Since it’s made without mayo or other creamy ingredients, this light coleslaw recipe with homemade vinaigrette is perfect for picnics and potlucks.
Coleslaw is a classic side dish for barbecues, picnics, cookouts, and more. Traditionally it’s made with a creamy mayo-based dressing, shredded cabbage, and carrots. This creative coleslaw recipe starts with a homemade cider vinaigrette. The result is a light and tangy vegetable side dish that’s the perfect partner for heavy grilled meats, sandwiches, and more. Make a big batch up to 24 hours before you plan to serve to allow the flavors to blend. This easy coleslaw recipe calls for just 20 minutes of prep time.
We recommend making the cider vinaigrette in a screw top jar so you can shake it to fully combine the ingredients. Choose a neutral oil, like canola or vegetable, to allow the other flavors of the dressing to shine through. Adding celery or caraway seeds to the vinaigrette infuses the entire coleslaw recipe with bold flavors. Round out the seasonings with freshly cracked black pepper, dry mustard, a touch of sugar, and salt.
Our Test Kitchen recommends using a food processer fitted with a shredding attachment to quickly (and safely!) shred the cabbage and carrots. You can have an entire head of cabbage shredded in no time at all. You can also use a sharp knife or grater. If you’re looking for a quick shortcut, use packaged coleslaw mix for the base of this recipe. You’ll need one or two bags of purchased coleslaw mix for this recipe.
Table Of Contents
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon salad oil
- ½ teaspoon celery or caraway seeds (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cup shredded green and/or red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium)
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions (2)
Directions
For the vinaigrette, in a screw-top jar, combine cider vinegar, granulated sugar, oil, caraway seeds (if desired), dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Cover and shake well until fully combined. Set aside while you prepare the coleslaw vegetables.
Use a shape knife, grater, or your food processer to finely shred a mix of green and red cabbage and carrots. You can use all red or all green cabbage if you prefer.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, carrots, and thinly sliced green onions.
Pour the vinaigrette over the cabbage mixture. Toss lightly to coat. Cover the coleslaw and chill for 2 to 24 hours. The slaw will begin to get soggy if stored longer than 24 hours before serving. Makes 6 side dish servings. If serving a large crowd, you can easily double or triple the recipe. Store any leftover coleslaw covered in the fridge for up 3 to 5 days.
Tips
For a quick coleslaw recipe, try using five cups of packaged coleslaw mix for the cabbage and carrots. You can find packaged coleslaw mix alongside the bagged salads in your grocery store’s product department. Bagged coleslaw mix will last for about 3 to 5 days when stored properly in the fridge.
