A deliciously creamy and crunchy vibrant side dish, this is the BEST coleslaw recipe. We have spent years testing homemade coleslaw to be able to bring you the very best. The perfect coleslaw dressing to coat those crunchy colourful vegetables. A side dish dish that will go with almost anything - follow all our tips on how to make coleslaw!
You might see recipes labelled "the best" and think "yeah, yeah", but in our opinion this is the best homemade coleslaw you will taste. It's restaurant quality and we have spent years making it and testing it and adapting the ingredients so there is the perfect balance of creaminess and tang, with a hint of sweetness.
Ready in just 10 minutes, this homemade coleslaw goes with pretty much everything. Serve it on the side at burger night, stuff it into sandwiches and of course it is a MUST at a BBQ.
If you are looking for more vegetable side dishes, why not try our Minted Peas, Carrot and Swede Mash, Microwave Broccoli or Garlic Spring Greens?
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Why you will love it
- Just a few ingredients - Only 6 ingredients go into making this coleslaw recipe. They are all easy to buy ingredients too. Nothing fancy here!
- Ready in 10 minutes - It's as simple as chopping everything up and mixing it all together. You can reduce this time by using a food processor to chop all the vegetables.
- Stores well - This keeps really well in the fridge so you can add it to meals throughout the week. We actually think homemade coleslaw tastes better after a couple of days.
- Versatile - I am not sure there is anything this coleslaw doesn't go with. Well, maybe not dessert! Grilled meat and fish, salads, sandwiches, we have lots of ideas below.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Cabbage - We used a mixture or red cabbage and white cabbage to give it a mix of colour and texture. You can use any white cabbage, but we like sweetheart cabbage. Not sure what to do with the leftover cabbage? Try our Slow Cooker Red Cabbage and Cabbage with Cumin
- Carrot - These add extra crunch too. To add even more colour, add a mixture of orange, yellow and purple carrots.
- Mayonnaise - If you want to try a coleslaw without mayo, then try our No Mayo Coleslaw.
- Vinegar - We love vinegar in a coleslaw, as it adds a lovely tang and makes it more or a sauce. We used apple cider vinegar which is great for gut health.
- Honey - This is our "secret" to the best coleslaw recipe. In our opinion, it needs some sweetness to balance everything else out. You could use a couple of pinches of granulated sugar, but we like honey.
- Salt and pepper - Generously season.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make coleslaw - Step by step
One: Add the cabbage and carrot to a mixing bowl.
Two: Add the remaining ingredients.
Three: Mix everything together. You can serve immediately, but for a better flavour, refrigerate for 2 hours.
Variations
If you want to add some extra vegetables to your homemade coleslaw, then you can shred some fresh broccoli and mix it in. It adds lots of extra colour too. Feel free to add and swap the vegetables you use, and use this side salad as an opportunity to clear your fridge out. You could use strips of bell pepper, grated courgette and even some diced cherry tomatoes. We also like adding grated apple for some extra sweetness.
We love anything with a kick of spice and we would happily add chilli sauce to everything. A little splash of buffalo sauce really gives something extra to this coleslaw recipe. You could add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes too.
If you have some fresh herbs left over, then chop them up and put them in this homemade coleslaw. We like dill, chives or coriander (cilantro). We wouldn't recommend adding woody herbs.
What to serve with homemade coleslaw
This is such a versatile side dish, it goes with almost anything. We like making it for burger nights and serving it with our Cajun Chicken Burgers or Pork and Apple Burgers. It is quite a cooling side, so it goes well with Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken too.
Chicken and coleslaw is always a good match, so why not try it with our Lemon Rosemary Chicken, Homemade KFC, Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken or Air Fryer Whole Chicken?
Tuna Fish Cakes and Portobello Mushroom Pizzas are nice light dishes that this crunchy side pairs well with.
Top tip
Homemade coleslaw is best when it has been stored in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
This coleslaw will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, however it will start to get a bit soggy towards the end of that. We don't recommend freezing it.
This is quite heavy on the mayo, so you might want to be mindful of portion sizes, or you could use a light mayo instead. This coleslaw also uses red cabbage, which is the healthier of the cabbages as it has more vitamin A and iron than green cabbage. Cabbage also has anti-inflammatory benefits, so that is a bonus too. One cup of cabbage also has about 85% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin K, which is essential to help with blood clotting. So much goodness from this veggie.
Yes, this is a great dish to make in advance as the dressing really soaks into the vegetables after a few hours. If we are serving this up at a BBQ, I make a big batch of it the night before, and keep it in the fridge. I get it out of the fridge about an hour before I am going to serve it and give it a good stir.
If you have stored coleslaw in the fridge for a couple of days then there will be some water in there because the vegetables release water over time. You can just tip the water out, stir it again and maybe add a little extra mayo.
Extra tips
• You can make this even easier by using a bag of coleslaw mix and then add your own dressing.
• Save yourself some time with the prep of this vegetarian coleslaw by putting all the vegetables into a food processor to shred them together.
• If you don't have apple cider vinegar, you can swap it for lemon juice. This actually adds a nice freshness to the slaw.
• Add some extra crunch to the finished dish with some seeds and crushed nuts.
• You can give this coleslaw a little kick of spice by stirring in some finely diced jalapenos.
• Some celery seed really adds a lot of flavour to homemade coleslaw, but it isn't so easy to find in the UK.
More slaw recipes
If you’ve tried this homemade 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
The Best Homemade Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 220 g (3 cups) White cabbage - shredded
- 150 g (1.66 cups) Red cabbage - shredded
- 2 (1 cups) Carrots - shredded
- 125 ml (0.5 cups) Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add 220 g White cabbage, 150 g Red cabbage and 2 Carrots to a mixing bowl.
- Add 125 ml Mayonnaise, 2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoon Honey and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper.
- Mix everything together. You can serve immediately, but for a better flavour, refrigerate for 2 hours.
Recipe Tips
- You can make this even easier by using a bag of coleslaw mix and then add your own dressing.
- Save yourself some time with the prep of this vegetarian coleslaw by putting all the vegetables into a food processor to shred them together.
- If you don't have apple cider vinegar, you can swap it for lemon juice. This actually adds a nice freshness to the slaw.
- Add some extra crunch to the finished dish with some seeds and crushed nuts.
- You can give this coleslaw a little kick of spice by stirring in some finely diced jalapenos.
- Some celery seed really adds a lot of flavour to homemade coleslaw, but it isn't so easy to find in the UK.
Nutritional Information
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.
Claire says
So simple and I loved the addition of honey - it worked so well.
Beth says
I love this rustic coleslaw. Coleslaw is one of my favorite sides, so I'm eager to give this a try.
Angela says
This is so simple and so delicious! It really is the perfect coleslaw.
Nikki says
Quick, easy and makes a fantastic side dish.
Julia says
Fantastic! Making this recipe for the second time tonight!
Toni says
This is such a winner!!! I tried it and everyone at my house loved it, including my kids! Thanks for the recipe!
Ned says
This is the perfect slaw! I topped my pulled pork sandwiches with this yummy deliciousness!
Gloria says
Homemade slaw is the best. I never like store-bought stuff. Perfect side dish all year long.
Eni says
I love coleslaws and this recipe sound delicious. Can’t wait to try it!
TAYLER ROSS says
I made this coleslaw with fish tacos last night for dinner and it was wonderful! Perfectly crunchy and flavorful!