I’ve been serving this mayo-free vinegar slaw with just about everything lately, and I cannot wait for you to try it! It’s a perfect side for BBQs, summer get-togethers, richer dishes, and more!

If you’ve followed us for a while, you know we love our coleslaw! We’ve had our favorite creamy coleslaw on Inspired Taste for a long time, and it has risen to one of our most loved recipes. For years, you’ve asked us to add a vinegar-based coleslaw to the blog, and now I can finally say, it is here!

Deli counter subs and our obsession with sauerkraut inspired this easy vinegar slaw. It’s fresh, crunchy, not too tart or sweet, and goes with just about anything! From barbecue, pork chops, pulled pork, meatloaf, to sandwiches, tacos, and burgers, this mayo-free slaw hits the mark!

Key Ingredients

• Cabbage: I love using red and green cabbage (it looks so pretty), but you can use just one variety. Green, red, Savoy, or Napa cabbage all work wonderfully. If you’re short on time, try using a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix. If you have leftover cabbage, here are all of our easy cabbage recipes!
• Carrots: Adds color, a little sweetness, and flavor. I use a box grater to shred my carrots, but you can also buy them pre-shredded if that is easier.
• Caraway Seeds (or Celery Seeds): For a traditional coleslaw flavor, use celery seeds, but for a slightly different, but delicious spin, reach for the caraway seeds. Caraway seeds are used in our sauerkraut recipe, but also are what gives rye bread it’s flavor. It does the same with this slaw, and I love it! Remember, though, if you aren’t a fan of caraway, use celery seeds instead like we do for this coleslaw.
• Homemade vinegar dressing: I love the combination of red wine vinegar and olive oil on deli subs, so that’s what we’ve used here. Red wine vinegar tastes a bit lighter and less acidic than other vinegars, which works nicely with the coleslaw. To balance the dressing, we also whisk in a little mustard powder, sugar (only a little bit), and salt. If you do not have mustard powder, you can substitute Dijon mustard. If you want more of a citrus dressing, try our cilantro lime slaw, which is also mayo-free.

When making this vinegar-based coleslaw, add about two-thirds of the dressing at first, then add more as needed. That way, you’ll guarantee you’ve got the right dressing to slaw ratio!

Easy Vinegar Slaw

Deli counter subs and our obsession with sauerkraut inspired this vinegar slaw. I love the red wine vinegar, olive oil, and the caraway seeds, which remind me of rye or pumpernickel bread (use celery seeds if you aren’t a fan). It’s light on its feet, easy to make, and lasts for a couple of days in the fridge. I love it!

Makes 8 cups

You Will Need

1 medium cabbage, about 2 pounds, outer leaves removed

3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

1/3 cup (80ml) red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 ½ teaspoons sugar

1 ¼ teaspoons mustard powder, like Coleman’s, or substitute 2 to 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon caraway seeds or celery seeds

Directions

1Prepare the cabbage: Quarter the cabbage through the core, then cut out the core. Slice each quart into thin shreds. Place the shredded cabbage in a nice big bowl (you will have 6 to 8 cups).

2Combine veggies: Add the shredded carrot to the cabbage and toss to mix.

3Make the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk the vinegar, olive oil, sugar, mustard powder, caraway seeds (or celery seeds), salt, and pepper together. Taste for acidity and seasoning, then adjust as desired. Add a little more sugar if the dressing tastes too tart, and you prefer a sweeter coleslaw.

4Make the coleslaw: Pour two-thirds of the dressing over the cabbage and carrot, then mix well. (Clean hands are the quickest tool). If the coleslaw seems dry, add a little more of the dressing. Eat immediately or let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the flavors mingle and the cabbage soften.

5Storing: This vinegar coleslaw keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Past that, the cabbage becomes floppy and less crunchy.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

• Make ahead: Shred the veggies a day or two in advance and keep them in a resealable bag in the fridge. Make the dressing up to 2 weeks in advance. Combine the cabbage, carrots, and dressing the night before or the day of serving.
• Store-bought bagged coleslaw mix: You can buy pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix. One large (16-ounce) bag should do the trick.
• What to serve it with: This fresh, vinegar slaw is perfect for dishes where you need something to cut through richness or add fresh flavor. It’s excellent with baked ribs, BBQ chicken wings, pulled pork, pork chops, and burgers (or black bean burgers!). It’s also great on sandwiches and tacos!
• The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1/2 cup
/
Calories
48
/
Total Fat
2.8g
/
Saturated Fat
0.4g
/
Cholesterol
0mg
/
Sodium
95.2mg
/
Carbohydrate
5.8g
/
Dietary Fiber
1.5g
/
Total Sugars
3.2g
/
Protein
0.9g

AUTHOR:

Joanne Gallagher

We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us

Previous Post: Steamed Cabbage with Lime Butter

These tasty chicken souvlaki bowls are loaded with lemon chicken skewers, roasted veggies, tzatziki, hummus, feta, and garlic rice!

This is the meal of my dreams.

Chicken Souvlaki Marinade

There is a lot going on in these chicken souvlaki bowls! (In a good way.) However, with a few minutes of prep time, they come together quickly and easily, especially if you make use of a few store bought hacks, which we’ll get to in a minute.

First, the chicken!

Chicken souvlaki is a Greek-inspired dish that involves marinating chicken in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, and a few other simple ingredients.

The chicken is cut into bite-size pieces, threaded onto skewers and grilled. It is flavorful, juicy, and so, so good!

Toppings and Sauces for Chicken Souvlaki Bowls

The sky is the limit for how and what to serve the tender chicken souvlaki with! The recipe includes my favorite variation:

• Garlic butter rice (hoo-boy, so good)
• Roasted zucchini, bell peppers and red onions (can easily cook the veggies in an air fryer – details below ⬇️)
• Tzatziki sauce
• Hummus
• Crumbled feta
• Flatbread
• Other toppings: cherry tomatoes, avocados, etc

I’ve included homemade recipes in the notes of the recipe for tzatziki and hummus, but let me tell you, these are two optimal opportunities to let a store bought grab save you some time (and there are some delicious options for both sauces out there in the wild).

Change up the toppings to your liking. Add, subtract, delete, multiply. Whatever it takes to honor your taste buds and make you excited about dinner.

These bowls are only as good as the stuff you pile in there! So follow your heart, and they will be DELICIOUS.

Greek-inspired meals are my jam. I love the flavors. I love the freshness. I love the flatbread and feta that almost always (should) accompany. I love all of it.

These chicken souvlaki bowls are right up there with some of my favorite Greek meals ever! They are most definitely “last meal” type of yummy.

Don’t let the long list of components put you off; it’s a simple meal with tons of flavor that comes together quickly with a bit of prep and planning. I promise you’ll be so, so glad you made them!

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Five Years Ago: Easy Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Crazy Good Green Sauce
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Ten Years Ago: Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread {Pao de Queijo}

Chicken Souvlaki Bowls

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Marinating Time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Chicken:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Rice + Veggies:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small zucchini or yellow squash (or a combo), diced
• 1 large bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• Hot, cooked rice, for serving (optional – see note for my fave garlic rice recipe)

Toppings + Sauce Ideas:

• Tzatziki, store bought or homemade (see note)
• Hummus, store bought or homemade (see note)
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Pickled red onions
• Diced avocados
• Diced tomatoes
• Pita or flatbread, to serve alongside (see note)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• For the chicken, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic and salt. Place the chicken in a dish or resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, toss to coat, cover (or seal the bag), and refrigerate for two hours or up to 8 hours.

• Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Grill over medium-high heat, flipping once, until the chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Tent the chicken skewers with foil and let rest for 5 to 7 minutes before serving.

• For the veggies, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a half sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and crisp tender. (See note for air fryer instructions.)

• Slide the chicken pieces off the skewers. Serve the chicken with rice, roasted veggies, and any or all of the sauce and topping suggestions.

Veggies: change up the veggies however you like – many different vegetables would work here: broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, etc. Rather than cooking them on the stovetop, the vegetables can be tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted in the oven (400 degrees for 15 minutes) or cooked in an air fryer (400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes). 
Rice: this garlic butter rice is fantastic in these chicken souvlaki bowls. Start the rice before putting the chicken on the grill to maximize time.
Tzatziki: the tzatziki sauce recipe on this post is an easy homemade option. 
Hummus: homemade hummus recipe here. 
Flatbread: several homemade recipes here – flatbread, easy yogurt flatbread, sourdough flatbread, homemade pita bread. 

Author: Mel

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Greek

Method: Air Fryer, Bake, Grilled, Stovetop

Serving: 1 serving (includes chicken and vegetables), Calories: 272kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 525mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g

You must be wondering why I am writing this. I am not an ingredient, nor something you enjoy munching on, but guess what? I am the one who knows all the secrets! I watch all your batter rise into cake and cookie dough, becoming crispy and golden. Nobody knows the details as much as I do now, do they?

Meet Oven Microwave!
| Photo Credit:
Made with Google AI

“Hey, my name is Oven Microwave. I come from a family of the best bakers in the world, and everybody adores my cooking skills.”

Have you ever wondered how the liquid batter becomes all fluffy, soft and delicious after hanging out with me? It’s simple science! I have the ability to trigger several reactions in the matter, which helps them get a makeover. Let’s dive into the science of baking! The ingredients responsible

As I said, my warmth and skills trigger the makeover; however, it is the ingredients you put in your batter that let me do the same. When you bake a cake, the batter absorbs the heat produced by the oven, causing chemical changes to the molecular structure of the batter. All the ingredients react differently to the heat in an oven; this will change the structure of the cake.

Wheat flour, the starchy white flour commonly used in baking, contains the proteins glutenin and gliadin. When you mix the flour with water, a reaction occurs that binds glutenin and gliadin together to create gluten. Gluten forms in long, stretchy strands that stick together, which helps the batter expand better while getting baked.

The batter itself contains leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda. Both baking powder and baking soda emit carbon dioxide gas when reacting with the other ingredients when heated. These very bubbles of carbon dioxide get trapped in the batter as you stir. Then, as the batter absorbs heat inside the oven, the bubbles of carbon dioxide gas heat up and expand. The expanding bubbles of gas push the batter up and out, causing the cake to expand. Baking soda needs an acid to react and produce CO₂, while baking powder contains both a base (like baking soda) and an acid, allowing it to react with moisture or heat.

That sweet, toasted crust is also the result of a chemical reaction between sugars and proteins called the Maillard reaction. When the baking temperature reaches around 150 degrees Celsius, the sugar mixed into the batter reacts with the amino acids (molecules that combine to form proteins) from the eggs, butter, and gluten. Both the proteins and the sugars break apart and recombine, forming new molecules that give the cake its toasty aroma and rich, golden brown colour. 

With all these reactions happening and heat emitted by me fastening them, the cake rises to the glorious form you love gobbling up. 

niranjana.ps@thehindu.co.in