Back in my ancestral home of PA (pronounced P-A, better know to non-natives as Pennsylvania), this is a favorite coleslaw recipe. Instead of a mayo-based dressing, it has a deliciously refreshing sweet and sour vinegar dressing and lots of bell pepper flavor.
I do love a good creamy coleslaw, but this slaw is just right for hot summer days and backyard BBQs. It’s crisp and, with all of those yummy bell peppers, just tastes garden-fresh. In fact, it is a perfect dish to make in the summer or early fall with produce fresh from the garden.
Now you may notice that the recipe contains rather a lot of sugar, but trust me, it’s totally needed because it also contains rather a large amount of vinegar. Hence, the sweet and sour. But if you prefer your slaw a little more sour than sweet, just use a bit less sugar.
And actually, the dressing for this recipe is like the kind of brine you would use for a sweet pickle, and this slaw could really be thought of as a pickled cabbage salad. Any way you want to look at it, though, it’s absolutely delicious. For the best results, make it a few hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Enjoy!
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PA Dutch Pepper Slaw
Ingredients
Instructions
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18 Comments
Kathi
June 8, 2020 at 2:19 amIt was okay but a bit dry for my taste so I added 1/2 Best Food Mayo and now it’s just fine for me. Sorry.
Melissa
June 8, 2020 at 2:58 amNo worries. I understand that some people prefer a creamy coleslaw. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Sandra
June 8, 2020 at 2:47 amWe don’t like coleslaw with mayonnaise in our house, so this was perfect for us. We had it with out grilled chicken this weekend and there were no leftovers. Thank-you!
Heather
June 9, 2020 at 7:54 pmIt was different from regular coleslaw but very good. Will make again.
Sam
June 9, 2020 at 7:59 pmVery good!
Patricia Dietrich
July 10, 2020 at 9:22 pmHave you ever tried canning pepper cabbage?
Melissa
July 12, 2020 at 3:49 pmNo, I have never canned pepper cabbage. If this is something that you do, let me know!
Miz Helen
May 20, 2021 at 8:56 pmYour awesome post is featured on Full Plate Thursday,537 and we just pinned it to our features board! Thanks so much for sharing your talent with us and hope you come back soon!
Miz Helen
Mr C
October 3, 2021 at 6:33 pmDelicious slaw! Reminded me of my Grandmother’s, and unfortunately I never got her recipe. Will make again and again.
Melissa
October 9, 2021 at 2:49 amThat makes me very happy to hear. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Angela
January 27, 2022 at 8:21 pmThis looks delicious. Love cole slaw.
Melissa
February 15, 2022 at 6:06 pmThank you! I hope you give it a try!
Daphine M Vernon
March 23, 2022 at 4:33 pmSounds like a raw version of chow chow. Will try!
Melissa
April 6, 2022 at 5:44 pmI never thought of it that way, but I think you are right!
Suzanne
May 19, 2022 at 2:27 pmDo you think I could use a sugar subsitute?
Melissa
May 22, 2022 at 3:10 pmYes, I think a sugar substitute, Splenda, or whatever substitute you typically use, would work just fine.
Diana
May 27, 2022 at 8:09 pmI made PA Dutch Pepper Slaw for the first time this morning and have to say I absolutely LOVE this! It is DELICIOUS! I am sure I will be making this recipe multiple times throughout the summer and beyond.
Would you happen to have per serving nutrition information on this recipe?
Melissa
May 31, 2022 at 2:23 amI am so happy you enjoyed the recipe! I actually don’t have official nutrition information, but I quickly ran the recipe through an online nutrition calculator to see what it comes up with. Assuming 10 servings it comes in at 114 calories, 0 mg cholesterol, 488 mg sodium, 28 g of carbs, 24.5 g of sugar, 2.8 g of fiber, and 1.6 g of protein. I suspect the actual amount of sugar would be a little lower because a good bit of the brine will remain in the bowl. I hope this helps!