Apple and Jalapeno Slaw

This apple and jalapeño slaw is one of my favorite slaws; it’s the perfect blend of tangy, sweet and spicy without being too heavy. Since I’m typically not a big fan of mayo-based creamy slaws, I prefer the lighter vinegar slaws to balance out some heavier flavors such as barbeque or Mexican. My favorite way of serving this apple-jalapeño slaw is with my slow cooker BBQ chicken on hamburger or slider buns. I’ll prepare both the slaw and the chicken in the morning, and serve up at night. The combination makes a perfect delicious group dinner that’s easy to prepare and allows you to enjoy the whole day without slaving over the stove.

You can always modify the recipe as you see fit – reducing the spice, using prepackaged slaw, etc. I provide a few notes below on some options throughout the process. And of course, the full printable version of the recipe is at the end of this post.

Mixing the dressing

This apple and jalapeño slaw dressing is so bright and refreshing, you won’t miss the mayonnaise even if you prefer those. It’s reminiscent of a salad vinaigrette with a mix of citrus, vinegar, and sweet.

In the same large bowl that you want to mix the slaw in, whisk together the following ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 2.5 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Set aside until needed.

Couple of notes on the ingredients:

• Feel free to sub out honey with agave nectar. Or sometimes, I mix in half of this Bees Knees Spicy Honey to kick up the heat a little bit more.
• It’s best not to use olive oil as it has a stronger flavor that will overpower the dressing; stick to the non-flavored canola, grapeseed or safflower oils.
• Freshly squeezed lime juice is best, but feel free to use the bottled lime juice. This adds a nice brightness to slaw, so I would encourage you not to leave this out.
• Seasoned rice vinegar can usually be found in the vinegar or ethnic sections of your local grocery, or bought via Amazon. This is tough to sub out with anything except maybe rice vinegar (and then adding in more honey and salt), but I think if absolutely necessary, you could amp up the lime juice and sub in some apple cider vinegar.

Prepping and mixing the apple and jalapeno slaw

To save time and energy, I suggest using 2 prepackaged coleslaw mix bags with pre-sliced cabbage (and sometimes carrots) to save time. It’s just so much faster. But if you can’t find those, or if you prefer fresh cabbage, just finely slice a medium head of cabbage into thin slivers. Wash in a strainer and drain well, then set aside until needed.

For this apple and jalapeño slaw, I prefer Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples which provide a nice tartness and crunch. But feel free to sub with similarly tart and crisp apples, like Braeburn. Thinly slice 2 apples, discarding the core. I often halve the slices for easier bite size pieces. Add the apple slices to the honey-lime-vinegar dressing and toss to coat. Adding in the apples to the vinegar early will help prevent them from browning as you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Slice 1-2 bell pepper(s) into thin strips then cut into 2” pieces, and add to the large bowl with the apples. I prefer red, orange and yellow peppers for their sweetness; you could even use mini ones to add more colors. Finely chop only the green parts of 3 green onions. Split 2 jalapeños in half and then thinly slice into half-moons.

Note on the spice level: Despite the addition of the jalapeños, this slaw isn’t that spicy. But if you want to cut back on the heat, I suggest seeding the jalapeños before serving. Sometimes, I’ll seed one and then keep the seeds in another.

Place the green onions and jalapeños along with the apples and bell peppers. Toss to coat the ingredients, then add in coleslaw mix or cabbage and 1/4 cup of cilantro (if using). Cilantro can be polarizing, so this is optional but does add a nice level of freshness to the coleslaw. This slaw is still a hit with or without the cilantro. Mix well so all the ingredients are well-incorporated.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. Serve chilled.

And don’t be intimidated by the amount of the slaw this recipe makes; it goes surprisingly fast! Try this alongside my slow cooker bourbon BBQ chicken — and you have a guaranteed crowd pleaser of a meal!