The truth is that I really don’t like Kentucky Fried Chicken. To me, their fried chicken is sub-standard and greasy. Where they do shine is their sides, particularly their mashed potatoes and their coleslaw.
KFC Coleslaw Ingredients
When it comes to making a copy of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s coleslaw at home, there is a lot of debate about what the actual ingredients are. Below is the official ingredients list for KFCs coleslaw.
Coleslaw: Chopped Cabbage, Carrots, and Onions, Sugar, Soybean Oil, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Whole Eggs, Food Starch Modified, Salt, Mustard Flour, Corn Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Natural Flavor, Xanthan Gum, Paprika, Extractives of Paprika.
Now most of the ingredients are pretty straightforward. Going down the list, the first unusual one is mustard flour. This is just finely ground mustard powder.
The next unusual one is corn vinegar. This is a neutrally flavored vinegar that brings bite, without the sweetness of apple cider vinegar.
Xanthan gum is one that not a lot of people keep at home. It is a very powerful thickener and stabilizer and is just a polysaccharide (a complex sugar) that is the result of bacterial fermentation.
Then there is “natural flavor”. This is a generic catch all for all the secret herbs and spices that give commercial recipes their uniqueness. This is where we get a lot of debate on what they secret sauce in KFC’s coleslaw is. Most of the rumors point to the key ones being pineapple juice and horseradish, and yes they can hide both of those under the natural flavors moniker.
I’m still testing this out but for a make-at-home KFC coleslaw, people are suggesting incorporating 1-2 tablespoons of pineapple juice and 1-2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish. This will take some testing and I’ll update this post as my experiments bear fruit.
Shredding Your Cabbage
The easiest way to shred or grate your cabbage is to use a food processor. This will allow you to chop or grate all the cabbage you want in no time at all. If you aren’t blessed to have one, you can use a mandolin to shred your cabbage, or if you want very fine pieces a box grater will get the job done, just watch those fingers!
KFC Coleslaw Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
Coleslaw Mix
- 8 cups finely shredded cabbage
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot 1 medium carrot
- 2 TBS minced onion consider reducing if using horseradish
Dressing
- 1/4 C. milk
- 1/4 C. buttermilk
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. xanthan gum
- 1-2 Tbsp. pineapple Juice optional
- 1-2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish optional/experimental
- 1/2 C. mayonnaise
- 1/3 C. white sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt ¼
- 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl comine the milk, buttermilk, vinegar, and lemon juice. If using the pineaple juice and horseradish, mix those in as well.
- Sprinkle the xanthan gum slowly into the liquid mixture while whisking vigorously to prevent clumping. Then let rest 2-5 minutes
- While waiting, finely chop or grate the cabbage and carrots to your desired consistency, then combine in a large bowl.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. Once combined, whisk in the milk and vinegar mixture.
- Pour the dressing over coleslaw and onion mixture; mix well.
- Cover and chill at least one hour.
Notes
Common Coleslaw Questions
Here are some answers to the most common coleslaw-related questions people ask.
How Long Can I Store Coleslaw In The Fridge?
Realistically you can keep coleslaw in your fridge for 3-5 days. The real question is what kind of shape it will be in. As time goes by, liquid tends to leach out of your cabbage, making it limp and the dressing watery. If you are planning for an event, it is safer to prep the dry and wet ingredients and store them separately until they day they are needed.
How do I keep my coleslaw from getting watery?
Water leaching out of your cabbage is the primary culprit when it comes to making your coleslaw watery. The smaller you chop your slaw, the more of the water that is in your cabbage will leak out. This is why you shouldn’t make your coleslaw too far in advance.
Can I freeze coleslaw?
Can and should are two different things when it comes to freezing coleslaw. While you can freeze coleslaw, the results will be limp and watery. Freezing will further damage cell walls in the cabbage, causing them to release even more water as the coleslaw thaws, leaving you with a very unsatisfactory soupy coleslaw mess.
What kind of cabbage is best for coleslaw?
The best cabbage for coleslaw is your standard green cabbage. Red cabbage will also work, and adds a nice pop of color, but it can leach some of its color into the dressing.
