The Best Classic Coleslaw Recipe

When you have the best coleslaw recipe as your side dish, everything just tastes better! What’s a staple at BBQs, potlucks, birthday parties, and all sorts of celebrations? A creamy classic coleslaw recipe with mayo and vinegar dressing is one of the foods that often gets invited out!

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5 from 1 vote

When you have the best classic coleslaw recipe as the side dish, everything just tastes better. Today I’m sharing one of my favorite slaw recipes. 

Serve it alongside other side dishes such scalloped potatoes and this elbow macaroni salad for a great summer entertaining ideas. 

Classic Coleslaw Recipe:

What’s a staple at BBQs, potlucks, birthday parties, and all sorts of celebrations? A creamy classic coleslaw recipe with mayo and vinegar dressing is one of the foods that often gets invited out.

But don’t reserve coleslaw just for entertaining. Family dinners—especially those featuring specialties like beer marinated chicken or pulled pork—are enhanced with a simple homemade coleslaw recipe.

Although coleslaw offers a nuanced flavor, there’s nothing exotic about it.

Salad ingredients like cabbage, carrots, and green onions are easy to grow in your own garden but they’re even easier to find at your local grocery store.

You’ll often find signature coleslaw recipes at places like Chick-fil-a, KFC, and Jamie Oliver. For good reason: all generations enjoy the sweet-sour taste and it pairs well with anything you serve it with.

Ingredients Needed to Make Coleslaw:

• 1 bag coleslaw mix
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 chopped green onions

If the cool creaminess, crunchy texture, and tangy flavor of slaw doesn’t entice you to add it to your recipe repertoire, the beneficial perks of cabbage will certainly grab your attention.

You might call this “Ode to a Cabbage”. The humble cabbage is a treasure trove of good-for-you nutrition.

It’s rich in several phytonutrients and vitamins like A, C, and K (it’s actually richer in Vitamin C than oranges). And cabbage is high in fiber but low in calories.

Making your own Cabbage Salad mix:

The very easiest way to make coleslaw is to use bags of already shredded cabbage, carrots, or coleslaw mix.

Typically, you’ll find a bit of purple cabbage mixed in with the green cabbage and a few shredded carrots in coleslaw mix so it’s already exhibiting a bit of colorful personality.

You can also shred your own cabbage and carrots. Use a mandoline, or a food processor’s grating attachment makes quick work of the job, but a sharp knife and a few moments will also yield fresh ingredients.

FYI, one small head of cabbage yields about two cups of slaw.

HOW DO YOU MAKE COLESLAW?

My favorite coleslaw dressing is simple—which might be why it’s my favorite! Simply whisk mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, and sugar together. I also like to add chopped parsley and onions for an extra flavor kick.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage and carrot mix. Pop it into the fridge to chill for a bit (about an hour) because slaw tastes much better when the cabbage has time to marinate in the dressing.

Just don’t leave it in there too long if you want to retain the fresh crunch.

How to Store

Coleslaw is one of those recipes that keeps well in the fridge for a couple days if you store the cabbage and carrots undressed.

Pour dressing over the slaw about an hour before you want to serve it to retain that fresh, crunchy taste.

Variations on this Recipe:

Want to go beyond the classic? Substitute buttermilk or sour cream for about half the amount of mayo in my recipe.

Lemon juice can be used instead of vinegar, and it dials down the tang a little.

Swap out sugar and use honey and a little ginger. Spice it up with a teaspoon of mustard or horseradish cream.

You can also toss in a sprinkle of celery seed or sunflower seed. Finely chopped celery and bell peppers add interesting diversions, too.

I love the tang of a good coleslaw and this is one of the best mixed salads I’ve tasted! But whatever recipe you choose to serve it with, coleslaw makes everything taste better.

More Side Dishes You’ll Love:

• Caesar Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad
• Mexican Layered Salad
• Chinese Chicken Salad
• Green Bean Casserole
• Easy Veggie Casserole <- Reader Favorite!
• Ambrosia Salad
• Pistachio Pudding Salad
• Sauteed Vegetables
• Dirty Rice
• Instant Pot Brown Rice

Classic Coleslaw Recipe

When you have the best coleslaw recipe as your side dish, everything just tastes better! What’s a staple at BBQs, potlucks, birthday parties, and all sorts of celebrations? A creamy classic coleslaw recipe with mayo and vinegar dressing is one of the foods that often gets invited out!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: coleslaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 127kcal

Ingredients

• 1 bag coleslaw mix 10 ounce
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 chopped green onions

Instructions

• In a large bowl, toss the coleslaw mix with shredded carrots.
  
• In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar, parsley and green onions.
  
• Toss dressing with mix and refrigerate until serving.
  

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcal

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