When it comes to barbecues and picnics, a few side dishes rise above the rest. Two of our favorites are coleslaw and baked beans. There's just no beating hearty beans and refreshing slaw. Whether you want your slaw spicy or creamy and your beans traditional or exotic, we've rounded up our best coleslaw and baked bean recipes.
Coleslaw can be made in countless ways. The most classic versions use cabbage, but there is room for variation even there. Our Tennessee-style has a creamy mayonnaise-based sauce perked up with a big helping of yellow mustard. Our charred cabbage slaw, on the other hand, gets an Asian twist from fish sauce and sambal oelek.
Cabbage isn't the only ingredient you can use to make a slaw. For an bright and atypical slaw, go with shaved asparagus, chopped mint, and julienned carrots and radishes. Or try a zesty slaw with cucumber, assorted peppers, and onions.
Baked beans are a must at a barbecue. For a comfort-food classic, go with bacon, pulled pork or brisket, brown sugar, and barbecue sauce. Or make the sauce from scratch with maple syrup, molasses, ketchup and a little dark rum.
Find all of these dishes in our collection of coleslaw and baked beans recipes.
Charred Cabbage Slaw
In this offbeat slaw from chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston, raw red cabbage adds a textural contrast to the grilled green cabbage, and a zippy, spicy-sweet-salty dressing goes well with the charred bits. Get the recipe for Charred Cabbage Slaw »
Tennessee-Style Mustard Coleslaw
The classic mayonnaise-based coleslaw cabbage recipe is bolstered here by the addition of mustard. Get the recipe for Tennessee-Style Mustard Coleslaw »
Asparagus Mint Slaw
Raw asparagus, carrots, and radishes get tossed with fresh mint and vinegar in this bright and crunchy slaw. Get the recipe for Asparagus Mint Slaw »
Salata de Varza (Coleslaw)
The recipe for this deli staple comes from Silvia Weiss, a kosher caterer in Bucharest.
Hawaiian-Style Sesame Cabbage Salad
The noodles in this recipe add crunch, texture, and sweetness to this terrifically versatile Hawaiian-style slaw. As the salad sits and the noodles soak up the intensely flavorful sesame dressing, they soften slightly, so be sure to serve this salad straightaway.
All around the world, fermented cabbage has been a life sustaining bridge between the fall harvest and the first green shoots of spring. There’s Eastern Europe’s sauerkraut, Korea’s kimchi, and Latin America’s lightly fermented curtido. This spicy slaw is a riff on that last condiment; it’s sweet but not too funky, and perfect alongside grilled fish or as a condiment for tacos.
New England-Style Baked Beans
Flavored with molasses, maple syrup, and rum, the classic New England bean dish is simple to prepare; all it takes is time. Serve it with hearty brown bread to mop up its flavorful sauce.
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