Cole slaw is a salad made primarily of thinly sliced cabbage that is often dressed with mayonnaise or vinegar. It is commonly served as a side dish with foods like barbecue, fried chicken, hot dogs, and hamburgers. Cole slaw is a staple side dish in many cuisines around the world, but it has especially strong associations with American Southern cuisine. Its name comes from the Dutch words “kool sla,” meaning cabbage salad. While versions of cabbage salad have existed for centuries in Europe, cole slaw as we know it today traces its origins back to 18th century Germany, from where German and Dutch immigrants brought the dish to America. Over the centuries, variations of the dish spread across different regions of the U.S., leading to distinct regional styles like Memphis, North Carolina, and KFC cole slaws. Understanding the history and evolution of cole slaw in America provides insight into the development of American cuisine and culture.
The Origins of Cabbage Salad in Europe
The early origins of cole slaw can be traced back to Europe, where preparations of raw, shredded cabbage salad have existed since ancient times. Cultivation of cabbage spread across Europe by the Middle Ages. In Ancient Rome, cabbage was typically eaten cooked, but there are some early references to enjoying shredded cabbage raw as a salad. The ancient Greek physician Galen mentioned raw cabbage salad as a common appetizer in 2nd century AD. Medieval European peasants commonly ate coleslaw-like cabbage salads because cabbage was an affordable crop.
Cabbage salad became more popular and refined in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 17th century cookbook “The Accomplisht Cook” by English author Robert May, a recipe for a cabbage salad dressed with oil, vinegar, and pepper appeared. Cabbage salad recipes were also included in 18th century English and French cookbooks, becoming a standard simple side dish.
The Birth of Cole Slaw in Germany
While cabbage salads existed across Europe, the creation of modern, mayonnaise-based cole slaw is credited to Germany. The German name for cabbage salad is “Krautsalat.” In the 18th century, German cooks in the Rhineland began dressing shredded raw cabbage with a creamy dressing made with soured milk or buttermilk, often flavored with dill and other herbs. This creamy Krautsalat became very popular in Germany by the late 18th century.
Two key innovations helped transform Krautsalat into the creamy, mayonnaise-like cole slaw we are familiar with today. First, in 1756, French king Louis XV offered a prize for whoever could come up with a safe and affordable substitute for heavy cream. French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul won the prize for his recipe for margarine, made from beef tallow, water, and milk. Secondly, in 1838, two Frenchmen, Hippolyte Mege-Mouriez and Antoine Careme invented modern mayonnaise, introducing the emulsification process still used today. Together, the availability of thick margarine and the creamy texture of mayonnaise helped usher in creamy cole slaw dressings.
Cole Slaw Arrives in America
German and Dutch immigrants brought cole slaw recipes to America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Dutch settlers in New York likely served some of the earliest versions of cole slaw. But the dish became especially common in Pennsylvania Dutch communities.
The first published cole slaw recipe in America appeared in an 1829 Pennsylvania Dutch cookbook called “The Frugal Housewife”. This early version was made by mixing thin sliced cabbage with cream, vinegar, and pepper. The name “cole slaw” derives from the Dutch words “kool sla,” meaning cabbage salad. Despite the Dutch origins of the name, Germans were the most instrumental in popularizing creamy, mayonnaise-based cole slaw in America.
By the mid-19th century, cole slaw was firmly established as a popular side dish and picnic salad in America. Early American recipes usually had a hot bacon or mustard dressing, rather than mayonnaise. But German settlers continued to make their traditional creamy Krautsalat, which gradually shifted American cole slaw to a mayonnaise-based salad. Regional variations soon emerged.
The Evolution of American Cole Slaw Regional Styles
As cole slaw spread across America in the 19th and early 20th centuries, diverse regional variations developed based on local culture, ingredients, and tastes. Here are some of the most distinct regional American cole slaw styles that emerged:
Memphis Cole Slaw
Also called Tennessee cole slaw, Memphis style has a sweet, vinegary dressing that complements the city’s famous barbecue. It was likely created by descendants of German immigrants. The bright dressing is made with yellow mustard, cider vinegar, and sugar. It has a pronounced sweet-tangy flavor profile.
North Carolina Cole Slaw
North Carolina cole slaw is usually dressed with a relatively simple vinegar-based dressing. Common ingredients include cider vinegar, sugar,mayonnaise, and small amounts of mustard and black pepper. It tends to be tangier and less creamy than other regional styles.
South Carolina Cole Slaw
This style has a creamy mayonnaise base seasoned with lots of black pepper. Mustard, vinegar, and sugar give it a tangy zip. It often includes hard-boiled egg. The creaminess pairs well with the Carolinas’ signature pulled pork barbecue.
Kentucky Cole Slaw
Kentucky cole slaw has a creamy base of egg mayonnaise and buttermilk or sour cream. Onion, celer, and mustard give it zing. The original recipe was likely brought over by German settlers. It remains a popular companion to fried chicken.
KFC Cole Slaw
KFC cole slaw is one of the most famous and popular cole slaw recipes in America. It was created by Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland Sanders in the 1940s. His original recipe uses cabbage, carrots, onion, green pepper, mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, and pepper. It became an iconic side for KFCs fried chicken around the world.
The Rise of Vinegar-Based Cole Slaw
Today, vinegar-based cole slaw is probably the most common and popular version across most of the United States. Using more vinegar and less mayonnaise likely became more popular for several reasons:
– Mayonnaise doesn’t hold up as well without refrigeration, which limited its use before refrigeration became widespread. Vinegar helps preserve the cole slaw.
– Oil and eggs used in mayonnaise were more expensive than vinegar and sugar. Vinegar cole slaw is cheaper and easier to mass produce.
– Vinegary, tangy flavors suit American barbecue well. The sweet-sour taste complements rich, smoky barbecue meats.
– Health trends seem to favor oil-free or mayo-free recipes. Vinegar cole slaw is lower in fat and calories than heavy mayo-laden versions.
Vinegary cole slaws now dominate restaurant menus and dinner tables across much of the country. But plenty of Americans still enjoy creamy, mayonnaise and yogurt-based cole slaws too. The balance of creamy vs. vinegar-tangy cole slaw often depends on regional food traditions.
The Global Spread of Cole Slaw
Alongside the regional evolution of cole slaw across America, the side dish also spread around the world as American culture and cuisine expanded globally. For instance, when Japanese immigrants came to Hawaii in the 19th and 20th centuries, they adopted creamy American-style cole slaw into Hawaiian plate lunches. As American fast food chains spread internationally in the late 20th century, cole slaw was also exported around the world. Today, you can find cole slaw on menus from Brazil to the Philippines, adapted to local tastes.
Conclusion
While cabbage salads have ancient origins in Europe, modern creamy, mayonnaise-dressed cole slaw emerged as a German dish before becoming thoroughly Americanized. The evolution of cole slaw traditions reflects the development of regional American cuisines and how Traditional immigrant recipes were preserved yet adapted with new ingredients and techniques. This humble cabbage salad remains not only a tasty side dish, but a culturally meaningful recipe. The spread of cole slaw around the world also shows how American food culture has been exported globally. Whether you prefer zesty vinegar-dressed or creamy mayo cole slaw, this classic salad connects us to hundreds of years of cultural history with every bite.