I find shop-bought coleslaw hard to stomach because it’s sharp, gloopy and often made with copious amounts of poor-quality mayonnaise and spirit vinegar. Pungent ingredients, such as cabbage and onion, are better eaten fresh, otherwise they break down and give off a disconcertingly sulphurous and sweaty aroma.
I judged each product in this test on appearance, aroma, texture and, above all, taste, and awarded extra points for value. I marked down for an off-puttingly strong raw onion aroma.
Preservatives and stabilisers aren’t essential (the better-tasting products don’t use them), and often give a slaw an unappealing, moussey texture. All that said, I was surprised to find some great products out there and most retained a surprisingly satisfying crunch.
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The best supermarket coleslaw
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Best overall:
Waitrose deli-style coleslaw with red onion and chives
£1.85 for 300g at Waitrose (62p/100g) ★★★★☆
A lovely, crunchy, finely shredded slaw with a creamy sauce and with no stabilisers or gums. Red onion and chives are present, but not dominant. The mayo includes a little whipping cream, free-range egg yolk and UK dairy.
***
Best bargain:
Aldi Specially Selected rich & indulgent coleslaw
£1.29 for 300g at Aldi (43p/100g), in store only ★★★☆☆
A creamy, chunky coleslaw that’s unctuous and moreish. Fresh, crunchy and well balanced with sweetness and acidity, this is cabbage-forward, with a little carrot and a subtle onion flavour, and a relatively straightforward mayo made with guar and xanthan gums.
***
And the rest …
Lidl Deluxe creamy coleslaw
£1.29 for 300g at Lidl (43p/100g), in store only ★★★☆☆
A veg-heavy, fine-cut cabbage and carrot slaw with a subtle onion twang and a refreshing sauce. A little tart, but arguably that’s what one wants from a slaw. Free-range egg, too. Flavoured with mustard, but also includes a preservative (potassium sorbate) and stabiliser (xanthan gum).
***
Morrisons The Best extra crunchy coleslaw
£2 for 300g at Morrisons (67p/100g)★★★☆☆
A medium-thick, crunchy coleslaw in a rich, free-range egg mayo. Sweet with some mild acidity and a subtle onion flavour. One of the simpler recipes (carrot, cabbage, onion, mayo), but it does contain xanthan gum.
***
Tesco Finest coleslaw
£1.40 for 180g at Tesco (78p/100g)★★★☆☆
A thinly shredded slaw that’s simple, creamy and crunchy, and has a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. Onion present, but not overpowering. No cream, but the thick mayo is thickened with citrus fibre, guar gum, xanthan gum and pectin.
***
M&S Food deli-style coleslaw
£2.40 for 300g at Ocado (80p/100g)★★★☆☆
Medium thick-cut slaw with a strong chive and onion flavour. Attractive with the pink cabbage, and one of the more mayo-heavy contenders. Includes a pinch of soft brown sugar, ground allspice and turmeric, though none is prominent. No gums, but potato starch and citrus fibre are added to stabilise.
***
Asda Exceptional classic coleslaw
£1.94 for 300g at Asda (65p/100g)★★☆☆☆
A rich, saucy, medium-thin slaw that’s sweet and crunchy but has a dominant onion and chive flavour. The mayo, made with xanthan gum and citrus fibre, is slightly moussey, though.
***
Iceland Luxury coleslaw
£2.25 for 330g at Iceland (69p/100g)★★☆☆☆
Finely shredded crunchy carrots, lots of sweet sauce made creamy by the addition of creme fraiche, and a sharp finish. Contains acetic acid, stabilisers (guar gum, xanthan gum) and a preservative (potassium sorbate).
***
Co-op Irresistible deliciously rich coleslaw
£2.25 for 300g at Co-op (75p/100g)★★☆☆☆
A finely shredded slaw with heaps of flavour, a warm dijon undertone, nice acidity from white-wine vinegar and great crunch. Colourful, with pink cabbage, carrot, red onion and chives, and a relatively strong onion flavour, but a slightly overcomplicated ingredients list, including potassium sorbate, maize starch and xanthan and guar gums.
***
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference coleslaw
£1.50 for 180g at Sainsbury’s (84p/100g)★★☆☆☆
A ribbon-cut, saucy coleslaw made with a splash of single cream. Subtle acidity from lemon juice, but a complex recipe including stabilisers (guar gum and xanthan gum), potato starch and citrus fibre.
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