This easy Mexican Coleslaw is all of your favourite Mexican flavours mixed into a healthier and lighter coleslaw. Shredded cabbage, carrots and onion in a creamy yogurt based dressing with cumin, chilli and paprika. Add it to tacos, burgers, salads and sandwiches. Coleslaw just got even better!
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Coleslaw is a must at any BBQ or picnic, but the same classic coleslaw can get a little boring. Why not mix it up with this spicy and zesty Mexican inspired version that will be sure to wow your guests.
A delicious side dish that can be thrown together in under 5 minutes and it has even been given a healthy twist.
If you are looking for more slaw recipes, take a look at our Greek Yogurt Coleslaw, Best Homemade Coleslaw, Broccoli Slaw or Vegan Coleslaw.
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Why You Will Love It
- Ready in 5 minutes
- Easy to adapt
- Much healthier than regular coleslaw
- Goes with lots of different meals
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Cabbage - We used white cabbage in this recipe, but there is no reason why you couldn't use red cabbage for a pop of colour, or use a mixture of the two.
- Carrot - We used standard orange carrots, which makes this a budget friendly side dish. However, you could use purple or yellow carrots to mix things up a little.
- Spring onion - This adds some extra crunch and flavour to the slaw. You could swap it for diced shallots or even slices or red onion if you prefer.
- Oil - Try to use the best quality that you can, as you really will be able to taste the difference. You could leave it out to save some calories, but we find that it loosens the whole slaw up a little and adds some extra flavour.
- Vinegar - We used apple cider vinegar, but you could use a red wine vinegar instead. We love coleslaw that has a vinegar bite to it. If you don't you can always leave it out.
- Cumin - This is a key ingredient in so many Mexican dishes, that we couldn't leave it out of this Mexican Coleslaw.
- Paprika - Another popular spice in Mexican cuisine, we use smoked paprika as it adds lots of flavour.
- Garlic - Fresh is always best, however you can save yourself some time by using a teaspoon of ready chopped lazy garlic.
- Coriander - I know some people don't love it and think it tastes "soapy", but it's a key ingredient in Mexican dishes, and really lightens the dish up.
- Lime - This adds so much freshness to the slaw. Try to always use freshly squeezed.
- Greek yogurt - We lightened up this Mexican Coleslaw by using yoghurt instead of mayonnaise to make it creamy. You can always use mayo though.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
One: Shred the carrot and white cabbage and place in a large bowl.
Two: Put all the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl.
Three: Add the spring onions (scallions) to the carrot and cabbage and mix the dressing well.
Four: Pour the dressing over the slaw.
Five: Mix well.
Six: Serve with sliced chillies (optional).
Mexican Seasoning
What makes it Mexican? We mixed all our favourite Mexican flavours, like chilli, cumin, lime, paprika and coriander into some yogurt and then mixed that through the crunch vegetables.
I ate something very similar with some fish tacos in San Diego once, and I have been making this at home ever since.
What to Serve it With
The beauty of this is there are so many different things you can serve it with. Burgers, Mexican dishes, salmon - the options are endless. Here are some of our favourite dishes to serve it with:
Dannii's Top Tips
- Make this a more filling side dish by adding some black beans or grilled corn.
- If you don't like the tartness of Greek yogurt, you could swap it for mayo in the dressing, but it would change the nutritional value considerably.
- Add some extra crunch on top with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.
- Make it less spicy by taking the seeds out of the chillies.
- Add a little honey for a hint of sweetness.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are making this for a BBQ, then you can make it the night before and keep it in the fridge. The flavours will really intensify, which is definitely not a bad thing. This coleslaw will keep in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
We like things spicy, so this version does have a fair amount of heat to it. But, if you want to cool things down, you could either use less chilli or remove the seeds from the chilli first. You could always serve the chillies up separately and let everyone top their own coleslaw with them if they want some fiery hot coleslaw.
Yes, if you want to save yourself some time, then buy a bag of shredded coleslaw vegetables and then add the dressing yourself. It won't be as fresh of course, but it's okay if you are short on time. Be aware that leftovers won't last as long in the fridge.
More Side Dish Recipes
If you've tried this spicy coleslaw recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Mexican Coleslaw
Ingredients
For the slaw:
- 2 Carrots - peeled
- 400 g (14 oz) White cabbage
- 4 Spring onion (Scallion) - finely sliced
For the dressing:
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 2 tablespoon Fresh coriander (cilantro) - chopped
- 1 Garlic clove - crushed
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1 Lime - juice only
- 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt
To serve:
- 1 Red chilli - Finely sliced
Instructions
- Shred 2 Carrots, 400 g White cabbage and put in a large bowl with 4 Spring onion (Scallion).
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 tablespoon Olive oil, 2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar, 0.5 teaspoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Paprika, 2 tablespoon Fresh coriander (cilantro), 1 Garlic clove, 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper, juice of 1 Lime and 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt.
- Add the dressing to the salw mixture and mix well.
- Serve 1 Red chilli (sliced; optional).
Recipe Tips
- Make this a more filling side dish by adding some black beans or grilled corn.
- If you don't like the tartness of Greek yogurt, you could swap it for mayo in the dressing, but it would change the nutritional value considerably.
- Add some extra crunch on top with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.
- Make it less spicy by taking the seeds out of the chillies.
- Add a little honey for a hint of sweetness.
Nutritional Information
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We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Lilinha says
This mexican coleslaw sounds delicious, perfect in a picnic or BBQ! :)
Liz Mays says
Ooh, I wonder if the guys would want to try this. It looks really good and it would be a nice change of pace.
Harriet from Toby & Roo says
Ohhh this just looks so very delectable! I LOVE coleslaw and I'm a fan of mexican food so this is perfect!
Karyn Ryan says
I love that you used yogurt and the whole slaw looks so tasty and fresh
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
SIGN ME UP. You know i love everything about this!
Gail Wyloa says
I can't stand shop bought coleslaw, it just tastes so bitter and way too much mayonnaise.
Sharon says
I love how colourful this is and I would happily eat chillies like this. I would have to leave out the cumin though.
Sam | North East Family Fun says
I think homemade slaw tastes SO much better than shop bought. I bet this is lovely with tacos :D
Ana De- Jesus says
I also feel a little off if I eat too much coleslaw as well so this Mexican version's spice will be sure to offset that. Plus how colourful does it look?
Aish Padihari says
Love mexican food. I'll try this coleslaw recipe. Looks great
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says
That looks like a great, spicy coleslaw! And not too heavy from mayo like many recipes, which I do appreciate. :)
LaaLaa says
I like when foods colourful makes me want to eat it more, this is appealing to the eye and and I could imagine the taste buds too! x
anna nuttall says
Yum i have saved this as I think it be perfect next time I make fajita. Very nice. xx
Raia says
I'm just getting into coleslaws, so I'm definitely going to be keeping this in mind. It sounds delicious! ;) I love that you used yogurt in the dressing. :)
Emily | Rainbow Delicious says
This is a deliciously vibrant coleslaw recipe!