This is the best coleslaw you'll ever have! Perfect as a side dish for pulled pork, fish tacos, barbeque, and more. It's bright, creamy, and filled with delicious crunch from cabbage and carrots. I used a mandolin to slice the vegetables for a uniform texture, but feel free to use a knife if you prefer.
Looking for another simple side dish? Try my macaroni salad next!
I grew up not liking coleslaw because I found it mushy most of the time. But if you make it yourself at home, it will be much crunchier- at least for the first hour. Once coleslaw sits for longer than that, the salt and acid in the dressing starts breaking down the vegetables which will cause them to soften.
I made this coleslaw using 3 types of vegetables: carrots, green cabbage, and purple cabbage. For the most traditional look, you'll want to use about 4 parts green cabbage to every 1 part carrots and purple cabbage. But this is just for aesthetics. If you don't care, just use equal parts of everything. Purple cabbage is filled with antioxidants and we don't want that to go to waste!
My favorite way to serve this salad is with southern food like barbeque, fried chicken, fish tacos, or pulled pork. I've added 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar so it's very acidic and bright- perfect for cutting through the richness of those foods. But you can serve this with anything you like.
Key Ingredients
Vegetables: You can use either pre-packaged coleslaw mix or make your own by combining green cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots. I had leftover green cabbage from the previous week, so I just decided to buy some purple cabbage and carrots and make my own.
Dressing: The dressing is made of mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, celery seeds, black pepper, salt, and onion powder. I know sour cream seems odd but it's actually very nice in coleslaw. It adds a nice acidity and richness. Just make sure you use full-fat sour cream, as lighter versions would make the dressing more runny.
Instructions
STEP 1: Combine the vegetables in a big bowl.
STEP 2: Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
STEP 3: Add the dressing to the vegetables and toss to coat. The coleslaw will be crunchy at first, but it'll get softer the longer it sits. Many people like to refrigerate it for one hour first, but personally I enjoy the coleslaw at its freshest.
Best Coleslaw
Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 14-16 ounces coleslaw mix (see notes)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, celery seeds, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Add the coleslaw mix to a large bowl. Add ¾ of the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and add more dressing if you like it more creamy.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for one hour to allow the cabbage to soften. Personally, I think coleslaw tastes the best when it's still crunchy, so I eat it immediately.
Brandy Swena
Omgosh I’ve tried making coleslaw in the past and never have liked the results. This was amazing! Creamy, not too vinegary, not too sweet. I ate Some right after I made it and it was perfect! Can’t wait to have more tomorrow!