Copycat KFC Coleslaw

Date Published: Sept 14th, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 14th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy, salads
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Marinate time: 12 hours (overnight)

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I’ve never been a huge fan of KFC coleslaw, but my mom always loved it. Back home in Canada they used to do “Toonie Tuesdays” where you can get a KFC deal of 2 pieces of chicken with a small fries for $2 (our $2 coins are called Toonies, if you didn’t know) and you bet mom always ordered a side of coleslaw with it, so this one’s for you, mom!

This recipe is an adaptation from this copy cat KFC coleslaw recipe at TopSecretRecipes.com. I’ve changed the proportions a little and doubled up on the sauce to make it extra flavourful. Toby and I actually went out of our way to KFC to buy coleslaw and compare the two and hands down this one was the winner (I don’t know what they’re doing in Brooklyn KFC)!

Pair it with this super easy pulled pork recipe.:

Insanely Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Get ready for the most ridiculously easy pulled pork recipe that’s ready in 75 minutes! You will need an Instant Pot or any pressure cooker for this along with your favourite BBQ sauce.

September 11, 2025September 14, 2025

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Dressing:
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup milk + 1 tsp lemon juice, let it sit for 10 mins until it thickens)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (get the best quality you can)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2.5 Tbsps lemon juice
- 1.5 Tbsps white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 a small head (~4 cups) cabbage, finely chopped
1 small carrot (~1/2 cup), shredded
1/4 small onion (~1.5 Tbsps), finely minced

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients: 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sugar, 2.5 Tbsps lemon juice, 1.5 Tbsps white vinegar, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper.

Add the dressing to the chopped cabbage, carrot, and onion and mix well.

Cover and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Don’t taste it until it has marinated overnight – the cabbage will release its juices and the flavours will come together better the next day. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Copycat KFC Coleslaw

Ingredients:

Dressing:
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup milk + 1 tsp lemon juice, let it sit for 10 mins until it thickens)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (get the best quality you can)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2.5 Tbsps lemon juice
- 1.5 Tbsps white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 a small head (~4 cups) cabbage, finely chopped
1 small carrot (~1/2 cup), shredded
1/4 small onion (~1.5 Tbsps), finely minced

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients: 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sugar, 2.5 Tbsps lemon juice, 1.5 Tbsps white vinegar, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper.
Add the dressing to the chopped cabbage, carrot, and onion and mix well. Cover and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Don’t taste it until it has marinated overnight – the cabbage will release its juices and the flavours will come together better the next day. Done!

September 14, 2025September 11, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

Brown Butter Carrot Purée with Roasted Carrots

Date Published: Feb 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy, <30 mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

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I’m obsessed with anything brown butter. Seriously. What’s not to love? It’s nutty, umami, complex, flavourful, and is just such a unique flavour that it can’t be substituted anyway else. Any time there’s mention of brown butter on a menu, I’m all over it. This dish came to me at our friend Amy’s wedding in Melbourne a few years ago. It was a beautiful wedding in an intimate venue and although the weather could’ve been better, the heartfelt speeches and the amazing family-style food made it a wonderful evening. This roasted brown butter carrot dish was my absolute favourite of the night and I’m pretty sure I had more than my fair share 🤫. After the wedding I obsessed until I was able to recreate this dish myself. So here I am again, sharing the fruits of my labour. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!

This dish tastes luxurious and is actually so easy to make. It’s a perfect side dish to serve when you’re wanting to impress! The nutty butter carrot purée paired with the roasted carrots are the perfect combination.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

113g/1 stick unsalted butter
500g Dutch carrots, leaves removed, peeled, and kept whole
500g large carrots, peeled and sliced
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 190˚C/375˚F.

Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Place the whole Dutch carrots in one and the sliced carrots in the other. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each tray and mix thoroughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until roasted and tender.

They’re cooked when they’re soft enough to pierce with a fork

While the carrots are baking, make the brown butter: In a saucepan on MED heat, add the butter to the pan and occasionally stir until you get browned bits on the bottom then remove from heat into a separate bowl to cool.

You can refer to this more thorough guide for browning butter here.

When the carrots have cooked, add the sliced carrots into a blender (set aside the whole Dutch carrots for later). Pour the brown butter over the sliced carrots in the blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend on HIGH until you get a smooth purée. If the purée is too thick to blend, add 1 Tbsps of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

To plate: Spread the puréed brown butter carrots (from step 4) onto a plate, then place the cooked whole Dutch carrots over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Brown Butter Carrot Purée with Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:

113g/1 stick unsalted butter
500g Dutch carrots, leaves removed, peeled, and kept whole
500g large carrots, peeled and sliced
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C/350˚F.
Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Place the whole Dutch carrots in one and the sliced carrots in the other. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each tray and mix thoroughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until roasted and tender.
While the carrots are baking, make the brown butter: In a saucepan on MED heat, add the butter to the pan and occasionally stir until you get browned bits on the bottom then remove from heat into a separate bowl to cool.
- You can refer to this more thorough guide for browning butter here.
When the carrots have cooked, add the sliced carrots into a blender (set aside the whole Dutch carrots for later). Pour the brown butter over the sliced carrots in the blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend on HIGH until you get a smooth purée. If the purée is too thick to blend, add 1 Tbsps of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
To plate: Spread the puréed brown butter carrots (from step 4) onto a plate, then place the cooked whole Dutch carrots over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

February 25, 2025December 24, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

How to make horseradish from scratch

Date Published: Jan 26th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 26th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: basics, how-to, <15 mins, easy, sauces, vegetarian
Serves: 1 jar | Prep time: 5 mins | Blend time: 1 minute

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I’m not a fan of horseradish, but recently I needed a small amount for a new recipe I was trying out and for whatever reason I couldn’t find any jarred horseradish at the bodegas near me. Surprisingly, I did manage to find fresh horseradish root instead. I’ve never used fresh horseradish before (I thought the shop worker was giving me a parsnip 😅), but a quick google search showed how easy it was to make my own prepared horseradish. So here I am, sharing another recipe with everyone on what I’ve learned and to document it incase I’m ever in the same situation again in the future. Preparing your own horseradish is actually super easy and you can tailor it to how spicy, mild, or salty you like. The best part is that it keeps in the fridge for months, which perfect if you go through a jar of horseradish super slowly like me.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and chop up the horseradish root.

2. Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup). Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.

3. Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Done!

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

Summarized Recipe:

How to make horseradish from scratch

Ingredients:

240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Wash, peel, and chop the horseradish root.
Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup).
- Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.
Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

January 26, 2025December 22, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Taiwanese Pickled Garlic Smashed Cucumber

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: asian, quick, easy, Taiwanese, vegetarian, sides, healthy, low cal
Serves: 1 large jar, about 6 portions as sides | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: marinate for 4 hours

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Pickled smashed cucumber is a common side dish in Taiwan that pairs well with almost anything. You can find it in pre-packed lunch boxes or in self-serve portions in small restaurants in the market. It cuts the grease and cleanses your palate. This mildly spicy and very garlicky version is super easy and you can make it in 5 minutes (after soaking the cucumbers in salt for 1 hour 🤫). You can serve it immediately, but it’s best served after marinating for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 large (450g/1lb) cucumbers
1 tsp kosher salt
Pickling liquid:
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar

Directions:

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and again crosswise. Use a large knife on its flat side to smash the cucumber until cracked then slice into bite sized pieces (see photo).

Place the smashed cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and mix in 1 tsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 1 hour at room temperature to allow excess water to be released. After 1 hour, discard the released cucumber water and rinse the salt off the cucumber. Set aside in a colander.

In a large glass jar (with a lid), add in the pickling liquid ingredients: garlic, chilli, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar. Put on the lid and shake until the sugar has dissolved. Add in the smashed cucumbers (from step 1), ensuring all the cucumber is submerged in the pickling liquid. Close the lid and let it marinate for at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight. Done! Keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week, best eaten within 3 days.

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Pickled Garlic Smashed Cucumber

Ingredients:

2 large (450g/1lb) cucumbers
1 tsp kosher salt
Pickling liquid:
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar

Directions:

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and again crosswise. Use a large knife on its flat side to smash the cucumber until cracked then slice into bite sized pieces (see photo). Place the smashed cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and mix in 1 tsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 1 hour at room temperature to allow excess water to be released. After 1 hour, discard the released cucumber water and rinse the salt off the cucumber. Set aside in a colander.
In a large glass jar (with a lid), add in the pickling liquid ingredients: garlic, chilli, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar. Put on the lid and shake until the sugar has dissolved. Add in the smashed cucumbers (from step 1), ensuring all the cucumber is submerged in the pickling liquid. Close the lid and let it marinate for at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight. Done! Keeps in the fridge for at least 2-3 days.

April 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Tomato Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Date Published: Feb 23rd, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 23rd, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <30 mins, vegetarian, healthy, snacks, low cal
Serves: 6 as a side | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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Spanakorizo is a traditional Greek spinach rice dish. I had never heard of it until I came upon it through my weekly foodie email subscriptions that I use for inspiration in things to cook for the week. The version that I saw was a lemony version with dill, mint, and crumbled feta (check out the recipe here), but upon further research I found a tomato version of it as well that looked just as good. Both dishes are called ‘Spanakorizo’ = spinach rice and when you google recipes for spanakorizo, you’ll get a mix of some with tomato and some without. After lots of recipe comparisons, I went with the saucy tomato version by Mia Kouppa and it was DELICIOUS and so easy! This recipe is a direct adaptation from hers (it’s perfect, I didn’t change much other than added some extra measurements of ingredients and rewrote some directions to suit my brain) – I’d recommend checking out her website with more photos and explanations to the history of the dish.

Tomato Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Lemon Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Both versions of spanakorizo are great, so if you’ve got the time you should definitely try making both. The lemon version is more dry like a regular rice pilaf and pairs nicely as a side dish, but this version is saucy and more flavourful which is great when eaten with toasted bread.

This recipe uses a LOT of spinach, which is perfect if you find yourself in abundance over the growing season. You can use regular mature spinach or baby spinach. It’s currently winter time in NYC and fresh mature spinach is hard to come by, so I bought the big box of baby spinach from Costco for this recipe – it’s actually the perfect amount!

This recipe does make quite a bit, so if you’re only cooking for 2-3 people, I’d recommend halving the recipe.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1/2 cup olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
450g (1 lb) of fresh spinach, chopped coarsely – I used the big box of baby spinach leaves from Costco, but if you’re using mature spinach, make sure to chop it into smaller pieces so you don’t get stringy cooked spinach in the end)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup (180g) medium grain rice, uncooked and rinsed
2 cups (500ml) tomato passata
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt + more to taste
Optional to serve: crumbled feta cheese, toasted bread

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED heat, heat a 1/2 cup olive oil then add in the spring onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Next, add in the spinach, parsley, and rice. If the pot is overflowing with the spinach, stir the spinach into the olive oil in small batches and let it wilt before adding more.

Pour in the tomato passata, chicken stock, and salt. Let it come to a boil then turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes with the lid on until the rice is cooked.

Done! Serve as a side dish or on its own family-style with toasted bread. Optional to sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese over.

Summarized Recipe:

Tomato Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
450g (1 lb) of fresh spinach, chopped coarsely – I used the big box of baby spinach leaves from Costco, but if you’re using mature spinach, make sure to chop it into smaller pieces so you don’t get stringy cooked spinach in the end)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup (180g) medium grain rice, uncooked and rinsed
2 cups tomato passata
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt + more to taste
Optional to serve: crumbled feta cheese, toasted bread

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED heat, heat a 1/2 cup olive oil then add in the spring onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Next, add in the spinach, parsley, and rice. If the pot is overflowing with the spinach, stir the spinach into the olive oil in small batches and let it wilt before adding more.
Pour in the tomato passata, chicken stock, and salt. Let it come to a boil then turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes with the lid on until the rice is cooked. Done! Serve as a side dish or on its own family-style with toasted bread. Optional to sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese over.

February 23, 2024February 23, 2024

Abby1 Comment

Lemon Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Date Published: Feb 23rd, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 23rd, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: sides, easy, healthy, low cal, vegetarian
Serves: 6 as a side | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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Spanakorizo is a traditional Greek spinach rice dish that is lemony and savoury with hints of salt from the feta crumbled on top. It’s flavourful enough on its own, but would pair well with a fish or pork roast. Alternatively, you can mix in some shredded rotisserie chicken and make it a complete meal!

I discovered this dish through my weekly email subscriptions of a foodie website and as soon I saw it, I knew I had to make it. I researched a few different recipes and most of them were very similar with a few differing factors, so I combined a couple of different recipes based on their reader reviews and came up with this one! (Through my research I also learned of a tomato version of a spanakorizo that looked just as good – you can check out the recipe here).

Tomato Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Lemon Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

This recipe does make quite a bit, so if you’re only cooking for 2-3 people, I’d recommend halving the recipe.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced small
1.5 cups (290g) medium-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup packed (23g) fresh dill leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup packed (20g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
450g (1 lb) of fresh spinach, chopped coarsely – I used the big box of baby spinach leaves from Costco, but if you’re using mature spinach, make sure to chop it into smaller pieces so you don’t get stringy cooked spinach in the end
2.25 cups (560ml) chicken or vegetable stock, or more as needed
1/3 cup feta cheese, or more for sprinkling

Directions:

Remove lemon zest in large wide strips using a peeler or paring knife. Set aside.

In a large pot on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the garlic and onion together until the onions are soft.

Next, add in the rice, lemon zest (from step 1), dill, mint, salt and pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds, then add in the spinach and chicken broth. It will seem like a LOT of spinach at this stage, but continue to stir it through and the spinach will wilt down. Once the spinach has all wilted, let the liquid come to a boil them simmer on LOW heat for 25 minutes with the lid on.

After 25 minutes, take off the lid and stir it around. Taste and if the rice is a bit under, add a splash of chicken broth and cook a little longer with the lid on until cooked. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and use a fork to fluff up the rice. Remove the pieces of lemon zest and let the rice sit without the lid for 5 mins to absorb any remaining liquids. Drizzle a bit of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of feta cheese over before serving. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Lemon Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Ingredients:

1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced small
1.5 cups (290g) medium-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup packed (23g) fresh dill leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup packed (20g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
450g (1 lb) of fresh spinach, chopped coarsely – I used the big box of baby spinach leaves from Costco, but if you’re using mature spinach, make sure to chop it into smaller pieces so you don’t get stringy cooked spinach in the end
2.25 cups (560ml) chicken or vegetable stock, or more as needed
1/3 cup feta cheese, or more for sprinkling

Directions:

Remove lemon zest in large wide strips using a peeler or paring knife. Set aside.
In a large pot on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the garlic and onion together until the onions are soft.
Next, add in the rice, lemon zest (from step 1), dill, mint, salt and pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds, then add in the spinach and chicken broth. It will seem like a LOT of spinach at this stage, but continue to stir it through and the spinach will wilt down. Once the spinach has all wilted, let the liquid come to a boil them simmer on LOW heat for 25 minutes with the lid on. After 25 minutes, take off the lid and stir it around. Taste and if the rice is a bit under, add a splash of chicken broth and cook a little longer with the lid on until cooked.
When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and use a fork to fluff up the rice. Remove the pieces of lemon zest and let the rice sit without the lid for 5 mins to absorb any remaining liquids. Drizzle a bit of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of feta cheese over before serving. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Enjoy!

February 23, 2024February 23, 2024

Abby1 Comment