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!
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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.
Tips For The Best Coleslaw
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
Print Recipe
★★★★★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.
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.
What is vegan coleslaw mix made of? The non-dairy dressing in this recipe features a simple combination of Dijon mustard, lemon juice and olive oil. This is used to coat chopped white and red cabbage plus grated carrots and sliced red onion.
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.
Peel the onion and shallot, and slice as finely as you can, along with the cabbage, if using. Add these to the bowl of veg. In a separate bowl, mix half the lemon juice, a lug of extra virgin olive oil, yoghurt and mustard. Pick the herb leaves and chop, then stir into the dressing.
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.
Is mayo vegan? Due to the presence of egg yolk, mayo typically isn't vegan friendly. This means that a lot of commonly-found mayo is not suitable for those on a plant-based diet. However, as more people are experimenting with plant-based diets, several brands have launched a vegan mayo to reflect the growing market.
Signs to look out for might include the texture getting noticeably softer instead of crispy, any discoloration at all (areas or spots of gray or brown), and obviously anything growing on it.
Like the cabbage, these veggie add-ins can also become breeding grounds for bacteria when left unrefrigerated. Coleslaw dressing often includes vinegar that acidulates the mixture, making it a less hospitable environment for those pesky bacteria. But unfortunately, it's not enough to halt bacterial growth completely.
You probably need more sugar. If it's bitter, it's likely that your acidic component (likely a form of vinegar and/or ketchup, depending on the kind of slaw you are making) is overwhelming the sweet component. If you don't want to add sugar, you can try adding shredded apples.
What's more, KFC finely dices everything so you don't have to chew that much, and all the flavors and textures blend perfectly. More specifically, they dice cabbage, carrots, and onions, which are all crunchy and have a pleasant mouth feel.
Refrigerators were still a status symbol in the Ireland of the 50s and 60s, which led to chilled foods such as prawn co*cktails, potato salad and coleslaw being the height of sophistication. So when delicatessens became more widespread in the 1960s and 1970s in Ireland, they appealed to these tastes directly.
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.
The dish was initially created in the Netherlands. In fact, the term coleslaw originates from the Dutch expression koosla, which means “cabbage salad.” Recipes similar to coleslaw have been found and used in American homes from as early as 1770.
Coleslaw (from the Dutch term koolsla meaning 'cabbage salad'), also known as cole slaw, or simply as slaw, is a side dish consisting primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage with a salad dressing or condiment, commonly either vinaigrette or mayonnaise.
Coleslaw is a salad made with raw sliced or shredded cabbage and a dressing such as a vinaigrette or mayonnaise. The term 'coleslaw' actually comes from the Dutch phrase 'koolsla', meaning 'cabbage salad'.
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.
Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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