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Vibrant, flavorful coleslaw is easy to make at home! Learn How to Make Coleslaw to tweak just to your liking, and you'll never buy it pre-made again. You only need 10 minutes and 6 simple ingredients, including salt and pepper!
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Classic Coleslaw Recipe
Nowadays, you won't find me enjoying BBQ without a side of classic, creamy coleslaw! When I was younger, though, I did not appreciate it nearly as much. Either it was too vinegary, or there was too much mayo, or the balance of sugar wasn't quite right.
That's the great thing about learning how to make coleslaw from scratch. You can adjust everything about it, from how much vinegar and mayo you use, to the sugar levels. You can even add something a little extra to it, like green onions or a little kick of spice.
Best of all, it really is easy. Not only are the ingredients and steps to make it super simple, but you can adjust everything to the serving size you need. When it takes under 10 minutes to do and you can make it just how you like it, why buy it pre-made? Enjoy!
Ingredients in Coleslaw
- Shredded coleslaw mix*
- Mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
Coleslaw mix is just a mix of shredded red and green cabbage, plus carrots. If you're making a big batch of coleslaw for a party, or just want to shred your own with beautiful fresh cabbage, it's easy to do.
How to Shred Cabbage
- Start by rinsing your cabbage under cold running water.
- Use a clean towel to pat it dry.
- Discard any damaged or wilted leaves.
- Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, carefully cut the cabbage in half vertically.
- Cut each cabbage half into halves again, giving you 4 pieces of cabbage total.
- With the cut side of the cabbage facing down, cut out the stem core of each piece of cabbage.
- From here, you can shred the cabbage using a knife or mandolin. To shred the cabbage with your knife, simply slice each wedge horizontally into thin shreds. To use a mandolin, carefully shred the cabbage cut-side down through a thin blade.
Tips for Shredding Cabbage
- 1 head of cabbage will generally yield about 8 cups, so shredding your own is perfect for making a big batch of homemade coleslaw.
- If you don't need it all at once, you can store shredded cabbage in a plastic bag or other airtight container for about 3 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to Make Coleslaw
- Add coleslaw mix, mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.
- Toss together until fully combined: the cabbage should be well-coated.
- Refrigerate for 3-5 days in an airtight container, and enjoy!
Homemade Coleslaw Tips
- Creamy coleslaw: If you like extra creamy coleslaw dressing, you can use more mayo.
- No mayo coleslaw: Alternatively, if you prefer your slaw without any mayo, you can leave it out entirely to make a vinegar coleslaw. You may need to adjust how much vinegar you use, or add another liquid such as dijon mustard or honey (in place of sugar), to balance it out.
- Celery seeds are a great addition to homemade coleslaw. Use about half a teaspoon if you want to try it out.
- Coleslaw tastes better after you let it sit for a while. I like to let mine rest overnight in the refrigerator before serving. If you prefer it crunchier, you should serve it immediately.
- If you're using fresh carrots, keep in mind they tend to make the mix look more orange than if using pre-packaged coleslaw mix, as they are much juicier. If you want to avoid that, rinse the carrot shreds and pat dry before mixing with the cabbage.
- Adjust the sweetness with how much sugar you use. You can always add more, but you can't take it out, so if you aren't certain of your preferences, start with a little and add more as necessary.
- Try my Asian Slaw next!
How Much Coleslaw Per Person
Account for about ½ cup, or 4 ounces, of coleslaw per person when feeding a crowd.
| Amount of People | Cups of Coleslaw Needed |
|---|---|
| 4 | 2 cups |
| 6 | 3 cups |
| 8 | 4 cups |
| 10 | 5 cups |
| 12 | 6 cups |
My recipe for coleslaw yields enough for serving 4 people and is easily adjusted to serve more. Adjust all ingredients equally, then tweak to your preference.
Coleslaw Recipes FAQ
Coleslaw dressing typically uses a mixture of vinegar, mayo, salt, pepper, and sugar. Some varieties will replace sugar with honey, or leave the mayo out for a vinegar slaw instead. But, all coleslaw dressings generally have a mixture of creamy and tangy elements.
Coleslaw is best served with strongly flavorful dishes like BBQ ribs or pulled pork, as the mixture of vinegar and creamy mayo cut through and enhance those flavors. You can also serve it with dishes like fried chicken or chicken wings, and I love serving it alongside other side dishes like street corn.
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How to Make Coleslaw
Ingredients
- ½ bag Coleslaw mix about 8 oz.
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Add coleslaw mix, mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.½ bag Coleslaw mix, ½ cup Mayonnaise, 1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- Toss together until fully combined: the cabbage should be well-coated.
- Refrigerate for 3-5 days in an airtight container or serve immediately with the meal of your choice, and enjoy!
Notes
- Creamy coleslaw: If you like extra creamy coleslaw dressing, you can use more mayo.
- No mayo coleslaw: Alternatively, if you prefer your slaw without any mayo, you can leave it out entirely to make a vinegar coleslaw. You may need to adjust how much vinegar you use, or add another liquid such as dijon mustard or honey (in place of sugar), to balance it out.
- Celery seeds are a great addition to homemade coleslaw. Use about half a teaspoon if you want to try it out.
- Coleslaw tastes better after you let it sit for a while. I like to let mine rest overnight in the refrigerator before serving. If you prefer it crunchier, you should serve it immediately.
- If you're using fresh carrots, keep in mind they tend to make the mix look more orange than if using pre-packaged coleslaw mix, as they are much juicier. If you want to avoid that, rinse the carrot shreds and pat dry before mixing with the cabbage.
- Adjust the sweetness with how much sugar you use. You can always add more, but you can't take it out, so if you aren't certain of your preferences, start with a little and add more as necessary.
- Try my Asian Slaw next!
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