Creamy Apple Slaw with Cranberries

Apple slaw with cranberries is the perfect side dish when summer starts slowly slipping into fall. The summer taste of creamy broccoli slaw melds with the autumnal flavors of apple and cranberry, making it the perfect way to transition between seasons.

This sweet-tart salad compliments both summery grilled meats and hearty fall roasts, creating a beautiful flavor profile. Easy and quick to make, this side will be a favorite at your Labor Day cookout or back-to-school potluck!

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What Is Creamy Apple Slaw with Cranberries?

A slaw is a salad of shredded vegetables tossed with either a vinaigrette or mayonnaise based dressing. Most Americans are familiar with coleslaw, which earned its name from the Dutch word koolsla, or cabbage salad. Dutch immigrants in the 1700s grew cabbage in their new home around the Hudson River, which became the state of New York. Our modern picnicking favorite, coleslaw, must have been a favorite of our earliest settlers, too!

This apple slaw recipe is different than traditional coleslaw. Instead of shredded cabbage, broccoli slaw is used. This tweak on coleslaw shreds broccoli stems into thin, pleasantly tender strips that don’t have the bitter bite that cabbage tends to possess. The true flavor in this salad comes from matchstick sliced apples and dried cranberries. Together, they bring a delicious autumn taste to a traditional summer salad.

Like many American coleslaw recipes, our apple slaw uses a mayonnaise-based dressing. As with most mayonnaise dressed salads, we recommend that you serve it chilled and refrigerate it after serving.

Do I Have to Use Granny Smith Apples?

No!

I love the sweet-tart taste that this salad has. The sweetness comes from the dressing, while the tartness comes from the cranberries and Granny Smith apples. If you enjoy tart flavor, you’d want to use Granny Smith, Jonathan, Cortland, or Braeburn apples in your slaw.

If you favor a sweeter taste, Honeycrisp apples are my personal favorite. Other sweet apples include Golden Delicious, Fuji, and Gala apples.

For another unique spin on this slaw recipe, try using pears in place of apples, or a mixture of apples and pears for a bountiful fall harvest salad!

Where Can I Find Broccoli Slaw?

Broccoli slaw can be tricky to find since it isn’t as popular as its coleslaw cousin. Look for it in your local grocery store in the bagged salad section. It can usually be found alongside bags of coleslaw mix, but I have also found store-packaged, fresh broccoli slaw near the cut/convenience vegetables. Here are some of the grocery stores near me where I’ve been able to find broccoli slaw:

• WalMart
• Jewel-Osco
• Safeway
• Meijer
• Whole Foods

Print

Directions

• First, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar or honey, coarsely ground mustard, salt, and ground black pepper until all elements are combined in a creamy consistency. Set aside.
• Next, prepare the apples. Wash and peel them, then slice the apples into little matchstick pieces. They don’t have to be the same size. It’s all good!
• Combine the sliced apples, broccoli slaw mix, and carrot shreds in a large bowl. I buy shredded carrots and it makes life so much easier! You can find them in the bagged salad section of the grocery store.
  
  Pour on the prepared dressing. Mix well to coat all the ingredients with dressing.
• Next, fold in the cranberries and slivered almonds.
• Cover and chill for half an hour or so to let the flavors meld. Give it a toss before serving to ensure that all the parts are coated with that delicious, creamy dressing. Then, enjoy your culinary transition into fall!

What Should I Serve with Creamy Apple Slaw with Cranberries?

• Fire up the grill for some traditional Grilled BBQ Chicken
• Play with autumn flavors and serve Baked Maple Pork Chops
• Go light when you pair it with Grilled Lemon Herb Cedar Plank Salmon

Creamy Apple Slaw with Cranberries

Recipe by Chicken Soup with DumplingsCourse: All Recipes, Salads, SidesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Chill Time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Tart, crisp apples and dried cranberries take center stage in this creamy slaw recipe that transitions summer favorites into fall classics.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey

• 1 tablespoon coarse ground Dijon mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1- 9oz bag broccoli slaw

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 2 Granny Smith apples

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Directions

• Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar or honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• Prep the apples. Wash and peel apples, then slice into matchstick pieces.
• Combine prepared apples, broccoli slaw, and shredded carrots in a large bowl. Pour dressing over other ingredients. Mix well to coat.
• Fold in cranberries and slivered almonds.
• Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Toss before serving.

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