Easy Creamy Coleslaw (2024)

I can’t get enough of this creamy coleslaw. This easy recipe is officially my all-time favorite and the creamy dressing is so delicious. Trust me, you’ll love this homemade coleslaw recipe!

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My favorite coleslaw is incredibly crunchy and tangy, with the most delicious creamy dressing. I love the dressing so much that I also use it on my broccoli slaw!

This slaw is fantastic, served with our pulled pork or served next to these amazing ribs. It’s also the perfect complement to other summery sides like our potato salad, corn salad, and pasta salad.

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Key Ingredients

  • Cabbage:I love using red and green cabbage (it looks so pretty), but you can use just one variety. Green, red, savoy, or Napa cabbage all work wonderfully. I’ve also used broccoli to make this recipe. See our broccoli slaw to see how I do it. If you’re short on time, try using a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix.
  • Carrots:Adds color, a little sweetness, and flavor. I use a box grater to shred my carrots, but you can also buy them pre-shredded if that is easier.
  • Parsley:Adds color and fresh flavor.
  • Homemade coleslaw dressing:Made with mayonnaise (try homemade mayo), vinegar, mustard, and celery seeds. For a vinegar-based dressing, see our mayo-free coleslaw.

How to Make the Best Coleslaw

I start with a head of cabbage. To prepare cabbage for coleslaw, remove any damaged outer leaves and cut the head into quarters. This will make it easier to slice the core at an angle.

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Then, create the perfect coleslaw shreds by slicing the cabbage thinly (I cut cabbage the same way when making our homemade sauerkraut). Remember, you can combine red and green cabbage (like in our photos). This means you will have some leftover, but you can use it to make my favorite roasted cabbage or our bacon fried cabbage (yum).

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I grate a few carrots, and chop fresh parsley (I love the extra pop of color they add), then toss everything with my favorite creamy coleslaw dressing. I’ve tried many coleslaw recipes, and this is the best creamy coleslaw dressing. It’s the perfect blend of creamy, zesty, and fresh.

To make my favorite coleslaw dressing, stir mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and celery seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and add it to your cabbage. I don’t add sugar to my coleslaw dressing, butif you prefer a sweeter dressing, feel free to add a teaspoon or two of sugar or honey.

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After tossing the veggies with the dressing, you can serve the coleslaw straight away or slide it into the fridge for an hour, which helps the flavors meld a bit.

What to Serve with Coleslaw

Serve this coleslaw with just about anything. It’s perfect for summer cookouts. I love it with burgers, turkey burgers, pork ribs, and grilled chicken. It’s also excellent served on top of sandwiches. Try this pulled pork sandwich or BBQ chicken sandwich. I also love it served next to crab cakes and lobster rolls!

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Easy Creamy Coleslaw Recipe

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Here’s how I make my favorite creamy coleslaw! The dressing is super simple but so delicious. I don’t add sugar to the dressing and love it without. To make this a sweeter coleslaw, add a teaspoon or two of sugar (or honey) to the dressing before mixing with the cabbage and carrots.

Makes approximately 10 servings

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

1 medium cabbage, about 2 pounds, outer leaves removed

3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1 cup (225g) mayonnaise, try homemade mayonnaise

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or coarse ground mustard

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar or honey, optional, add for a sweeter coleslaw

Directions

    1Quarter the cabbage through the core, and then cut out the core. Cut each quarter crosswise in half and finely shred. Place the shredded cabbage in a very large bowl (you will have 6 to 8cups).

    2Add the shredded carrot and parsley to the cabbage and toss to mix.

    3In a separate bowl, stir the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, celery seeds, salt, and pepper together. Taste for acidity and seasoning, then adjust as desired. If the dressing tastes too tart and you prefer a sweeter coleslaw, stir in the optional sugar.

    4Pour two-thirds of the dressing over the cabbage and carrot, then mix well. (Clean hands are the quickest tool).

    5If the coleslaw seems dry, add a little more of the dressing. Eat immediately or let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the flavors mingle and the cabbage softens.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

  • Cabbage: Use green, red, savoy, or Napa cabbage. For a multi-colored or multi-textured coleslaw, use a combination of two varieties.
  • Store-bought bagged coleslaw mix: You can buy pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix. 1 large (16-ounce) bag should do the trick.
  • Storing: Coleslaw keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Past that, the cabbage becomes floppy and less crunchy.
  • Make ahead: Shred veggies a day or two in advance and keep them in a resealable bag in the fridge. Make the dressing up to 2 weeks in advance. Combine the cabbage, carrots, and dressing the night before or the day of serving.
  • Leftover dressing: This can be used as a spread for sandwiches, dip for vegetables, served alongside the coleslaw, or with grilled or roasted vegetables, chicken, or meats.
  • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have omitted salt and sugar.

Nutrition Per Serving Calories 183 / Protein 2 g / Carbohydrate 7 g / Dietary Fiber 3 g / Total Sugars 4 g / Total Fat 17 g / Saturated Fat 3 g / Cholesterol 9 mg

AUTHOR: Adam and Joanne Gallagher

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Easy Creamy Coleslaw (2024)

FAQs

What is creamy coleslaw made of mayonnaise? ›

Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, celery seed, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth! Then, combine the veggies. Add the scallions, red cabbage, green cabbage, and carrot to a large bowl, and toss to combine.

Why is KFC coleslaw so good? ›

Fresh ingredients are key to a good slaw, and KFC does alright for a fast food restaurant. You won't find any wilted cabbage pieces, and the carrots are nice and hard as well. What's more, KFC finely dices everything so you don't have to chew that much, and all the flavors and textures blend perfectly.

What is the dressing made of in coleslaw? ›

What Is Coleslaw Dressing Made Of? This creamy, mayo-based dressing uses ingredients you likely have on hand: sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, and of course, mayonnaise. The resulting dressing is just the right balance of sweet, tangy, creamy, and peppery!

How to stop homemade coleslaw from going watery? ›

Salting the cabbage should be step one of any coleslaw recipe. With the shredded cabbage in a colander, mix in a tablespoon of salt per head of cabbage till it's evenly distributed. The salt will draw out excess water from cabbage while helping preserve the crispiness.

Can you use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar in coleslaw? ›

Distilled white vinegar is a great substitute for apple cider vinegar. Lemon Juice. I don't recommend making a substitution for the lemon juice.

What brand mayo is best for coleslaw? ›

Best for Salads: Duke's

Snag a jar of Duke's Mayonnaise. Duke's has a thick, creamy texture which is perfect for bringing the ingredients of a salad together. Plus, its tangy flavor is sure to add a bit of personality to your recipe, whether it's a curry egg salad, dill-filled potato salad or a crunchy chicken salad.

Why did KFC stop selling coleslaw? ›

The fast food chain was forced to stop selling its coleslaw tubs when a supply issue meant the slaw would have to be served up without the dressing. “We are currently experiencing a supply issue with our KFC coleslaw dressing,” a KFC spokesperson said. The slaw is made up of cabbage and carrots coated in mayonnaise.

What is the unhealthiest thing at KFC? ›

Worst: Extra Crispy

Here's where "crispy" is a code word for "steer clear." The extra crispy recipe is by far the least healthful of KFC's chicken options. A single breast will set you back 530 calories, 35 grams of fat, and 6 grams of saturated fat.

Is coleslaw healthy or unhealthy Why? ›

Improves Gut Health

Coleslaw salad is rich in fiber because of the presence of raw cabbage. The RDA of fiber for an adult is 30g per day. It can become challenging to consume this much amount of fiber per day. However, 120 g portion of cabbage is sufficient to meet 10% of daily fiber needs.

What is the difference between cabbage slaw and coleslaw? ›

Texture. Coleslaw is traditionally made with finely shredded cabbage, resulting in a softer and more delicate texture. Slaw, on the other hand, can have varying textures depending on the vegetables used and how they are prepared (e.g., shredded, grated, or julienned).

What is traditional coleslaw made of? ›

What is traditional coleslaw made of? Traditional coleslaw is little more than shredded cabbage and a creamy dressing. This recipe adds a bit more flavor with shredded carrots and onion. The creamy dressing is made with mayonnaise, sugar, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper, for a just right tangy-sweet flavor.

What is Amish coleslaw made of? ›

CABBAGE, MAYONNAISE (SOYBEAN OIL, EGG YOLKS [EGG YOLKS, SALT], HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WHITE DISTILLED VINEGAR, MUSTARD [WATER, DISTILLED VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, SPICES], WATER, SALT), FRUCTOSE, SUGAR, CARROTS, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, GLUCONO DELTA LACTONE, PEA FIBER, ERYTHORBIC ACID (TO ...

What can I add to store bought coleslaw to make it taste better? ›

<br/><br/>Adding horse radish or onion or celery seeds or bacon bits or some other tasty flavors to make it your own is a really good idea.

What makes coleslaw go bad? ›

And that's true, perishable food does need to be refrigerated. However, it's actually not the mayo that makes coleslaw exceptionally susceptible to spoilage at warmer temperatures — it's the cabbage. In the realm of food safety, most vegetables (cabbage included) are known as low-acid foods.

How long will creamy coleslaw keep in the refrigerator? ›

When stored properly, coleslaw will stay fresh in the fridge for up to five days. Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, preferably pressed toward the very back. If you see signs of spoilage such as a sour or off smell or visible mold, discard the mixture immediately.

What's the difference between mayonnaise and Cool Whip? ›

It comes down to a few different ingredients and taste. Mayonnaise is made of oil, eggs, and vinegar (or lemon juice). Miracle Whip has the same basic ingredients but with less oil, and the addition of water, sugar, and spices like mustard, paprika, and garlic.

What is the process of blending ingredients to make a mayonnaise creamy called? ›

Mayonnaise is the mixture of two immiscible liquids: egg yolks and oil. Emulsification is the process of combining two immiscible liquids such as water and oil (two liquids that are well known for not mixing) wherein oil is in one phase (dispersed), and water is in a dispersion medium.

What is creamy salad dressing made of? ›

Start with a base: Most creamy dressings contain mayo, sour cream, and/or yogurt, with a 50-50 ratio. For example, 2 tablespoons mayo + 2 tablespoons sour cream. For a lighter version, you can use all yogurt, but I like to use some mayo for the richness it adds.

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