You can’t go through summer without making at least one batch of coleslaw. Be it for a family barbecue or a weekday dinner, this all-American salad is like a bowl of edible confetti that would brighten up any meal.

This recipe came from my sister-in-law Jillian who came to spend a few days with us last week. I made a few twists to call it my own. The result is a tangy and sweet salad perfect for the hot weather.

I used a blend of pretty conventional vegetables for this salad–green cabbage, purple cabbage and carrots. I like the color and the crunch from these vegetables. Sometimes I like to add Granny Smith apples or jicama to give it some tartness. I’ve seen other recipes that add grated onions, diced pineapples, chopped raisins or caraway seeds to the blend.

Some people like to use a grater or food processor to shred the cabbages. I find the results a bit too fine for my taste. I like to slice cabbage with my knife, giving it a bit more body and texture. I do use a grater for the carrots though. I like the tiny specks of orange that disperse throughout the slaw.

I had my coleslaw with some veggie burgers. I like to put it in my vegetarian sloppy joe sandwiches sometimes. You can pair it with everything from fried chicken to hot dogs. For how little work it takes, this is a truly versatile dish.