Simple Creamy Coleslaw

A simple creamy coleslaw made from scratch with crisp cabbage and sweetened with shredded carrots all tossed in a creamy flavorful dressing. Makes a delicious side or topping for sandwiches.

Making this from scratch definitely gives this dish a fresh taste loaded with crunch. Once you go fresh, you’ll never go back - unless you’re in a lazy mood, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Cabbage is one of those veggies that has a long shelf life in the fridge as long as it’s not sliced. I can't say the same for the packaged stuff which only lasts a few days - if that - then discolors and turns mushy. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve used the packaged stuff many times when I just don’t feel like slicing and grating. It's what I normally use for my simple vinegar coleslaw. I just make sure it's eaten that day.

Once I finally took the time to slice the cabbage and grate the carrots, I realized it made a huge difference in texture and taste. It no longer was the side on the table that was there just to fill up space. It was eaten and enjoyed.

This is simple stuff. You can easily double or halve this recipe. Buy a green cabbage medium in size (about 2 pounds). Look at the lot of cabbage at the market. See the large ones? See the small ones? Pick one that’s in the middle. If you want a colorful cabbage, get the smallest red cabbage they have there too to make this creamy coleslaw even more beautiful.

Slice the cabbage in half, then slice each half again giving you quarters. When slicing, slice from top to core. When the cabbage is quartered, you’ll see the core which you slice off and discard.

Now in one fell swoop, cut those slices in half so the pieces aren’t long like spaghetti - trust me. Grating a few carrots will not only add color, but sweetness to this creamy coleslaw. Again, if you do grate your own, you will never buy the pre-grated stuff in the bag. I mean look at that bag closely. See that liquid in there and maybe some whitened skin on the carrots? Does that look normal to you? It takes a few minutes to grate your own. You’re worth a few minutes.

If you’re making half of this recipe and don’t use all the cabbage, you can always make my beef cabbage soup. It’s delicious, super easy to make, and freezes beautifully.

Make the creamy coleslaw dressing:

As for the dressing, it’s very simple just like the title says. This is your familiar creamy coleslaw made with mayo, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, mustard, salt and pepper. Sounds easy right? It is!

If you want this dish to be even prettier, use some red cabbage too. You will only need a quarter of a small red cabbage. It's beautiful, isn't it?

This pairs perfectly with my crack wings, BBQ baked ribs, pulled pork, or anything you desire.

If you love salads, you’ll also love:

Spinach watermelon feta salad with lime vinaigrette

Sweet and tangy cucumber salad

Mexican street corn salad

Sonoma chicken salad

Peruvian oil and vinegar potato salad

Macaroni salad

Spinach and cheese pasta salad

Grilled peach and arugula salad with blue cheese

Life is too short for mediocre food.

Simple Creamy Coleslaw

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

A simple creamy coleslaw made from scratch with crisp cabbage and sweetened with shredded carrots all tossed in a creamy flavorful dressing. Makes a delicious side or topping for sandwiches.This recipe can be halved. 

Serves 12

Course: Cookout, Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Coleslaw, creamy coleslaw

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Author: Natalie Gregory

Ingredients

Slaw:

• 1 medium green cabbage
• ½ small red cabbage* optional - See Notes
• 4 carrots grated

Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 teaspoons mustard yellow or Dijon

Instructions

• Quarter the cabbage through the core, and then slice out and discard the core. Finely slice the cabbage. Then slice the entire pile in half crosswise. It’s easier to slice/shred each quarter first then slice the whole pile of shreds in one shot. See photos above.
• Add the finely sliced cabbage in a large bowl. If you make half a recipe, save the other half of the cabbage for another use. It lasts in the fridge, unsliced and tightly wrapped, for a week or two.
• Add the grated carrots to the bowl and toss to combine.
• Mix together all the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss until thoroughly coated.

Notes

*You can use ½ small red cabbage if you like. If you do, use ¾ of the green cabbage.

This can be made ahead:

Prepare the vegetables and place them in a zip top bag in the fridge. Make the dressing and store covered in the fridge as well. When ready to serve, combine the vegetables and dressing and toss all together.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see how it turns out. Tag me on Instagram @thegeneticchef or tag #thegeneticchef and tell me all about it!

More Delicious Sides

See More Sides →