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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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
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.
Cashews are blended with maple syrup, vinegar, celery salt, mustard, and onion for a classic coleslaw dressing that's mayo (and oil) free. Once the sauce is ready, all that's left to do is shred your vegetables and toss! We went with carrots and a mix of red and green cabbage.
The chain announced on New Year's Eve 2015 that it was removing the side, citing an effort to revamp its menu and make room for healthier items. It left the menu for good on January 18, 2016, and has not returned.
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.
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 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.
That ingredient is monosodium glutamate, more commonly known as MSG. While many people think MSG is only found in Chinese (or Americanized Chinese) cuisine, it's prevalent in dozens of all types of food items, including snacks like Doritos and powder mixes like Hidden Valley's ranch dressing.
It has surpassed other major chains like KFC and Popeyes to become the largest chicken chain in America in terms of sales, and consumers rate it as their favorite restaurant brand year after year. Newly released data only further underscores Chick-fil-A's massive popularity and tight hold on the fast-food world.
Startup costs for Chick-fil-A franchises are relatively low. That's because, unlike other franchises, Chick-fil-A actually purchases the real estate and all of the equipment required to open the business, and then leases them to you via monthly rent payments.
If you're in the mood for something creamy, sweet, and tangy, coleslaw is an excellent option. Mary Brown's shreds fresh cabbage and carrots in house, and tops it with a creamy dressing.
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.
How Long Can Coleslaw Sit Out? The USDA, the government agency that oversees food safety rules, says that prepared foods like coleslaw can be left out at room temperature for up to two hours. After two hours, harmful bacteria can start to grow.
Cabbage and onions contain sulfur-based compounds and enzymes that are kept apart — and nonreactive — in separate cells when the plants are whole. But when you cut the vegetables, the compounds and enzymes mix, creating pungent, bitter and foul-smelling compounds that repel insects (and people!).
Freshly made coleslaw is at its crunchiest, creamiest best if eaten on the day it's made. The longer it sits, either on a picnic table or in the refrigerator overnight, the more liquid is released from the shredded cabbage, which can make the salad soggy.
Mayonnaise is normally not vegan, because one of the crucial ingredients is eggs. But several brands of egg-free and dairy-free vegan mayonnaise can be found at most grocery stores, and at all-natural foods stores.
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.
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.
Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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