Name: Cilantro-Lime Slaw
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes plus chilling
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients: 1 serrano chile, seeds removed, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; ½ cup mayonnaise; ½ cup sour cream; 1½ tsp. finely grated lime zest; 3 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lime juice; ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro; 1 medium head of green cabbage (about 1½ lb.), cored, thinly sliced; 4 scallions, finely chopped; Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

Sliced green cabbage coated with mayonnaise lime juice mixed with cilantro in a bowl.

Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell

A big bowl of creamy coleslaw is basically required at just about every summer event. And this version, spiked with chiles, lime, and cilantro, is lighter and brighter than the standard. Use a head of green cabbage here, not red or purple, which would dye the dressing an unappealing pink. To achieve uniformly thin slices of cabbage, your best bet is to use a Microplane, but a sharp knife will also work.

Lime juice invigorates the slaw with a punch of acid, while cilantro and green onions add a waft of fresh flavor and pretty green flecks. We used a single serrano pepper here, which brings a mild heat to the split base of mayonnaise and sour cream, but you could swap in a jalapeño or leave the chile out if your diners don’t care for it. You can make the creamy, tangy dressing up to a day in advance, but if you like a super crunchy slaw, wait to combine it with the cabbage until just before serving.

This creamy, cooling side complements just about any protein, from grilled pork to fried fish. It also makes a great taco topping: Pile it on Pulled Mushroom Tacos, Spicy Black Bean and Corn Tacos, or Tacos de Pobre.

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