Seriously Tasty Classic Coleslaw (10 Minutes!) (2024)

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This made from scratch classic coleslaw is literally made in minutes. Fresh and delicious, you’ll never need to buy store bought coleslaw ever again!

This is the best coleslaw recipe for your next BBQ, or just for a quick weeknight dinner!

Whether you need an easy salad for a BBQ (try the Cold Italian Pasta Salad or the Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe.) a crunchy topping for recipes like pork loin in the crockpot, classic coleslaw is an unsung hero! This version has crunchy cabbage packed full of flavor with a tasty creamy dressing.

Why We Love Classic Coleslaw

• Quick and delicious tasting side that uses pre-shredded cabbage to make this recipe super fast and a creamy mayonnaise based dressing.
• Only takes 10 minutes to prepare.
• Can be made up to about 8 hours ahead to make prep a breeze.
• A delicious recipe for a cookout, or to bring to any potluck.
• Amazing side to our delicious roast pork loin!

Ingredients For Your Shopping List

• 14ouncesgreen cabbage with carrots-shredded – I used the dole coleslaw mix.
• 5ouncespurple cabbageshredded
• 1cupmayonnaise
• 3Tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
• 2Tablespoonswhite granulated sugar – honey can also be used
• 1/2Teaspoonsalt
• ¼Teaspoonpepper

How To Make Coleslaw (In 3 Easy Steps)

Making seriously tasty coleslaw only takes about ten minutes, and is so much tastier than any storebought slaw. Start by tossing together the cabbage and carrot mixture in a large bowl.

Then in a second bowl mix together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to make the dressing. Use a whisk so it all blends well and the sugar fully dissolves into the dressing. The dressing should be creamy and hold to the cabbage without causing the recipe to become drippy or liquidy.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and mix well.

Serve this coleslaw immediately or seal the bowl tightly and place in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

Then all you need to do is grab a fork to dig in or store in an airtight container.

Variation Ideas

Here are a few variations that are delicious in this tasty coleslaw recipe!

• Switch up the cabbage- You need about 20 ounces total of shredded cabbage and carrots. This equals about 8 1/3 cups total. So you can totally do all green cabbage, or leave the carrots out. Add more purple cabbage if you are feeling colorful.
• Use honey for sugar- Honey can be used spoonful for spoonful to replace sugar in this recipe. A little bit of sweetener is needed in this recipe.
• Add Green Onions– Garnish with some green onions to add a little more flavor
• Add Yellow Or Purple Onions – A little goes a long way
• Swap Out The Vinegar– Subsitute lemon juice or lime juice for vinegar to still have a flavor slaw recipe.

How Far In Advance Can I Make Coleslaw?

Typically about eight hours in advance is the limit for making this simple coleslaw recipe ahead of time. What happens is overtime the dressing becomes extra drippy and the cabbage won’t be as crunchy.

You can make the dressing up to three days ahead of time. The cabbage and carrots usually stay fresh for about 4 to 5 days once shredded before it goes bad. Then just toss both the dressing and the cabbage mixture together before serving.

How Long Does Coleslaw Last?

Once you’ve mixed the coleslaw it lasts safely in the fridge for three to four days. Coleslaw tastes best if eaten immediately or within eight hours of mixing it. If the coleslaw gets watery then the texture can sometimes not be as tasty as when you first made it.

Crunchy coleslaw should not be left out long periods of time. Placing the bowl of slaw over a bowl of ice is a good idea. Put the coleslaw away as soon as possible if it is extremely hot outside. Coleslaw will start to grow bacteria that can cause food poisoning if left out at room temperature for more then two hours. This process can happen even faster when the temperatures are hot outside.

Preventing Watery Homemade Slaw

Preventing watery coleslaw is usually done by eating it right away after mixing the dressing onto the cabbage. Mixing coleslaw more then 8 hours in advance will cause it to become watery. As the cabbage begins to wilt from the dressing it loses water.

Another way to prevent water in coleslaw is to cut the cabbage a little thicker. Thicker cabbage takes longer to wilt and so takes more time to release water.

If I am taking this homemade coleslaw recipe over to a party where I think it might sit out for a while. (especially in any heat!) I use this trick and cut the cabbage myself instead of using coleslaw mix.

You can also leave some of the cabbage mixture without dressing until you are ready to eat instead of tossing the entire recipe in dressing.

If you are eating leftover coleslaw that’s from the day before that is watery, I recommend draining off some of the liquid from the bottom of the bowl before diving in. This can sometimes make the flavor go down on day two but the excess water in the bottom isn’t tasty.

Can You Freeze Slaw?

I do not recommend freezing this coleslaw recipe. The mayonnaise dressing will separate and the cabbage will become wilted when frozen. Make this quick salad fresh. A vinegar coleslaw will freeze a little easier then this mayonaise based recipe.

Other Recipes You Will Love

Creamy Broccoli Apple Pasta Salad – This pasta salad is creamy and crunchy side dish with just the right amount of sweet!

Pesto Pasta Salad A quick and easy cold salad recipe that is a great a summer BBQ side!

Turkey Burger Sliders – Pop these turkey burgers on the grill and top them with coleslaw, yum1