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Easy recipe for cultured coleslaw that doesn’t require time fermenting on the counter! Can be made in minutes with store-bought sauerkraut and two additional ingredients!
Fermented coleslaw is a simple way to add probiotics and additional vitamins and enzymes to this delicious side dish.
Basic slaw, German slaw, Southern slaw, Asian slaw – you name it. It’s all yummy to me!
It is a very easy way to add digestibility to burgers, sandwiches, or a holiday cookout!
Let me tell you a story of how I figured out how to make cultured coleslaw many years ago.
As we all know, the primary ingredient of conventional coleslaw is shredded raw cabbage….
Unfortunately, as any woman who has nursed a baby knows, cabbage is usually a no-no for Mom to eat as it frequently produces a lot of gas in a breastfed infant particularly if the cabbage is raw.
Cabbage is part of the cruciferous family of vegetables which also includes broccoli (always cook it!), cauliflower, and bok choy among others.
I really missed eating coleslaw for the first 6 months breastfeeding my first child.
Fortunately, after that, his digestion was mature enough to handle my consumption of crucifers, so I happily devoured my coleslaw from that point forward.
Then I discovered the wonders of Traditional Diet and fermented foods!
With my next two children, I was able to consume traditionally prepared sauerkraut and kimchi in small amounts even during the first few months of lactation after the baby was born.
There is a magical property to the fermentation process that seems to significantly reduce the gassiness of the raw cabbage, at least to a point where I could consume it in small amounts without a problem for baby.
But I still missed my coleslaw!
As it turns out, I didn’t need to avoid my beloved coleslaw even while breastfeeding because it is so easy to make a fermented coleslaw yourself using traditionally prepared sauerkraut and healthy mayo.
These days, when I’m eating coleslaw at home, it is always fermented. This is the case even though my children are all grown. Why not add improved digestibility, enzymes, and probiotics to the delicious mix?
This fermented coleslaw is ideal served with homemade fish and chips, grassfed burgers, or a simple grilled cheese sandwich (toasted in grassfed butter of course!).
Due to the super rawness of the cabbage in the coleslaw, you may find that this condiment works very well as a natural reflux remedy. This approach is suggested by Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride MD in her bestselling book on resolving gut imbalance.
Serving Suggestions
If you choose to buy sauerkraut, you must buy a brand in the refrigerated section. This indicates that it is raw and fermented.
Brands of shelf-stable sauerkraut at the store are pasteurized and have no probiotic value.
Wondering which mayo to use? This recipe plus video shows you how to make mayo. It takes just a few minutes, and is the healthiest way to go.
If you choose to buy mayo, be sure it is made with a healthy fat and not nasty seed oils!Â
Easy Cultured Coleslaw
Easy recipe for fermented coleslaw that is a great substitute for sauerkraut as a beneficial condiment to promote full digestion of a meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sauerkraut
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 20-30 raisins preferably organic
- 1/2 carrot preferably organic
Instructions
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Shred half a carrot.
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Mix the carrot shreds with the other three ingredients and enjoy immediately.
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Refrigerate any fermented coleslaw. It will keep for weeks.
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I loved coleslaw as well. I have found that a little bit of coconut sugar sprinkled over a bowl of sauerkraut works as a great replacement.
Yes, this would work as well. I prefer no sugar and just adding raisins for the sweetness.
Hi Sarah, I have heard that some raw vegetables are not good for thyroid conditions or the adrenals. Would this still be the case if they are fermented, for example cabbage?
If your thyroid is in good shape and you have an adequate intake of iodine which you would if you consume grassfed butter, then cruciferous veggies are fine in small to moderate amounts. The goitrogenic aspect of crucifers is NOT alleviated by fermentation, so if you have thyroid issues, you may wish to tread lightly there or avoid crucifers entirely.
You are right though to avoid cruciferous veggies raw. They are always more healthful cooked in butter or fermented. Still, it is dicey for those with a thryoid issue. Your call on that one.
Not intending to be a downer but wouldn’t this just taste like sauerkraut covered in mayo with rasins? I can’t imagine how that would taste like coleslaw. The cabbage in your photo doesn’t look like sauerkraut to me, it looks like raw cabbage. Is this more of a dish to have with fresh newly made sauerkraut not sauerkraut that’s been fermenting awhile?
It tastes fantastic … not like sauerkraut at all. The raisins are crucial though to offset the sourness of the sauerkraut. Incredible blend of flavors!
Thank you Sarah!!
Omg my baby would love this but I’d have to trick him into trying it first because he still doesn’t believe in fermentation! lol It was amusing watching him go to work on some soaked nuts after he disapproved of soaking! Baby steps…
Using Sauerkraut is a great solution to the problem with most coleslaw – raw, unfermented cabbage is not a good thing to eat.
I like how you think, Sarah.
Why is raw cabbage not good to eat?
anti-nutrients: phytic acid, (or phytates), lignans, saponins, phytoestrogens, oxalates, phenolic compounds, and others. They reduce the body’s ability to absorb or use essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals.
If you are going to buy your sauerkraut to make this dish, this is the best brand I’ve tasted to date: http://www.beaglebayorganics.com/products/
My wife already thinks I’m a nut for trying a paleo diet (despite losing 20 pounds in four weeks) and I think she would blow a gasket if I started fermenting cabbage in our pantry. I’m definitely bookmarking this for a few months down the road after the shock of the diet has worn off…and I’m going to save myself the trouble of picking out the raisins later and not add them in the beginning.
Hi!
Thanks for sharing that yummy recipe. I love the addition of raisins.
I have to say, I consumed raw cabbage when I was BF my girls. I never experienced my girls having any “gassie” problems. Then again, I juiced them. Maybe that’s why?
Nice blog BTW…
Thanks for sharing!
-Elena