels well and feeds a crowd. Browse the full recipes collection for more sides and mains.

Gordon Ramsay's Coleslaw

A crisp, creamy coleslaw of green and purple cabbage and carrot in a light mayo-and-vinegar dressing with celery seed, salted and drained first so it stays crunchy, never watery.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 6 servings

Calories 140 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
• 2 cups purple cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 cup carrots, finely shredded
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp celery seeds
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

 

• Toss the shredded cabbage with about 1 teaspoon of salt and let it sit in a colander for 20 to 30 minutes to draw out water.
• Rinse the cabbage briefly, then squeeze it dry in a clean towel or press it well in the colander. Add the carrot.
• In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, both vinegars, sugar, celery seeds, and pepper until smooth. Taste; it should be bright and sharp.
• Add the drained cabbage and carrot and toss until evenly coated.
• Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Adjust the seasoning just before serving, and drain any liquid if needed.

Notes

The salt-and-drain step is what keeps the slaw crisp instead of watery: cabbage is mostly water, and salt pulls it out by osmosis, so remove it before dressing rather than after. Make the dressing sharper than you think, as the cabbage mellows it.

Serve it with: buttermilk fried chicken, a lamb burger, or browse the recipes collection.

Coleslaw FAQs

The questions that come up most: why coleslaw turns watery, how to keep it crunchy, how far ahead you can make it, and how to balance the dressing.