An easy vegan coleslaw recipe that’s a perfect side dish for summer parties, potlucks and barbecues. Light, flavorful and so much healthier than store-bought and ready in 10 minutes!
Crunchy, healthy and easy to make this classic coleslaw is not overly drowning in dressing and is one of those back pocket side dish recipes that we love making all year round and goes with just about anything!
During summer coleslaw is the ultimate side dish and gets even better the next day, making it perfect for planning ahead. And because vegan coleslaw is dairy-free you won’t have to worry about it spoiling when taking to picnics and potlucks.
So without further ado, let’s make homemade coleslaw!
Table of Contentsshow
Ingredients You’ll Need
Coleslaw is so easy to make at home and this version is a little healthier compared to most recipes. Traditional coleslaw has quite a bit of sugar and dairy. This ‘lighter’ version is dairy-free with minimal sweetener.
Green and red cabbage – this combo makes for a colorful coleslaw, but feel free to use just green cabbage.
Carrots – adds more color and crunch.
Homemade Vegan Mayo or good quality store bought – this will be the base of the coleslaw dressing.
Apple cider vinegar – adds a little tanginess.
Dijon – for added depth.
Pure cane sugar or pure maple syrup – a little sweet, but not too much.
Salt & pepper – for a boost of flavor and pepperiness.
How To Make Vegan Coleslaw
Making vegan coleslaw is easy and requires just a few simple steps.
1. Shred the cabbage by hand:
Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage.
Slice the cabbage in half, cut the halves in half. Cut away the inside core with a diagonal slice.
Thinly shred the cabbage. You can make the cabbage as thin or thick as you like. Feel free to cut the shred as small as you like if you feel they are too long. Here’s a quick tutorial: How to Cut Cabbage
2. Shred the carrots and make the coleslaw dressing.
3. Assemble the coleslaw: Add the cabbage and carrots to a large mixing bowl, pour the dressing overtop and toss to combine. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For convenience, use packaged, pre-shredded cabbage, carrots, or coleslaw mix.
If you prefer a mayo-free and oil-free dressing, try the slaw dressing for this Spicy Coleslaw with a simple tahini based dressing. It’s delicious!
Vegan coleslaw will last about 4 – 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. After a few days, it will soften and lose it’s crispness, but it will still be delicious.
Can coleslaw be frozen?
No. Coleslaw isn’t very good after it’s been frozen. Raw cabbage does not freeze well.
Can this recipe be made in advance?
Yes, you can make coleslawahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 3 – 4 days. If making ahead for entertaining this coleslaw recipe is best made only a few hours ahead for best presentation. The red cabbage will start to bleed slightly into the dressing after 12 hours or so.
Serving Suggestions
I love coleslaw with this or veggie burgers. It’s also great with veggie dogs & wraps, or can be eaten as a light main meal.
It’s also great with these sides:
Healthy Baked Beans
Roasted Red Potatoes
You can easily make a hearty meal with sides alone!
If you try this easy coleslaw recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
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CLASSIC VEGAN COLESLAW
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4.9 from 29 reviews
This Vegan Coleslaw recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious, with just the right amount of creamy dressing to bring it all together!
Author:Julie | The Simple Veganista
Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:10 minutes
Yield:Serves 8
Category:Side
Cuisine:Vegan
Ingredients
UnitsScale
5 – 6cupsgreen cabbage, shredded
2cupsred cabbage, shredded
1cupcarrots, shredded or julienned
Coleslaw Dressing
2/3cupvegan mayo
1 tablespoondijon mustard
2 tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
1 tablespoonpure cane sugar or pure maple syrup
1/2 – 1 teaspoon celery seed powder, optional
salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
Dressing:In a small bowl, whisk the mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Assemble:Add the cabbage and carrots in a very large mixing bowl, the larger the better. Pour the dressing all over the cabbage, and toss well to combine. Finish with salt & pepper to taste.
Serve right away, or let the coleslaw rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days, but it’s best within 3 days.
Notes
For convenience, use packaged, pre-shredded cabbage, carrots, or coleslaw mix.
For an oil-free & mayo-free dressing, you might consider the tahini based dressing from this Spicy Coleslaw + Tahini Dijon Dressing. I would up the recipe by 1/2, to even doubling it.
What is vegan coleslaw mix made of? The non-dairy dressing in this recipe features a simple combination of Dijon mustard, lemon juice and olive oil. This is used to coat chopped white and red cabbage plus grated carrots and sliced red onion.
Peel the onion and shallot, and slice as finely as you can, along with the cabbage, if using. Add these to the bowl of veg. In a separate bowl, mix half the lemon juice, a lug of extra virgin olive oil, yoghurt and mustard. Pick the herb leaves and chop, then stir into the dressing.
Amish Vinegar Slaw or Old Fashioned Coleslaw is lighter and tangier than a classic mayo based slaw. Made with shredded cabbage, onion, apple cider vinegar, and dry mustard. This is the perfect quick Side Dish that you can bring along to BBQs, potlucks, and family gatherings.
Meanwhile, to make the coleslaw, measure the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard and garlic into a large bowl. Mix and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the cabbage, carrots, celery and spring onions and toss to coat everything well. Spoon into a serving bowl.
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.
"But as our sales volumes grew, it just wasn't feasible to keep adding to the menu without taking anything away." Chick-fil-A cut cole slaw from the menu in January to make room for a new "superfood" side of kale and broccolini in a maple vinaigrette dressing.
Mary Brown's shreds fresh cabbage and carrots in house, and tops it with a creamy dressing. The freshly shredded veggies give you a light yet satisfying crunch while the dressing gives you the tanginess you're looking for.
With its nice, thick dressing, Walmart's deli coleslaw is the best creamy coleslaw of the bunch. The dressing is heavy on the mayo, which makes it the best coleslaw to slather on a burger or pulled pork sandwich, and the copious amounts of shredded carrot will contribute some crunch, too.
Cabbage Core:Issue: The core of the cabbage can be bitter, especially if it's not removed before shredding. Solution: Ensure that you remove the core of the cabbage before shredding it. Cut the cabbage in half, then cut out the triangular core from each half. Old Cabbage:Issue: Older cabbage may develop a bitter taste.
There are only 3 vegetables: You can buy a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw and finely chop that, if you prefer. But keep in mind that true KFC Coleslaw only contains green cabbage, carrots, and onions, so don't use the packaged cabbage that has red cabbage or any herbs.
Unlike Lexington style, Eastern style contains no tomatoes. It is purely vinegar and pepper which is used to season after cooking. The coleslaw is also different, swapping out the red for a white mayonnaise-based sauce.
Coleslaw (from the Dutch term koolsla meaning 'cabbage salad'), also known as cole slaw, or simply as slaw, is a side dish consisting primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage with a salad dressing or condiment, commonly either vinaigrette or mayonnaise.
Cabbage contains lots of water. Alton Brown suggests salting the cabbage and letting the water drain for two hours, then rinsing the cabbage and spinning it dry before dressing it. That purges the excess water out of the cabbage before it is dressed, so it doesn't get watery.
The real difference is that the raw, chopped vegetables in coleslaw are primarily cabbage: Napa, red, savoy, or bok choy.Slaw without the cole can feature any crunchy veggie in place of cabbage, including chopped or shredded broccoli, carrots, snow peas, jicama, and more.
Coleslaw has the best texture and flavor the day it's made, but it still keeps well for several days in the fridge. If you're making this coleslaw more than a day ahead, don't skip the salting step above.
Is mayo vegan? Due to the presence of egg yolk, mayo typically isn't vegan friendly. This means that a lot of commonly-found mayo is not suitable for those on a plant-based diet. However, as more people are experimenting with plant-based diets, several brands have launched a vegan mayo to reflect the growing market.
The roots of coleslaw recipes make their way back to ancient Rome. Roman citizens would often eat a meal featuring cabbage, eggs, vinegar, and other spices. On the other side of the globe, the Dutch founders of New York served a shredded cabbage salad. This is similar to today's 'slaw.
Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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