Easy Vinegar Coleslaw

I’ve been serving this mayo-free vinegar coleslaw recipe with just about everything lately. It’s a perfect side for BBQs, summer get-togethers, richer dishes, and more!

If you’ve followed us for a while, you know we love our coleslaw! We’ve had our favorite creamy coleslaw on Inspired Taste for a long time, and it has risen to one of our most loved recipes. For years, you’ve asked us to add a vinegar-based coleslaw to the blog, and now I can finally say, it is here!

Deli counter subs and our obsession with sauerkraut inspired this easy vinegar slaw. It’s fresh, crunchy, not too tart or sweet, and goes with just about anything! From barbecue, pork chops, pulled pork, meatloaf, to sandwiches, tacos, and burgers, this mayo-free slaw hits the mark!

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. If you’re short on time, try using a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix. If you have leftover cabbage, here are all of our easy cabbage recipes!
• 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.
• Caraway Seeds (or Celery Seeds): For a traditional coleslaw flavor, use celery seeds, but for a slightly different, but delicious spin, reach for the caraway seeds. Caraway seeds are used in our sauerkraut recipe, but also are what gives rye bread it’s flavor. It does the same with this slaw, and I love it! Remember, though, if you aren’t a fan of caraway, use celery seeds instead like we do for this coleslaw.
• Homemade vinegar dressing: I love the combination of red wine vinegar and olive oil on deli subs, so that’s what we’ve used here. Red wine vinegar tastes a bit lighter and less acidic than other vinegars, which works nicely with the coleslaw. To balance the dressing, we also whisk in a little mustard powder, sugar (only a little bit), and salt. If you do not have mustard powder, you can substitute Dijon mustard. If you want more of a citrus dressing, try our cilantro lime slaw, which is also mayo-free.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Vinegar Coleslaw

Tip 1: Prepare the cabbage. I like slicing my cabbage into thin shreds. I use the same method as when I make sauerkraut or creamy coleslaw. First, cut the cabbage into quarters, and slice out the core. Then, thinly slice each quarter.

Tip 2: Make the dressing. Our slaw dressing is comes together the same way as a simple vinaigrette. Whisk all of the ingredients together, taste, and then adjust with salt, pepper, or if you want a sweeter slaw, add honey or sugar.

Tip 3: Make the slaw. Add all the ingredients to a big bowl, and then pour over two-thirds of the dressing. Give it a really good toss, then add more dressing as needed. That way, you’ll guarantee you’ve got the right dressing to slaw ratio!

Serving Suggestions

I love when we have this tangy coleslaw in our fridge. It’s perfect on the side to so many dishes. It’s wonderful with heartier meat dishes since the vinegar does a good job of cutting through the richness. Some favorites are slow cooker pulled pork, these tender beef ribs, beer brats, and with grilled steak.

It’s also great for sandwiches, and I love it with other potluck-friendly dishes like Greek pasta salad, corn salad, and this orzo pasta salad.

More Slaw Recipes

• Broccoli Slaw
• Cilantro Lime Slaw
• Creamy Coleslaw