Creamy Coleslaw Recipe

This Creamy Coleslaw Recipe is the quintessential side dish to any backyard barbecue. A simple combination of cabbage, carrots, onions, and the most delicious creamy dressing – makes this the salad you’ll come back to again and again!

If you love coleslaw, you’ll also love my Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad and my Cruciferous Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing. All of these have different flavor profiles, but so delicious!

The BEST Coleslaw

While it’s easy to buy a container of coleslaw at the grocery store these days, making your own is SO much better. YOU get to control what goes in the salad, so adding a little of this and subtracting a little of that is up to you.

This coleslaw is ALL the things:

• Creamy – That mayo based dressing is creamy and delish!
• Crunchy – The cabbage stays pretty crunchy, even after a few hours (or more) in the refrigerator.
• Tangy – Apple Cider vinegar provides the perfect zip for the dressing. One of my favs!
• Slightly Sweet – There is a tad bit of sugar, but it’s the perfect balance to all the other flavors. Not too sweet…but just sweet enough!

Ingredients and ways to adapt:

• Cabbage – Use whatever variety of cabbage mix you prefer. Choose from green, red, Napa, an easy packaged mixture (without dressing!) etc.
• Onion – You could use red or green onions, or if you prefer the stronger stuff, go with white!
• Mayo – I prefer a mayonnaise made with olive oil, but any mayo works. Stay away from the fat-free super light kind though.
• Sugar – I used just three tablespoons of sugar. If you like your coleslaw on the sweeter side, use more.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – This is my favorite vinegar for coleslaw, but lots of folks use a regular distilled vinegar as well. Either works well.
• Spices – I used celery seed, ground mustard, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. You could add or subtract spices according to what you like best. Experiment a little and let me know what works for you!

How to make the BEST creamy coleslaw:

1. Prep veggies. Add the cabbage mixture to a large serving bowl. If using a whole cabbage, slice it in thin strips.
2. Make dressing. In a mixing bowl, combine the dressing ingredients – the grated onion, mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and seasonings (celery seed, ground mustard, salt, and pepper). Whisk to combine.
3. Add dressing to cabbage. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss.
4. Serve. You can serve immediately, but I recommend letting the coleslaw sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving. The flavors will meld together!

How to serve this coleslaw:

• On a sandwich – There is nothing better than adding a scoop of coleslaw to a pulled pork sandwich. Am I right? WITH some homemade barbecue sauce, of course!
• With a main dish – Serve a scoop of creamy coleslaw with some Stuffed Flank Steak, a couple of big Juicy Lucy Burgers, or alongside a Smoked Spatchcock Chicken (with Blackened Seasoning)!
• As a salad trio – Just like in a restaurant, you could serve coleslaw with a couple of other salads. Give my Healthy Broccoli Salad and my Best Italian Chopped Salad a go!

Favorite potluck dishes:

Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)

• Global 7-inch Knife
• Glass Mixing Bowls