Coleslaw for Hamburgers is a crisp slaw made to pile on a burger: shredded green and purple cabbage and carrot tossed in a creamy mayonnaise dressing sharpened with Dijon mustard, minced shallot and white wine vinegar. It takes about 15 minutes to put together, then chills for 30 minutes while the flavors blend. It makes 6 servings.
How to make it: Whisk the shallot, mustard and vinegar in a large bowl, whisk in the mayonnaise, salt and pepper, then toss in the cabbage and carrot. Cover the bowl and chill it at least 30 minutes before spooning it onto hot burgers.
Why You’ll Love It
- Made for burgers: a cool, crunchy topping that works on top of the patty or tucked underneath it.
- No cooking: whisk, toss and chill. The grill is the only heat you need, and that is for the burgers.
- Two colors of cabbage: green and purple shreds with orange carrot in a pale, creamy dressing.
- Easy to change: swap in a sweet vinegar slaw, a mustard vinegar slaw or a creamy mustard slaw from the Variations below.
Ingredient Notes
Green and purple cabbage: Three cups of green and two cups of purple, shredded. Napa cabbage works too, on its own or mixed in.
Carrot: One cup, shredded on the large holes of a box grater.
Shallots: One tablespoon, minced fine. They go into the bowl first with the mustard and vinegar.
Dijon mustard: Two teaspoons, whole grain or smooth, whichever you keep in the fridge.
White wine vinegar: Two tablespoons.
Light mayonnaise: Half a cup makes the creamy base. The creamy slaws in the Variations below use regular mayonnaise.
Kosher salt and black pepper: Half a teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste.
Ingredients
- 3 cups green cabbage, shredded
- 2 cups purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup carrot, shredded
- 1 tablespoon shallots, minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (whole grain or smooth)
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper, to taste
How to Make Coleslaw for Hamburgers
1. Start the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk the shallots, mustard and vinegar together.
2. Whisk in the mayonnaise. Whisk in the mayonnaise, salt and pepper until smooth.
3. Toss the slaw. Add the green cabbage, purple cabbage and carrot and toss until everything is coated.
4. Chill. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors blend. Keep it cold, at 40°F or below, until serving.
5. Serve. Serve it cold as a side, or spoon it onto hamburgers cooked to 160°F.
How to Put Coleslaw on a Hamburger
Give the slaw its chill first. Thirty minutes in the fridge blends the dressing into the cabbage, and the shreds soften slightly as they sit, so make the slaw before you light the grill.
Cook the burgers all the way. Ground beef burgers are done at 160°F on a food thermometer, not medium-rare. One pound of ground beef makes 4 quarter-pound patties or 3 one-third-pound patties. Ground chuck, such as 80/20, or regular ground beef both work.
Toast the buns. Spread butter on the cut sides and toast them lightly on the grill, or brush them with barbecue sauce and toast them sauce side down until grill marks start to show. Soft white buns and potato buns both work.
Slaw on top. Build it from the bottom: bottom bun, a slice of tomato, dill pickle slices, the burger, a generous pile of slaw, then the top bun. Serve it warm, right off the grill.
Slaw underneath. For a Carolina slaw burger, put a heaping scoop of coleslaw on the toasted bottom bun, set a cheeseburger patty on it, add a spoonful of chili sauce and some chopped onion, and finish with a top bun swiped with yellow mustard. Eat it right away.
Creamy or vinegar? Both belong on a burger. For a sweet and tangy slaw with no mayonnaise, use the sweet vinegar or mustard vinegar slaw in the Variations below.
Tips for Success
Can you use a bagged coleslaw mix?
Yes. A good-quality bag of shredded cabbage and carrots saves time. Measure it by the cup to match the ingredient list.
What’s the easiest way to shred cabbage by hand?
Use the large holes on the side of a box grater, the slicing wheel of a food processor, or a chef’s knife to cut the cabbage into thin shreds.
Why does coleslaw turn watery?
A creamy slaw can turn watery as it sits, because the mayonnaise separates with the moisture in the cabbage. Stir it well before serving and it comes back together.
How long can coleslaw sit out at a cookout?
Keep it at 40°F or below. USDA FSIS says to throw out cold perishable food that has been at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it is above 90°F, as at an outdoor picnic in summer. Nest the serving bowl in a larger bowl of ice, or set out small bowls and replace them often.
Variations
- Celery seed slaw: whisk 3/4 cup mayonnaise with 1 small onion, finely shredded (about 1/3 cup), 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons celery seeds (or 1 teaspoon celery salt). Toss with 8 cups shredded green cabbage and 1/2 cup shredded carrot, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and let it stand about 25 minutes.
- Sweet vinegar burger slaw: stir 1/2 cup white vinegar with 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons seasoned salt, pour it over a 1-pound bag of coleslaw mix, stir to coat, then cover and chill at least 30 minutes. It wilts down as it chills and makes enough for 4 burgers. Brown sugar and apple cider vinegar can stand in; add 1/4 cup yellow mustard, 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper, or 1 tablespoon hot sauce for heat.
- Mustard vinegar slaw: bring 3/4 cup white vinegar, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup yellow mustard and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper and celery seed to a low boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour it hot over 16 ounces of slaw mix, stir, and chill it while the burgers cook.
- Creamy mustard slaw (from a Carolina slaw burger): whisk 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, then toss with a head of white cabbage, shredded, and 6 grated carrots.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. That is the safety limit. The other two times are quality notes: a creamy slaw stays crispest within 2 days, and a vinegar slaw keeps in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Do not freeze coleslaw: mayonnaise does not freeze well, and neither does raw cabbage. The slaw is served cold, so there is nothing to reheat; leftover burger patties go in the fridge within 2 hours and are reheated to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Coleslaw goes with sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs, and it tops any barbecue plate. Spoon it onto slow cooker Amish beef sloppy joes, or serve it next to slow cooker root beer BBQ pork ribs and slow cooker chicken and baked beans. For more sides with the burgers, try baked zucchini fries, a bowl of pasta salad or deviled egg pasta salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you put coleslaw on hamburgers?
Yes. A slaw burger is a grilled patty topped with a generous spoonful of creamy or sweet-tangy slaw. For a Carolina slaw burger, put the slaw under the patty, with chili sauce and chopped onion on top.
What are the ingredients for a burger slaw?
Cabbage and carrot plus a dressing. A creamy slaw uses mayonnaise, vinegar and mustard, as in the card above. A vinegar burger slaw needs only white vinegar, sugar and seasoned salt poured over a bag of coleslaw mix.
What’s the secret to great coleslaw?
Time in the fridge. Chill it, covered, at least 30 minutes so the dressing blends into the cabbage. The creamy mustard slaw in the Variations, from a Carolina slaw burger, is better after an hour and can be made up to 24 hours ahead, so it can be ready before the cookout starts.
What is the difference between coleslaw and slaw?
Coleslaw is usually creamy and made with mayonnaise. A slaw for burgers can use a vinegar marinade instead. Both are made from cabbage, green, purple (red) or napa, and carrot.
Final Notes
Make the slaw first, let it chill while the grill heats, and decide whether it goes on top of the patty or under it. If you make it, tell me in the comments how you built your burger.
Coleslaw for Hamburgers
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Ingredients
- 3 cups green cabbage shredded
- 2 cups purple cabbage shredded
- 1 cup carrot shredded
- 1 tablespoon shallots minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard whole grain or smooth
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the shallots, mustard and vinegar together.
- Whisk in the mayonnaise, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Add the green cabbage, purple cabbage and carrot and toss until everything is coated.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors blend. Keep it cold, at 40°F or below, until serving.
- Serve it cold as a side, or spoon it onto hamburgers cooked to 160°F.
