Featured 5-Star Comment
I saw the picture and recipe yesterday and decided I needed to make Creamy Coleslaw now! I’m not a big coleslaw fan, but this is SO GOOD!
Dede
The Recipe I Have Been Making My Whole Life
Some recipes just live in your bones. This is one of them. I make coleslaw exactly the way my Mama made it and the way her Mama made it before her. Simple dressing, crunchy cabbage, and that perfect balance of creamy and tangy that makes you want to go back for another forkful every single time.
Five ingredients. Ten minutes. And it gets better the longer it sits in the refrigerator. This is the coleslaw that goes on everything — pulled pork, hot dogs, burgers, fried chicken, and straight off the spoon when nobody is looking.
XO,
The Dressing Is Everything
Most coleslaw dressing recipes are either too sweet or too tangy. This one hits the exact right balance. Good quality mayonnaise, just enough apple cider vinegar for brightness, and a touch of sugar to round it all out. Simple, honest, and exactly right.
What I’ve Learned After Making This a Hundred Times
- Quality mayo matters. This dressing has very few ingredients so the mayo carries the whole thing. Use the best you have. Duke’s is my go-to.
- Do not over-mix. Stir just until everything is coated. Over-mixing breaks down the cabbage and turns it mushy. Gentle hands make better slaw.
- Let it chill. Minimum 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving. One hour is better. The dressing soaks into the cabbage and the whole thing comes together beautifully.
- Taste before you serve. Every bag of coleslaw mix has a slightly different moisture level. Taste and adjust the salt, sugar, or vinegar to get it exactly where you want it.
- Keep it cold at cookouts. Set the bowl of slaw inside a larger bowl filled with ice. It stays perfectly cold and crisp for hours outside.
Five Ingredients. That Is All You Need.
- Coleslaw Mix — a 14-ounce bag of pre-shredded cabbage mix saves time and gives you the perfect texture. Add a handful of shredded purple cabbage or grated carrot for extra color and crunch.
- Mayonnaise — the creamy backbone of the dressing. Quality matters here. Duke’s is my first choice every time.
- Apple Cider Vinegar — just enough tang to cut through the richness of the mayo and brighten every bite.
- Granulated Sugar — a small amount that rounds out the dressing and balances the vinegar perfectly.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper — the finishing touch that ties everything together. Season to taste.
Make It Ahead — It Only Gets Better
Make it up to 24 hours ahead. This is actually the ideal timeline. Store covered in the refrigerator and give it a gentle stir before serving.
Keep dressing separate for maximum crunch. If you need it to stay extra crispy, store the dressing and the slaw mix separately and toss together an hour before serving.
At cookouts. Place the serving bowl inside a larger bowl of ice to keep it cold and safe outside for up to 2 hours.
Craving More? Try These Easy Recipes
Ingredients
Creamy Coleslaw
- 1 14-ounce package coleslaw mix
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add coleslaw mix to a bowl along with the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix together until well blended.
- Store in the refrigerator covered until ready to serve.
Notes
- Since this recipe is made with mayonnaise, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
- When serving, make sure it’s not left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature. If you are going to serve it outside, here’s a great tip – fill a large bowl with ice then place the bowl of coleslaw on top to keep it cool.
- Use good quality mayonnaise. The flavor of the mayonnaise will make a big difference in the overall taste of the coleslaw.
- Don’t over-mix the coleslaw. Over-mixing will make the cabbage mushy.
- Add a little bit of grated carrot and purple cabbage to the coleslaw for added color and sweetness.
- If you want a spicier coleslaw, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dressing.
Nutrition
Common Questions For The Best Coleslaw Recipe
Yes — and it is better that way. Make it the night before, cover tightly, and refrigerate. The dressing soaks into the cabbage overnight and the flavors develop beautifully. Just give it a quick stir before serving.
You can shred the cabbage using a mandoline or chop it using a knife. Both methods work great.
This creamy side dish recipe is made with mayonnaise and must be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
No more than 2 hours at room temperature. If you are serving it outdoors, set the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it cold and safe all party long.
Two things help: do not over-mix, and make sure your coleslaw mix is as dry as possible before you add the dressing. If you are using a fresh cabbage, pat it dry after shredding. The apple cider vinegar in this recipe also helps balance the moisture naturally.
Absolutely. Shred half a head of green cabbage on a mandoline or with a sharp knife. Add a handful of shredded carrots for color and sweetness. It comes out beautifully and tastes even fresher.
What To Serve With Homemade Coleslaw
- Air Fryer Hot Dogs
- BBQ Chicken Legs, Carolina Slaw Dogs, and potato salad for cookouts.
- Crock Pot Country Style Pork Ribs
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches made with Crock Pot Pulled Pork.
If you tried this Creamy Coleslaw Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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Couldn’t be easier… or more tasty! Thanks for sharing this. 🙂
Easy and tasty — that is the goal every time! So glad this one hit the spot. Thank you for making it!
XO,
Donya
Love this recipe, but I also add 3 small boxes of raisins. So good!
That sounds like a delicious addition! Raisins add such a nice little pop of sweetness — I can see why you love it that way. Thanks so much for sharing your twist!
~Donya
So easy to make and so good!!!! Goes with so many things! Family and friends love it.
Thanks, Roz! Glad you enjoyed it.
~Donya
overall good, I’m a new coleslaw eater lol and quite picky so I’m dedicating time to make new versions. I did yours to the letter and the Apple cider vinegar was a little overpowering maybe its me. I added more salt and it was to my taste good. thanks for sharing
Sometimes I like to add Bow Tie Pasta to the mix along with the carrots and red cabbage.
This was delicious. I made it as written and tasted it, and it was good. But since I like a tangy coleslaw, I added 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar and it was perfect for my tastes! I also cut my coleslaw mix into smaller pieces since it was very roughly shredded, and I intend to use it on hot dogs. Saving this recipe–thank you!
I did as you suggested after reading your reply about hot dog sauce. I will now make both for Labor day but will substitute Tarragone vinegar for the apple cider vinegar and add some poppy seeds. Thanks again! Adding this new vinegar will change your life!!! haha
Hey there Baltisraul!
Yayyy! I am so happy to hear that you’re giving the Carolina Slaw Dogs a try, I promise the combination of this Creamy Coleslaw and my Hot Dog Chili is a match made in heaven, you’re going to love it! Adding poppy seeds and trading out the vinegar is a great idea, I am a big proponent of preparing recipes to fit your own tastes. Thank you so much for your kind words and your fantastic rating, I really appreciate all your continuous support!
~Donya
Your circus, your monkey’s. I try and catch all your performances. Your stuff is always top shelf.
Hey there!
Thank you so much for all your support, I am so happy that you’ve been enjoying my recipes! Let me know if you ever have any questions, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
That sounds good!! I like tarragon vinegar
This is probably a silly question but what is the difference between Kosher salt and Sea Salt??
Hey there Susan!
That’s not a silly question at all, it’s a very good one! The main difference between Kosher and regular sea salt is the purification process. Kosher Sea Salt is made entirely of sodium chloride, whereas regular salt can contain trace minerals, iodine, or anti-clumping agents. For this recipe, you want to use Kosher Sea Salt if you can, it really adds to and deepens the flavor of the slaw. Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think if you give it a try!
~Donya
I saw the picture and recipe yesterday and decided I needed to make Creamy Coleslaw now! I’m not a big coleslaw fan, but this is SO GOOD! I can’t wait now to
try the Pineapple slaw!
Hey there Dede!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, it’s hard to resist even if you aren’t a coleslaw lover. If you’re trying new slaw recipes, you should definitely check out my Pineapple Slaw, but I think you’d also really like my Brussels Sprouts slaw, it’s made with pomegranate seeds and it’s totally delicious. Thank you so much for your kind words and your phenomenal rating, I really appreciate your support!
~Donya