How to Make Coleslaw

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

If you're tired of limp, flavorless coleslaw, make your own! For a classic creamy coleslaw, toss shredded cabbage and carrots with a dressing of mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, and seasonings. If you want a lighter coleslaw, dress the vegetables with a lime juice, oil, and sugar dressing. To make a tangy and sweet Southern dressing, coat the shredded vegetables with buttermilk, mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar.

Ingredients

Creamy Coleslaw^{[1]
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1 head of green cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded
3/4 cup (174 g) of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (24 g) of sour cream
2 tablespoons (3 g) of grated onion
2 tablespoons (24 g) sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of white vinegar
1 tablespoon (6 g) of dry mustard
2 teaspoons (4 g) of celery seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Makes 8 servings

Southern Coleslaw^{[2]
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1 small head of red or green cabbage
2 to 3 large carrots
¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of buttermilk
1/2 cup (116 g) of mayonnaise
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (12.5 g) of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of salt

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Tri-Color Coleslaw with Lime^{[3]
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1/2 head of green cabbage, cored
1/2 head of red cabbage, cored
1 pound (450 g) of carrots, peeled and shredded
1 large bunch of cilantro, leaves roughly chopped
¹⁄₃ cup (79 ml) of fresh lime juice
²⁄₃ cup (160 ml) of neutral oil, such as peanut or safflower oil
1 to 2 teaspoons (4 to 8 g) of sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Makes at least 8 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Creamy Coleslaw

1
Toss the cabbage and carrots in a serving bowl. Put 1 head of finely shredded green cabbage and 2 finely shredded carrots into a large bowl. Use tongs or your clean hands to mix them together.
- To shred the cabbage, slice it finely by hand, run it against the coarse side of a box grater, or shred it in a food processor.
2
Whisk the remaining ingredients to make a creamy dressing. Spoon 3/4 cup (174 g) of mayonnaise into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until the seasonings are combined with the mayonnaise. You'll need:
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) of sour cream
- 2 tablespoons (3 g) of grated onion
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) sugar, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (6 g) of dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) of celery seeds
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
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3
Stir the dressing into the shredded vegetables. Scoop the creamy dressing into the bowl with the shredded cabbage and carrots. Use salad tongs to toss the coleslaw until the vegetables are evenly coated.
4
Taste and serve the coleslaw. Adjust the seasoning if you think the coleslaw needs more salt, pepper, or sugar. Then serve the coleslaw or cover and refrigerate it until you're ready to eat.
- You can refrigerate the creamy coleslaw in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir it just before serving since the dressing may separate a little.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Southern Coleslaw

1
Shred 1 cabbage and 2 to 3 carrots. Remove the core from a red or green cabbage and then cut it in half. Cut each half in quarters and then slice them into thin shreds. Then grate the carrots against the coarse side of a box grater or shred them in a food processor. Put the shredded carrots and cabbage into a serving bowl.
- If you're short on time, purchase a few bags of shredded coleslaw mix which usually contains shredded cabbage, carrots, and broccoli.
2
Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Pour ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of buttermilk into a bowl and add 1/2 cup (116 g) of mayonnaise. Whisk in ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of white wine or apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon (12.5 g) of granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of salt until the dressing is smooth.
- Taste the dressing and add more salt, sugar, or vinegar according to your taste.
3
Mix the dressing with the shredded vegetables. Pour the buttermilk dressing over the cabbage and carrots in the serving bowl. Toss the coleslaw gently so the cabbage and carrots are coated with the dressing.
4
Chill the Southern coleslaw for at least 1 hour before you serve it. Cover the bowl of coleslaw and refrigerate it to develop the flavor and texture. Then remove the bowl and serve it while it's still cold.
- Refrigerate the coleslaw for up to 3 days.
- To make the coleslaw creamier, stir a little extra mayonnaise into it just before you serve it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Tri-Color Coleslaw with Lime

1
Shred the cabbage and put it in a serving bowl. Take 1/2 of a cored red cabbage and 1/2 of a cored green cabbage and set them on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the cabbage into thin strips that are no wider than 1/4 in (6 mm) across. Put the shredded cabbage into your serving bowl.
- If you prefer, shred the cabbage using a mandoline or the shredding blade in a food processor.
2
Mix the cabbage with the shredded carrots and cilantro. Add 1 pound (450 g) of shredded carrots to the bowl. Roughly chop the leaves from 1 bunch of cilantro and add them. Then use salad tongs or clean hands to toss the vegetables with the herbs.
- To save time, you can purchase already shredded carrots or cabbage.
3
Whisk the lime juice, neutral oil, and sugar. Get out another bowl and pour ¹⁄₃ cup (79 ml) of freshly squeezed lime juice into it along with ²⁄₃ cup (160 ml) of peanut or safflower oil. Whisk in 1 teaspoon (4 g) of the sugar.
- Taste the dressing and add the remaining 1 teaspoon (4 g) of sugar if you want it to be sweeter.
4
Mix the dressing with the slaw and adjust the salt and pepper. Pour the lime dressing over the cabbage and carrots in the serving bowl. Use salad tongs or a spoon to combine the coleslaw. Taste it and add salt and pepper according to your taste.
5
Serve the lime coleslaw. Serve the coleslaw immediately or cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the coleslaw will soften the longer it's stored although the flavors will continue to develop.

Community Q&A

Question

What are the tools for making coleslaw salad?

HumanBeing

Top Answerer

A suitable bowl, sharp knife, and a spoon to mix the ingredients together are all the tools you need to make coleslaw salad. A knife isn't necessary if you purchase pre-chopped coleslaw vegetables.
Question

Can I add pineapple to coleslaw?

Community Answer

For a slightly sweet coleslaw, you can add crushed or chopped pineapple. To add extra sweet crunch, mix grated apples into the coleslaw too!
Question

What do I do if I don't have buttermilk?

Qamar

Top Answerer

It is just fine to make a coleslaw recipe that doesn't include buttermilk as an ingredient. For example, the creamy coleslaw and tri-color coleslaw recipes have no added buttermilk and would be the best option if you're missing this ingredient. It doesn't affect the flavor much and will only change its richness.