Crunchy Refrigerator Salad
This Crunchy Refrigerator Salad is so simple to throw together and makes a great snack, side dish for supper, or quick lunch! Crisp coleslaw, fresh broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots all come together in a light, tangy vinegar dressing that’ll have you sneaking back for “just one more” forkful… and then another, and another 😉.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Crunchy Refrigerator Salad
- Serves: 4
- Main Ingredients: coleslaw mix, broccoli and cauliflower florets, matchstick carrots, onion, Dressing, water, sugar, white vinegar
- Why You'll Love It: Crunchy Refrigerator Salad is loaded with coleslaw mix, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and onion, tossed in a sweet and tangy Italian-style dressing. It’s perfect for meal prep or potlucks because it stays crunchy for days and only gets better the longer it sits.
The Salad That Stays Crunchy for Days
I love cold vinegar salads like my Fire and Ice Salad. I could honestly dive into a vat of that stuff, but that salad really needs to be eaten within a few days, and I was looking for something that would last longer in the fridge so I could always have it on hand. So I developed this crunchy refrigerator salad as a spinoff salad using veggies that will stay crunchy longer, with a light coating of a dressing based on the same principle – but with a little added kick.
Now, for anyone who has never had a salad like this before, you might think that the sugar will make it sweet, but it doesn’t. The sugar is just there to offset the vinegar slightly. It still has a good vinegar taste to it, but with this amount of sugar, it keeps your face from puckering!
Speaking of making the most of your meals, try this Cheeseburger Salad with Special Sauce Dressing! It’s great if you’ve got leftover ground beef!
Reader Review
“My family loves this salad. I have been making it for years, since finding it here, Even my hubby, who does not like vinegar, will eat this. It is so delicious and refreshing, I find everyone will eat it as a snack too. We eat it up pretty fast, lol” – Lydia
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Coleslaw mix
- Broccoli and cauliflower florets
- Matchstick carrots (or diced, or baby, or crinkle cut)
- Onion
- Sugar
- White vinegar
- Italian dressing mix
My Best Tips for This Crunchy Salad
- I like to chop my veggies the night before to save time. Just store them in separate containers in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
- Don’t stress if the sugar doesn’t fully dissolve when you first mix the dressing! It will work its way in as everything marinates.
- The longer you let this salad sit, the better it tastes. I usually make it the night before and it’s perfect by lunch the next day.
- Grab yourself a bowl that’s a good bit bigger than you reckon you’ll need. You’ll be glad you did when it comes time to toss everything together without spilling it all over the counter!
- If you’re serving this delicious summer salad at a BBQ or potluck, give it a good stir right before serving to redistribute all that delicious dressing from the bottom. (And while we call it a summer salad, don’t let that stop you – it’s just as good any time of year!)
How to Make Crunchy Refrigerator Salad
1. Mix Your Veggies
To start, dump all of your veggies into a large bowl along with the onion. Mix that up pretty good.
2. Make the Dressing
Now in a 2-cup measuring cup, mix together water, vinegar, sugar, and Italian dressing mix. Stir this for a few minutes until well combined and the sugar begins to dissolve (it won’t dissolve completely at this point).
3. Toss Salad in Dressing
Next, pour your dressing over the salad, stirring well until completely coated.
Note: This isn’t going to seem like enough dressing, but as it sits, the veggies will create more water, and we will stir it every now and then until it is ready to eat. You’ll be surprised! But if you want to add more, add an extra ¼ cup of water, ¼ cup vinegar, and ¼ cup sugar. I prefer a lighter coating, though.
4. Let It Sit
Cover and let your salad sit out for an hour at room temperature. After that hour is done, stir it really well and then refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
When it’s all done, stir the salad one more time before serving.
Enjoy!
Storage
This refrigerator salad will keep for up to 1 week and actually gets better as the week goes on! Just be sure to mix it well before serving.
Crunchy Refrigerator Salad FAQs
Yes. Apple cider vinegar would be a great substitute. It gives the salad a slightly different flavor, but it is still delicious! Just be sure to cut back on the sugar a bit since apple cider vinegar is on the sweeter side.
Absolutely! I love throwing in some sliced radishes or cherry tomatoes for extra color and flavor. Just make sure any extra veggies you add are firm enough to hold up in the dressing overnight. If you’re looking for another veggie-packed salad to try, be sure to check out my Low Carb Broccoli Cauliflower Salad!
So many great options! My personal favorite is an Italian dressing mix, but if you’re in the mood for something a little more savory, a ranch seasoning packet is a fantastic choice too. Honestly, the best part about this salad is how flexible it is, so don’t be afraid to mix things up and see what you love most!
Did you give this crunchy refrigerator salad a try? Tell me all about it in the comments and don’t forget to leave a star rating!
Ingredients
- 14 ounces coleslaw mix
- 12 ounces broccoli and cauliflower florets
- 10 ounces matchstick carrots or 1 cup and 1/2 of diced carrots
- 1 onion chopped
Dressing
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup white vinegar
- .7 ounce package dry Italian Dressing Mix enough to make 8 ounces of dressing
Instructions
- In a very large bowl, combine all vegetables.14 ounces coleslaw mix, 12 ounces broccoli and cauliflower florets, 10 ounces matchstick carrots, 1 onion
- In a 2-cup measuring cup, pour water, vinegar, sugar, and dressing mix. Stir for a few minutes until well combined and sugar begins to dissolve (it won't dissolve completely at this point).½ cup water, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup white vinegar, .7 ounce package dry Italian Dressing Mix
- Pour dressing over vegetables and stir well to coat. Cover and let sit at room temp for one hour. After one hour, stir again, cover, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Before serving, stir well. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week. It actually gets better as the week goes on!
Notes
- I like to chop my veggies the night before to save time. Just store them in separate containers in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
- Don’t stress if the sugar doesn’t fully dissolve when you first mix the dressing! It will work its way in as everything marinates.
- The longer you let this salad sit, the better it tastes. I usually make it the night before and it’s perfect by lunch the next day.
- Grab yourself a bowl that’s a good bit bigger than you reckon you’ll need. You’ll be glad you did when it comes time to toss everything together without spilling it all over the counter!
- If you’re serving this delicious summer salad at a BBQ or potluck, give it a good stir right before serving to redistribute all that delicious dressing from the bottom. (And while we call it a summer salad, don’t let that stop you – it’s just as good any time of year!)
Ms Christy, call a neighbor, friend, or relative and have them get you a “grabber”! It’s a weird looken contraption. It is about 3 or 4 foot long with a handle and trigger on one end, and a pair of small round rubber cups on the other end. When you squeeze the trigger, you are squeezing the rubber cups together to grab an item. I am wheelchair bound and by using this thing, I can get plates, cans, bottles and containers from the tops shelves. (There is a weight limit on how much you can pick up with these.)
I bought mine from Wal-Mart several years ago, but I’m sure Lowes, Home Depot, or one of the other fix-it stores carry them as well.
Keep a smile on face, peace in your mind, and joy in your heart
Jo’s Kitchen
i have some mobility issues that keep me from reaching/bending stuff (ra/lupus) and I loved my “grabber”. I lost one of the cups and screws to mine and I sure need to go buy me another one. i can attest to how handy it comes in!
This is going to be on my try this week list. I really enjoy the Fire and Ice salad and I have been making it a visit to the South about 30 years ago. I find it stays crispy for about a week but I switch-out the dressing about day 4 to keep it clear. (I’m the only one who eats it and it takes about a week for me to finish a bowl) So glad I found Southern Plate. Hope you are mended soon. I hear you about the wheel chair height thing. Needs to be done in my home too.
Looks yummy and seems perfect to pack for lunches! Love the photo with all the blue bowls! So glad you’re back in the kitchen and posting tutorials!
Thank you so much, Barb! that big bowl is a big old Snowflake Garland Pyrex one, with a lovely glass lid. The other ones were a gift from a friend but don’t they go so perfectly with the pyrex?
I have some friends who are doing some guest posts for me coming up to help compensate for my down time, but I’ll still be here as well and am so grateful you are, too!
Christy, my husband is in a wheelchair, he finds those grabber things you can buy in the drugstores very helpful for reaching. Love you and saying prayers, for you and your family.
Thank you Sally! I have a toy one of those but the problem is it usually ends up being somewhere where I can’t reach it! lol
This is a wonderful recipe…love the ones that are ready to grab something out of the refrigerator!
Oh me too! I am always so much better behaved when I have good food handy 🙂 I think most of us reach for the junk because it is just so easy to do, you know?
Great job!
Thank you so much, Lucy!
This looks great and I can see a trip to the grocery store in my future. Hope you are feeling better. Take care
I sure am, Sandy, thank you!