Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Creamy and refreshingly crisp.
Taste: Tangy-sweet perfection.
Ease: Super simple to throw together!
Top Tips: Let the coleslaw sit for 20 minutes to 1 hour before serving for the best taste and texture. Any longer and the coleslaw may get watery.
Would I make these again? Definitely! This is my go-to recipe for coleslaw. I’ve made it dozens of times and it’s as good as the best restaurant coleslaws I’ve had.
xoxo erin
Naturally dairy-free, this recipe makes it so EASY to create restaurant-quality coleslaw at home.
It’s perfect as a side dish, but also works as a delicious topping for your favorite BBQ pulled pork or tacos. It’s such a crowd-pleaser and no one will guess it’s dairy-free!
Featured Comment
From Betty: “It was nice to finally find a recipe that had good flavor that both my husband and I liked.”
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this dairy-free coleslaw. Jump to the recipe below for the exact measurements.
- Green cabbage: The cabbage gives the coleslaw its classic crunch and color. I usually buy pre-shredded cabbage from the grocery store.
- Minced onion: I like to chop the onion small so you get that nice onion flavor, but no big chunks.
- Shredded carrot: You can grate carrots yourself or buy pre-shredded carrots.
- Mayonnaise: Pick a mayonnaise with your favorite flavor! Mayo is naturally dairy-free, but if you need egg-free too, you can use a vegan mayo in this coleslaw. Check out this article on does mayo have dairy?
- Apple cider vinegar/lemon juice: These two ingredients add acidity and thin out the mayo to the get the ideal dressing consistency.
- Sugar: Coleslaw needs a nice balance between tangy and sweet. I like to use granulated sugar, but if you want to avoid refined sugar, you can use honey as a natural sweetener.
How to Make Dairy-Free Coleslaw
Here’s an overview of how to make this dairy-free coleslaw. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- Prep vegetables: You can buy pre-shredded cabbage and carrots or shred it yourself. Mince onions so that they blend and enhance rather than take over.
- Combine: Throw all the veggies in a bowl and mix them together.
- Make the dressing: Add all dressing ingredients to a separate bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Toss together: Pour the dressing into the coleslaw bowl. Toss until coated well.
- Let it sit: To get the best taste and texture, let it sit 20 minutes to an hour before serving. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Make-ahead: I recommend serving this coleslaw 20 minutes to 1 hour after combining the dressing with the coleslaw mix. To make in advance, you can mix together the dressing and the vegetables and store them separately, then mix before serving.
To Store: This coleslaw is best served the day it’s made. Refrigerate leftover coleslaw in an airtight container.
Does coleslaw contain dairy?
Sometimes creamy coleslaw recipes contain dairy, usually from milk or buttermilk. This recipe achieves creamy deliciousness without any milk. It’s 100% dairy-free!
Can this dairy-free coleslaw be made egg-free or vegan?
Yes! Mayonnaise is naturally dairy-free, just not egg-free. Use a vegan mayo to make this recipe both egg-free and vegan.
More Dairy-Free Recipes
Dairy-Free Coleslaw (Favorite Classic!)
Ingredients
For the Coleslaw:
- 10 oz shredded green cabbage
- 1 tablespoon minced red onion
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prep vegetables and mix together in a bowl.
- Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the coleslaw and toss until fully coated.
- Let sit for 20 minutes, or up to an hour, before serving. Enjoy!
I don’t have a scale. I’ll bet few kitchens do. How many cups is 10 oz of shredded cabbage? Also, would be helpful if you quantified the size of “a serving”. Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, a 10 oz bag of pre-shredded green cabbage should be available as a standard size in most grocery stores. You’re always welcome to shred cabbage fresh, but it’s not required for this recipe to work well! This slaw will make about 4 side dish-sized servings (roughly 3/4 – 1 cup per serving). We hope you enjoy the recipe!
It was nice to finally find a recipe that had good flavor that both my husband and I liked.
Yay! We love to hear that you and your husband both enjoyed the coleslaw!
Erin,
Thank you for making more dairy and gluten free recipes! It is a huge help to our family. This is delicious! Your site is my favorite because I know all your recipes will be yummy!
Gabby
I used some apple instead of the sugar and used some purple cabbage – looks beautiful and tastes great!
If you are using mayo how is it dairy free? I have a granddaughter that cannot have any type of dairy and I’m looking for cauliflower I can make for her without dairy
Mayo is actually dairy-free! It’s just not egg-free. If you need an egg-free option you can use a vegan mayo.
Thanks for the recipe, tasted great!
I was wondering if you can use white vinegar as a substitute. I am looking for dairy, milk free and low sodium and low potassium recipes.
No red meat, no dairy, no milk, low sugar, no sodium, no nuts
I am on a cardiac and kidney diet, as I have CHF and Level 5 Kidney Disease.
Thank you, Finally a recipe I can use. I’m dairy free soy free and I’m gluten-free
Great recipe! I am enjoying it as I type (Smile).
Yummy!! This was delicious! I used Hellman’s plant-based mayo. So good!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Annie! It’s good to know the plant-based mayo worked well for you too. Thank you for sharing!
Love this dressing! Used a shedded bagged cold slaw as well, and added the dressing. I’m dairy gluten and soy free and am always happy to find easy tasty recipes I can enjoy!
So glad you like it! 🙂
Thanks for the gf, df recipe. 🙂 I used the shredded bagged coleslaw and added your suggestion of wet ingredients. It was great!
Great! I’m so glad it turned out for you!
I love this recipe, too! I made it with avocado oil mayo (Chosen Foods brand) and was afraid it was a little too runny, so I added some Greek yogurt to thicken it up since I don’t like things too mayo-ey tasting. I added a little more sugar since I’m not crazy about the taste of avocado oil mayo and that did the trick. It was even better the next day. I will make it the night before, the next time I make it. Cabbage didn’t even get soggy:) Thanks for this recipe!!!
Hi Tracy, we’re so glad you loved the coleslaw! It’s good to know those substitutions worked well for you too. Thank you for sharing!