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This recipe was previously published on Robust Recipes. It has been updated for a better user experience.
Have you ever met a person who doesn’t like coleslaw? Coleslaw is like the one salad that everyone likes. Even if you’re not a salad person, you usually like a good creamy coleslaw.
Nothing says summer to me like a big heaping side serving of creamy coleslaw next to my grilled whatever, or my BBQ slathered whatever, eaten on a paper plate outside. Half of the time I want to fill most of my plate up with coleslaw and have a tiny taste of the other stuff.
I previously had a recipe for creamy coleslaw that was from way back in the day that had photos with horrible lighting and styling, and OMG it’s hard to remember the time when I took photos like that – I have come a long way over the years with my photography. This summer I have ended up making a good amount of coleslaw. It’s usually because I have a leftover head of cabbage needing to be used in the fridge. This resulted in perfecting my ideal version of creamy coleslaw. Saucy, without drowning in sauce, tangy, with just the slightest hint of sweetness, and well seasoned – and of course, super crunchy!
I knew it was time for an update!
The basics of a good classic creamy coleslaw is mayonnaise for the dressing, a little bit of vinegar for tang, a little bit of sugar for sweetness, and of course salt and pepper. I have played around with different types of vinegar to make the ultimate homemade version of creamy coleslaw and finally settled on using white wine vinegar. It has just the right amount of neutral tang that’s not overpowering. I also found I really like the combo of mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt.
Like any true Midwesterner I don’t shy away from mayo, however, whenever I find the flavor isn’t that much affected by a substitution of Plain Greek yogurt I take advantage of the healthier swap. In this case I like using a combo of mostly mayo and some Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt is thicker and tangier giving the coleslaw such a great texture and taste. While the mayo gives it that classic, luscious taste we know and love in a creamy coleslaw. However, if you are a true mayo fan through and through, then go for it, use all mayo.
Wow, never thought I could discuss mayo so much in two paragraphs ha!
Ingredients for classic creamy coleslaw:
- Mayo
- Plain Greek yogurt (or use all mayo)
- white wine vinegar
- agave nectar – a nice neutral sweetener that mixes easily into the sauce
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- garlic powder
- Dijon mustard
- green cabbage
- purple cabbage (makes the coleslaw look pretty. When I am just making coleslaw for a quick weeknight meal, I often just use green cabbage for ease.)
- carrots
- green onions (optional, for garnish)
That’s all you need for a really simple, classic creamy coleslaw that comes together in 20 minutes!
Coleslaw couldn’t be any easier to make. Mix up your dressing. Shred your cabbage and carrots and mix. Fresh creamy coleslaw is ready for you in 20 minutes flat!! Get ready summer food, here we are with our coleslaw waiting for the rest of our meal.
Creamy coleslaw is naturally gluten free, vegetarian, and easy to substitute as vegan/dairy free – simply omit the Greek yogurt and use vegan mayo instead. This recipe can be made up to 1 day in advance, making it the perfect salad to bring to a gathering (when we can have gatherings again lol – #covid19), or for meal prep. In fact, the coleslaw is always better after it’s sat for a few hours.
I hope you love this creamy coleslaw as much as we do. It’s so insanely simple to make and delicious to eat.
What to serve creamy coleslaw with:
- chipotle black bean burgers
- honey buffalo baked chicken wings
- sheet pan chicken and asparagus with lemon tahini sauce
- salmon cakes with Greek yogurt horseradish dip
- pineapple turkey burgers with homemade teriyaki sauce
Honestly, you can’t go wrong when there is creamy coleslaw involved in your meal. Am I right?
Enjoy friends!
More summer side salads you will love:
- refreshing creamy cucumber salad
- raw zucchini quinoa salad with lemon herb vinaigrette
- simple strawberry avocado salad
- quinoa tabbouleh salad
- strawberry basil quinoa salad
- Thai crunch salad with Tahini dressing
- marinated 3 bean salad (one of our all time favorites)
Hey did you make this recipe? Do me a favor and comment below along with a star rating. This helps me recipe to rank higher in google and to be seen by more people. Also, I just love hearing from you. Thanks friends!
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Classic Creamy Coleslaw
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4 to 5 1x
- Category: salad, side, 30 minutes, 10 ingredients or less, easy
- Method: chop, mix
- Cuisine: gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, healthy, refined sugar free, egg free
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This classic creamy coleslaw recipe is the perfect make ahead side to any summertime meal or summer party. It’s easy and only takes 20 minutes to make. Creamy dressing with plenty of crunchy cabbage.
Ingredients
- 3/4 to 1 cup mayo
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon agave nectar (or sub sugar)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or salt to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3/4 medium head of green cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 small head purple cabbage, shredded
- 2 large carrots, shredded
- Optional: green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Mix the dressing: In a large mixing bowl add the mayo, Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, agave nectar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Dijon mustard. Whisk to combine.
- Shred the cabbage and carrots: See my notes on ways you can shred the cabbage. For the carrots I like using the shredding blade on my food processor. You could also use the large holes on a box grater, but I recommend using a food processor for the best texture.
- Mix: Add the cabbage and shredded carrots to the bowl. Use tongs to toss and combine until all the cabbage is coated in the dressing. If the coleslaw seems dry add more mayo and/or Greek yogurt. Keep in mind that as the cabbage sits it will release some water making the sauce a little more saucy. Also taste and adjust any seasonings at this point.
- Chill: If you’re in a hurry you can serve the coleslaw right away, but it’s always best when it’s cold so I recommend chilling the coleslaw in the fridge for at least 2 hours (when you can). You can make it up to 1 day in advance.
- Serve: Just before serving give the coleslaw a good toss. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.
Notes
Cabbage: For the photos I wanted the mix of green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots for the pretty colors. However, when I am making this in a hurry just for a simple weeknight dinner I usually just use green cabbage, and sometimes some carrots. I usually use about a 3 pound green cabbage. It does save time to only use the green cabbage, but if I were serving this coleslaw to guests then I would probably go to the extra effort to use the green and red cabbages, and carrots for sure.
How to shred the cabbage: My favorite way to get thin slices of cabbage is to use a mandolin. You can also use the slicing blade on a food processor (which, I often do). You can also use a chef’s knife, but I can never get the cabbage as thin as I like by using a knife.
Greek yogurt: You an omit the Greek yogurt and sub it with more mayo. I like a title Greek yogurt because it’s thicker then he mayo so it clings to the cabbage better, and it adds a little extra tang that I enjoy.
Vegan/dairy free: to keep this recipe gluten free and/or vegan use vegan mayo and omit the Greek yogurt and replace it with with the vegan mayo.
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