Southern coleslaw is an easy cold side dish recipe that's prepared in minutes and made with simple ingredients. It travels well and makes the perfect addition to your next barbecue or summer party!
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Crisp shredded cabbage, carrots, and red onion are tossed in a creamy, not-too-tangy dressing.
Homemade dressing: The creamy dressing is made from pantry staples like mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and a bit of sugar. It has the perfect balance of tangy and sweet!
Serves: 8 people
Similar to: Southern Potato Salad and Classic Pasta Salad
Jump to:
Ingredients and substitutions
- Vegetables - For ease of preparation, we're using a 16 ounce bag of shredded coleslaw mix and half of a small red onion. The coleslaw mix can be substituted with 6 cups of green cabbage, 2 cups of red cabbage, and 3 shredded carrots.
- Dressing - The dressing is made with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, celery seed, salt, and pepper. It has a great balance of tangy and sweet. Just enough sugar is added to balance with the tart flavors in the dressing but not enough to make it "sweet".
How to make coleslaw
- Whisk dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
- Pat your coleslaw mix dry then add it and your red onions to your dressing. Toss to coat.
Tips and tricks
Don't dress your vegetables too far ahead - Dressed coleslaw softens over time and the vegetables release water as they sit. Coleslaw is best served within about 2 hours of preparing for best flavor and texture.
Dressing pooling at the bottom? - If dressing begins to pool at the bottom of the bowl, give it a light toss just before serving.
Pat veggies dry before dressing - Do your veggies look wet? Pat them dry before tossing in the dressing. Once cut, vegetables "sweat" water as they sit, and can make your coleslaw watery.
Measure the dressing ingredients - Proper measurements, especially for vinegar, mustard, salt, and sugar, are crucial for the best consistency and flavor. Vinegar and mustard add tart flavor to your dressing - too much can be overwhelming.
Measure your salt - Salt enhances the flavor of your coleslaw. Adding too much salt will not only make your coleslaw salty, but can also cause the vegetables to release excess water, creating a watery coleslaw.
Frequently asked questions
Sugar is an important ingredient because it helps balance that tart vinegar flavor with a hint of sweetness. We're not using enough sugar to make the dressing "sweet", just enough to balance the flavor.
I recommend serving your homemade coleslaw within about two hours for best flavor and texture. As your coleslaw sits, the vegetables release water and continue to soften, making the dressing watery. If you'd like to make coleslaw more than a few hours ahead of time, store the shredded vegetables and dressing separately. Toss together within about 2 hours of serving.
The tanginess of coleslaw comes from the vinegar and mustard added to the dressing. To make your dressing less tangy, add a bit more sugar, salt, and/or mayonnaise to balance the flavor. If made as directed below, your coleslaw will have a slight tang that's not too intense.
Watery coleslaw happens when wet vegetables are added to the dressing, if too much salt is added, or if your coleslaw has been sitting for hours after being dressed. Pat your cabbage, carrots, and onion dry before adding to the dressing to ensure it turns out creamy, not watery. Dress your coleslaw just before serving for best results.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Southern Coleslaw
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (150 g) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 16 ounce (453 g) bag of coleslaw mix
- ½ small red onion, thin sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add mayonnaise, vinegar, dijon mustard, granulated sugar, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth.
- Pat your coleslaw mix dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. To the dressing bowl, add shredded coleslaw mix and red onions. Toss until coated.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours until ready to serve. Toss once more before serving if needed.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Substitutions: 16 ounces coleslaw mix can be substituted with 6 cups green cabbage, 2 cups red cabbage, and 3 shredded carrots.
- Serve fresh: Coleslaw is best served within two hours of preparing for best flavor and texture.
- Make ahead: Store dressing and shredded vegetables separately, then toss together about 20 minutes before serving.
- Storage: Leftover coleslaw will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Vegetables will continue to release water as they sit and dressing will get a little watery over time.
The celery seed is too overpowering. Will cut that down by at least half next time I make it. Otherwise it was a good recipe with the addition of the Dijon mustard.