This easy 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 Super Easy Brocolli Kale Slaw, Quick Easy Cabbage Salad and Chicken Cabbage Salad. It’s a healthier version of a classic broccoli slaw, and it’s Whole30 and sugar-free.
Homemade coleslaw is an easy way to get your daily servings of vegetables year-round. It’s light, refreshing, and can be served alongside a variety of meals.
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.
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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 Low-Carb Salmon Burgers with Avocado Coleslaw.
How to make this easy coleslaw salad recipe
Simply slice and shred the vegetables, then toss with a creamy homemade dressing. It only takes about 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- White cabbage, thinly sliced
- Red cabbage, thinly sliced. Got extra? Try making my Chopped Red Cabbage Kale Salad or my One-Pan Chicken and Cabbage.
- Large carrot, peeled and shredded
- Green onions, thinly sliced
Homemade dressing
- Mayonaisse, preferably homemade
- Apple cider vinegar, adds a fresh zesty taste to the colesaw salad.
- Honey, if you’re not a fan of honey, you can use maple syrup instead.
- Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix the dressing
Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake well to combine.
You can also whisk everything together 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 dressing over the bowl and toss to coat. Top with green onions.
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.
Recipe notes
- Cabbage substitute – If you can’t find white cabbage, regular green cabbage will work as well.
- Storage – Keep covered in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.
- More texture – 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.
- Add protein – Mix in some shredded chicken or grilled shrimp to turn this into a full meal.
Recipe Tips
- If you keep the coleslaw 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.
- If you’re in a rush, you can purchase bags of pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix.
- Other vegetables you can add to this coleslaw are sliced spicy peppers, like jalapeños to give this a kick of heat or thinly sliced kale or jicama.
- Keep in mind that thinly sliced vegetables like the ones in this easy coleslaw 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.
Serving Ideas
Coleslaw is a great side dish for anything from a BBQ to a picnic. Some of my favourite main dishes to serve with this easy coleslaw recipe are my Carnitas, Ribs, and Steak but they go with pretty much anything!
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!
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More Cabbage Recipes:
- Cabbage Steak Recipe
- Cabbage and Sausage Stew
- Spicy Chicken with Sauteed Cabbage and Zucchini Bowls
- Broiled Salmon with Cabbage and Green Beans (Meal-Prep)
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Easy Coleslaw Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups white cabbage thinly sliced
- 3 cups red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 big carrot peeled and shredded
- 2 green onions root end removed and sliced thin
For the Dressing
- ¾ cup homemade mayo
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt and pepper
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 white cabbage, red cabbage and carrot in a large bowl and mix well. Pour the dressing and mix well to evenly coat everything.
- Top the salad with chopped green onions. 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.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
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