This Cheese Slaw Recipe Will Impress Everyone—Even Grandma

In my mountain hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, the mark of a good dinner party in the height of summer is a generous offering of chilled cheese slaw. It’s the fun, funky cousin of pimiento cheese and a go-to party pleaser for good reason.

Mild, nutty Swiss cheese carries tons of flavor—think creamy, tangy coleslaw without cabbage and instead, lots and lots of cheese. I remember eating cheese slaw scooped up with corn chips and fresh cracked black pepper. Top it with olives or chopped scallions and serve it with yeast rolls, veggies, or your favorite crackers.

When I lived in New York City, feeling very far away from my Virginia home for the first time, I was comforted to read a story by the writer Grace Paley describing the magic of a lively dinner party. “The younger people with the ache of youth were eating all the cheese,” she writes, instantly transporting me back to the sticky summer dinner parties of my own childhood where I definitely ate more than my fair share of cheese slaw. I remember feeling a bit homesick, subconsciously dishing up cheese slaw as a host whenever I could—banana peppers, after all, were easier to find in Brooklyn than pimientos, and it was always a hit.

Until recently, I thought cheese slaw was a common thing across the South, just like pimiento cheese or corn dip. But I was surprised to discover that it is unique to the Roanoke Valley in Virginia, where many grocers like Crystal Spring Grocery sell prepared versions and local restaurants like Fork in the Market serve up cheese slaw as a topping for burgers, hot dogs, and salads.

The original dish can be traced to caterer Lib Wilhelm whose recipe is featured in the Roanoke Junior League cookbook “Oh My Stars! Recipes That Shine” published in 2000. The rest is history, and to this day, the dish remains popular at local parties and occasions. Now I live in Birmingham, Alabama, and I was surprised to discover that cheese slaw is just as much a novelty as it was when I lived in New York. I’ll serve it with pride no matter where I am, and as far as eating all the cheese goes, I’m much more disciplined.

What Is the Origin of Cheese Slaw?

The recipe can be traced to Roanoke, Virginia, where Lib Wilhelm’s famous Cheese Slaw appeared in the local Junior League Cookbook “Oh My Stars! Recipes That Shine.” According to Wilhelm’s daughter-in-law in an article for the Roanoker magazine, Lib was a lover of Duke's Mayonnaise but opted instead for Miracle Whip when she made it herself. Many Roanokers remember Lib serving her slaw in a hollowed out cabbage with corn chips—we'll have to try that, too!

Ingredients for Cheese Slaw

Just like pimiento cheese, the essential ingredients of cheese slaw are shredded cheese and mayo (sound familiar?) but proper cheese slaw swaps chopped pimentos for banana peppers for a distinctive, tangy crunch.

• Swiss cheese: We recommend a mild, firm cheese like Swiss because it delicately balances strong flavors of pickled peppers, jalapeño chiles, and fresh scallions. Similar cheeses like Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese are also good options.
• Mayonnaise: We recommend Duke’s for that classic tang that compliments the flavors of this recipe, but any mayonnaise will do. 
• Banana peppers: Banana peppers are an essential ingredient and aren’t so much spicy as they are tangy. While they’re notoriously sharp and and vinegary, a generous portion of mayonnaise and mild cheese brings out a subtle, juicy sweetness. 
• Scallions: Chopped yellow or white onions are a suitable substitute, but we recommend scallions for a peppery onion aroma and the pop of green color.
• Jalapeños: Fresh jalapeño chiles are chopped—not sliced—to fully incorporate into the creamy mixture and bump up the heat.
  

Editorial contributions by Catherine Jessee.