This coleslaw salad recipe combines fresh vegetables with a homemade dressing. Make it today for a healthy side dish or to take to a potluck!
If you like this coleslaw recipe, try my Broccoli Kale Slaw, Cabbage Salad and Chicken Cabbage Salad. It’s a healthier version of a classic broccoli slaw, and it’s Whole30 and sugar-free.

A homemade coleslaw recipe is an easy way to get your daily servings of vegetables year-round. It’s light, refreshing, made with basic ingredients, and can be served alongside a variety of meals.
You’ll absolutely adore this recipe! It’s my favorite because it’s incredibly crunchy and tangy, with an irresistibly creamy dressing. This coleslaw is the perfect match for other summer sides like broccoli salad, egg salad, potato salad, corn salad, and pasta salad.
Plus, the longer this salad sits, the better the flavors get. That makes it a great make-ahead dish for barbecues or meal prep.
How to slice cabbage for coleslaw
First, remove any tough or damaged outer leaves. Then, rinse and dry the cabbage or use a salad spinner after it’s been sliced.
Slicing by hand:
- Use a sharp knife to cut the cabbage in half through the stem, then again to make quarters.
- Hold the bottom of each quarter against a cutting board and cut at an angle to remove the stem.
- Lay one quarter on its side and slice across it widthwise to make thin shreds. For longer pieces, cut lengthwise.
- Repeat with each quarter until the whole cabbage has been sliced.
Using a mandolin:
- Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the stem as instructed above.
- Adjust the blade on the mandolin to the correct thickness, then run the cabbage over the blade with one of the flat sides facing down.
- Continue with the remaining quarters. Be careful not to cut your fingers as you get to the end of the wedge, and you may need to finish those with a knife.
Got extra shredded vegetables for coleslaw? Use it in this Salmon Burgers with Avocado Coleslaw.

Ingredients & Substitutions
Green and red cabbage: If you can’t find white cabbage, regular green cabbage will work as well. You can also buy the store-bought coleslaw mix.
Large carrot: They are great for this salad but you can also add other vegetables like sliced spicy peppers to give this a kick of heat or thinly sliced kale or jicama.
Mayonnaise: I love using my homemade mayo. You can also use half mayo and half Greek yogurt, plus a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Don’t add yogurt, if you want to make it dairy free.
Apple cider vinegar: It adds a fresh zesty taste to the coleslaw salad. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, use lemon juice.
Honey: If you’re not a fan of honey, you can use maple syrup instead.
Kosher salt and pepper
Celery seed
Note: Try adding slivered almonds, chopped apple, and raisins or other dried fruit. You can add some mixed seeds to the recipe such as sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds as well.

Instructions to Make coleslaw salad recipe
Mix the dressing
Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar (or a small bowl) and shake well to combine.
You can also whisk the coleslaw dressing in a bowl if that’s easier.

Prep the vegetables
Slice the cabbage and green onions, then peel and shred the carrot.
Add the cabbage and carrots to a large bowl and mix until well combined.

Finish and serve
Then, pour the creamy homemade dressing over the bowl and toss to coat. You can also mix in some shredded chicken or grilled shrimp to turn this into a full meal. If you love fresh herbs, add a little bit of chopped parsley or dill.
You can serve it immediately, but it’s best if you let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This way the vegetables can soak in the dressing and all of the flavors will combine.
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
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- If you’re in a rush, you can purchase bags of pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix.
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- Keep in mind that thinly sliced vegetables like the ones in this easy coleslaw salad recipe mean they’ll break down easier and get soggy quickly when the dressing is added. If you’d like for the salad to last longer, you can cut the vegetables a bit thicker.

How To Store Leftovers
If you keep the coleslaw salad recipe for too long in the fridge, it will become soggy. If you want to keep this longer than 3 days, I recommend storing the dressing and cabbage separately until ready to eat.
Cabbage does not freeze well so I do not recommend freezing any extra coleslaw you may have.
Serving Ideas
This classic coleslaw recipe is a great side dish for anything from a BBQ to a picnic. It goes great with sandwiches and pulled pork. Some of my favourite main dishes to serve with this easy coleslaw recipe are my pork chops, Carnitas, Oven Baked Ribs Recipe and Steak.
How to Select Cabbage
Here are some tips on how to pick the perfect cabbage. There’s nothing worse than buying cabbage and finding that the inside is bad once you cut it open!
- tight, compact heads without a ton of loose leaves
- feels heavy for their size
- look crisp and fresh
- have bright colour to them
- avoid any with brown or soft spots
How to Store Cabbage
Store the cabbage whole until ready to use. If you’ve cut it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and use it within two days.
Be sure to store the cabbage in the crisper of your fridge, wrapped in plastic or the bag it has come in. Leaving the cabbage unwrapped will allow it to dry up. You can keep a whole wrapped head of cabbage in the crisper drawer for about two weeks!
Watch the Web Stories HERE.
More Cabbage Recipes:
- Cabbage Steak Recipe
- Cabbage and Sausage Stew
- Spicy Chicken with Sauteed Cabbage Bowls
- Broiled Salmon with Cabbage
- Sautéed Cabbage

Coleslaw Salad Recipe
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Video
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1/2 head small green cabbage thinly sliced
- 1/2 small head red cabbage thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots grated on the large holes of a box grater
For the Dressing
- ¾ cup homemade mayo
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
FOR THE DRESSING
- Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar. Close with the lid and shake well.
FOR THE SALAD
- Place all green cabbage, red cabbage and carrot in a large bowl and mix well. Pour the dressing and mix well to evenly coat everything.
- Serve immediately or place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Tips
- You can buy cabbage pre-shred to save time.
- Look for cabbages that are tight, compact heads without a ton of loose leaves.
- Add a jalapeño pepper to increase the heat of the salad.
- To store: Avoid keeping the coleslaw salad for longer than 3 days as it’ll become soggy.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Gail Sampson says
Looks really delicious and very healthy going to make it love to cook
Olivia says
I hope you enjoy it.
Avril Plants says
Your post is really informative and extensive, thanks!
Olivia says
Thanks!