This Burger Topping Adds The Right Amount Of Crunch And Creaminess

Select a delectable burger topping, and you can lend the dish a complex flavor combo in one go. Options include incorporating a crispy and salty texture via tater tots  or a dash of tangy and spicy flavors using kimchi. Looking for the perfect dose of crunch and creaminess? Throw some coleslaw onto a beef patty. It's a burger condiment favored in a handful of regions, like North Carolina – where coleslaw famously accompanies barbecue – as well as in the Dominican Republic's beloved Chimi burger. Nevertheless, coleslaw remains an underappreciated accompaniment, not often spotted on menus nationwide.

Whether store-bought or crafted using an easy coleslaw recipe, the salad achieves a delicate balance of imbuing moisture yet not functioning as a sauce. Garnished when fresh, you'll enhance your burger with vegetal crispiness, echoing classic toppings such as tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. Not to mention, coleslaw can be flavored with an added dimension, whether turned extra-tangy using vinegar, spicy with mustard and hot sauce, or sweet via honey. The condiment presents a versatile canvas of flavors that dependably add a zing to your burger bite.

Top a burger with an old-school mayo-dressed coleslaw, and you'll get a sense of the creamy-crunchy magic. Yet with so many unique ingredients to add to coleslaw, don't forget to explore other ways to employ the condiment. To start, consider using the salad as a vessel for beloved burger sauces, contained in a fresh and crunchy form. Craft a ranch-flavored slaw with buttermilk, sour cream, and seasonings — or simply squeeze some barbecue sauce into the mayo for a sweet-smoky touch. Whether a dash of chipotle pepper or even chopped strawberries, coleslaw can imbue flavors onto a burger without proclaiming them as a front-and-center topping.

Don't underrate the textural possibilities of coleslaw, too. In addition to the foundational cabbage, ingredients like carrots, apples, cucumbers, celery, kohlrabi, and bell peppers can land on a burger in a coleslaw template. Increase the mayo quantity to tease burger sauce territory, or keep it on the dry side to let the vegetables shine. Alternatively, consider adding a sprinkle of ingredients like dried fruit, nuts, or bacon bits for more of a crunch. Coleslaw opens to a wide array of elements that don't often end up on a burger, all contained in a comforting creamy form.