I can’t get enough of this creamy coleslaw recipe. This is officially my all-time favorite and the creamy dressing is incredible.
When it comes to homemade coleslaw, this is the recipe I make the most often. It turns out incredibly fresh and crunchy with a deliciously tangy and creamy dressing. I love this coleslaw dressing so much, I use it for my favorite broccoli slaw recipe, too!
I can’t tell you how many people have called this the best coleslaw (just read the reviews). It’s perfect on the side to so many dishes throughout the year. We love it with pulled pork and these super tender baked ribs. It’s also perfect next to other summer favorites like our potato salad, corn salad, and pasta salad.
Key Ingredients
- Cabbage: I love using red and green cabbage (it looks so pretty), but you can use just one variety. Green, red, savoy, or Napa cabbage all work wonderfully. I’ve also used broccoli to make this recipe. See our broccoli slaw to see how I do it. If you’re short on time, try using a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix.
- Carrots: Adds color, a little sweetness, and flavor. I use a box grater to shred my carrots, but you can also buy them pre-shredded if that is easier.
- Parsley: Adds color and fresh flavor.
- Homemade coleslaw dressing: I’ve tried many coleslaw recipes and am convinced this recipe has the best coleslaw dressing. Made with mayonnaise (try homemade mayo), vinegar, mustard, and celery seeds, it’s the perfect blend of creamy, zesty, and fresh. For a mayo-free dressing, see our cilantro lime slaw or this red wine vinegar slaw.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make the Best Coleslaw
Tip 1: Thinly shred the cabbage. To prepare cabbage for coleslaw, remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut the head of cabbage into quarters and slice out the core. Then, thinly slice the quarters to create perfect, fine shreds. This same technique works great for making homemade sauerkraut!
Tip 2: Make our coleslaw dressing. To make my favorite coleslaw dressing, stir mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and celery seeds. Season with salt and pepper, then add it to your shredded cabbage.
Note: I don’t add sugar to my coleslaw dressing, but if you prefer a sweeter dressing, feel free to add a teaspoon or two of sugar or honey.
Tip 3: Hold back a bit of the dressing. When you are ready to combine the coleslaw, start with two-thirds of the dressing. Toss well to coat, then add more as needed until you reach your perfect consistency. This simple step is the best way to prevent your coleslaw from getting soggy. If you have some dressing leftover, see my tips below the recipe for how to use it.
Tip 4: Let coleslaw rest. For the best flavor, refrigerate for one hour before serving. This resting period allows the flavors to meld and the cabbage to soften slightly, giving you a more delicious result. If you’re short on time, you can serve it immediately, but the flavor will be even better with a little rest.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this with just about anything. It’s the perfect side dish for summer potlucks and cookouts. I love it with hamburgers, turkey burgers, pork ribs, and grilled chicken. It’s also excellent served on top of sandwiches. Try this pulled pork on a sandwich or makes these BBQ chicken sandwiches. I also love it served next to crab cakes and lobster rolls!
More Cabbage Recipes
- Roasted Cabbage
- Sautéed Cabbage
- Steamed Cabbage with Lime Butter
- Napa Cabbage Salad
- Vinegar Coleslaw
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- or, see all of our Cabbage Recipes
Easy Creamy Coleslaw
- PREP
- TOTAL
Here’s how I make my favorite classic coleslaw recipe! The dressing is super simple but so delicious. I don’t add any sugar to dressing and love it without. To make this a sweeter coleslaw, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to the dressing before mixing with the cabbage and carrots. When I have it in my kitchen, I love using homemade mayonnaise! For a mayo-free coleslaw, see my easy vinegar slaw made with a red wine vinaigrette.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 medium cabbage, about 2 pounds, outer leaves removed
3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup (225g) mayonnaise, see homemade mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or coarse ground mustard
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar or honey, optional, add for a sweeter coleslaw
Directions
1Prepare the cabbage: Quarter the cabbage through the core, and then cut out the core. Cut each quarter crosswise in half and finely shred. Place the shredded cabbage in a very large bowl (you will have 6 to 8 cups).
2Combine veggies: Add the shredded carrot and parsley to the cabbage and toss to mix.
3Make the dressing: In a separate bowl, stir the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, celery seeds, salt, and pepper together. Taste for acidity and seasoning, then adjust as desired. If the dressing tastes too tart and you prefer a sweeter coleslaw, stir in the optional sugar.
4Make the coleslaw: Pour two-thirds of the dressing over the cabbage and carrot, then mix well. (Clean hands are the quickest tool). If the coleslaw seems dry, add a little more of the dressing. Eat immediately or let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the flavors mingle and the cabbage soften.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Coleslaw keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Past that, the cabbage becomes floppy and less crunchy.
- Make ahead: Shred the veggies a day or two in advance and keep them in a resealable bag in the fridge. Make the dressing up to 2 weeks in advance. Combine the cabbage, carrots, and dressing the night before or the day of serving.
- Store-bought coleslaw mix: You can buy pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix. One large (16-ounce) bag should do the trick.
- Leftover dressing: Use it as a spread for sandwiches, a vegetable dip, served alongside the coleslaw, or with grilled or roasted vegetables, chicken, or meats.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have omitted salt and sugar.
I’ve made this many times. Always a winner!! It’s so good! I add raisins which which adds a bit more sweetness and texture. I’ve added raw lightly salted pumpkins seeds too.
I enjoyed this coleslaw recipe very much. This is the second time preparing it. This time I had to make some substitutions as I did not have all the ingredients. It still resulted in a very creamy and tasty cole slaw. I used red cabbage and the stems of cilantro finely minced. Used maple syrup instead of sugar and carraway seeds to replace the celery seeds. I had all the other ingredients and used as suggested in the recipe. Very good.
Honestly – the dressing itself is like if Ranch and Ceaser had a beautiful baby. Only change was that used 1.5tsp celery salt instead of seeds and dropped the original salt listed…so overall very close to the same thing. May actualy be my new favorite salad dressing for any kind of salad.
Great dressing thank u.
I just stumbled upon your recipe and made it, with some substitutions, and one question. My cabinet was out of celery seeds however the Chinese Five Spice caught my eye and I thought it a reasonable substitute. It isn’t half bad!!! On the ACV I only have Braggs w/ honey cayenne. It also resulted in a very pleasant taste. So with that being said……
can ground celery seed be used instead of whole seeds and if so will the measurement remain the same? Thank you for this recipe,,,,, my functional medicine doctor wants me to begin eating more colors, particularly purple and I find this a delightful place to start.
It was pretty good. We found it a bit dry and added more mayo. We also used Trader Joe’s Dijon which I think has a much stronger flavor than Grey Poupon. It was a bit overpowering. We’ll adjust and try again.
Hi, I have always added shredded onion to my mix, is there a reason why you don’t? Thanks
Not my recipe but I just made it with my own twist- shred the onion first and let it stand in the ACV and salt whilst you prep everything else. Seriously the best. Also I used half a medium cabbage and one carrot to get 8 cups.
This has become my go-to dish whenever I am invited to a potluck. The first time I did, people were really enchated (I live in the French Caribbean so this is not a dish people are familiar with) and the host asked me for the recipes. I made it again the following time I was invited and the response was the same. Now, whenever I am invited at my cousin, they request I bring it. So, let’s just say that now I no longer get stuck about what to bring to a potluck. It’s always this dish and I know it will be well received, so thank you so much for that and wishing all the best creating wonderful recipes 🙂
You made our day with this review 🙂