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Name a better side dish than Homemade Coleslaw?! It’s so easy to make but tastes delicious, perfectly crunchy, fresh and creamy at the same time. Here’s a guide to perfecting this simple but satisfying side dish.

A bowl of homemade coleslaw.

Made with simple ingredients, but still an absolutely classic side dish, you need to know how to make perfect coleslaw!

Shop bought stuff just can’t come close to making this at home with just a few simple ingredients. It’s far crunchier, tastier and you know exactly what’s gone into it.

Perfect for a barbecue side or to add to mains like Slow Cooked Pulled Pork or BBQ Pulled Chicken, it’s also great to have in for a tasty addition to salads or sandwiches.


Why you’ll love this Homemade Coleslaw recipe

⭐️ Colourful, crunchy and delicious

⭐️ Fantastic addition to lots of meals

⭐️ SO EASY to make


A close up of homemade coleslaw in a bowl with a spoon inside.

Sarah’s Notes

Homemade Coleslaw is one of my very favourite things to serve up in the warmer months. 

This is the same recipe I’ve been making for years, the classic cabbage/carrots/onions combo with an easy store cupboard creamy dressing. 

That little tang from the mustard, vinegar and chives are the game-changers!


HOmemade Coleslaw Ingredients Notes

The ingredients for homemade coleslaw laid out on a counter top.
  • Vegetables – White cabbage, red onion and carrots, all raw and finely shredded
  • For the dressing – Mayonnaise, natural yoghurt, Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar
  • Optional – Fresh chives really add something special

How to make Coleslaw

A white bowl with creamy dressing for step 1 in the process for making coleslaw.

1. Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.

A plate filled with white cabbage, grated carrot, finely sliced red onion and chopped chives, for step 2 in the recipe for homemade coleslaw.

2. Finely shred the vegetables and chives, then mix everything together until coated.


Substitutions

  • Veg – You can use white onions if you prefer, or swap the white cabbage for red (although please note this does give a pinkish colour)
  • Dressing – You can use Greek yoghurt instead of natural yoghurt if you prefer, however it will be a lot thicker. You could omit the yoghurt completely and use all mayonnaise too, but it would be very rich

Storing

This coleslaw can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, however the mixture will become watery if left for too long. 

To avoid this, either store the vegetables and dressing separately and combine just before serving.

OR

After chopping the vegetables, add a teaspoon of sea salt to the chopped vegetables and leave for 20 minutes, then rinse very well, dry them and combine with your dressing as usual. This is supposed to draw the water out of the vegetables BEFORE dressing.

Recipe Tips

⭐️  You could add a teaspoon of celery seeds – this is a very nice traditional addition to coleslaw

⭐ Add cubes of apple tossed in a little lemon juice (this stops the apple from turning brown) just before serving

⭐️ You could also add 75g of chopped walnuts before serving

⭐️ You could make the chopping job quicker by using the brilliant chopper I use for heaps of recipes

Other simple classic sides…

FAQs

How do I stop my coleslaw going watery?

Osmosis causes water to be drawn from the cabbage when it is mixed with a dressing. To avoid this you can either:

Store the chopped vegetables and dressing separately (for up to 3 days) and then mix just before serving.

OR

Salt the vegetables: Chop your vegetables as per the recipe, then toss well with 1 tsp of sea salt. Set aside for 20 minutes while you make the dressing.

After the 20 minutes rinse the vegetables thoroughly in a colander under a running tap – you need to do this for 3-4 minutes to ensure the salt is washed away – then carefully dry the vegetables before combining them with the dressing.

Can I use different vinegar?

Don’t use malt vinegar but you could use cider vinegar. You could also use red wine vinegar but please note this may make your dressing a little pink.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

5 from 3 votes

Easy Homemade Coleslaw

The perfect crunchy side dish, Homemade Coleslaw is full of flavour, with a creamy dressing and colourful, healthy vegetables. Follow this simple recipe for the perfect accompaniment to lots of summery dishes.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 White cabbage
  • 1 Red onion
  • 3 Carrots
  • 15 g Chives, Optional

For the dressing:

  • 100 g Mayonnaise
  • 100 g Natural yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp White wine vinegar

Instructions 

Prepare the vegetables:

  • Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and remove the core. Finely shred.
  • Remove the outer layers of the onion and finely shred.
  • Peel the carrots and grate them.
  • Finely chop the chives.

Make the dressing:

  • Mix all of the ingredients together.

To assemble:

  • Combine everything together well and serve.

Notes

Dressing: You can use Greek yoghurt instead of natural yoghurt if you prefer, however it will be a lot thicker. You could omit the yoghurt completely and use all mayonnaise too, but it would be very rich
Storing: This can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, however the mixture will become watery if left for too long. To avoid this, either store the vegetables and dressing separately and combine just before serving
OR… Add a teaspoon of sea salt to the chopped vegetables and leave for 20 minutes, then rinse very well for 3-4 minutes, dry them and combine with your dressing as usual.
Optional extras: 
  • Add a teaspoon of celery seeds, this is a very nice traditional addition to coleslaw
  • Add cubes of apple tossed in a little lemon juice (this stops the apple from turning brown) just before serving
  • You could also add 75g of chopped walnuts before serving

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 302mgPotassium: 419mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 7945IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Family Food
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Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️

5 from 3 votes

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3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    amazing easy recipe, totally recommend for busy nights, when you just need a quick side dish for you meal.