This basic coleslaw recipe contains freshly shredded cabbage and a shredded carrot. The cabbage and carrots are tossed with a slightly sweet and tart mayonnaise dressing. Feel free to play with the sugar amount to suit your taste. Celery seeds add flavor to this tasty slaw. If you use celery salt, omit the salt and taste to make sure it doesn’t become too salty. Also, try to make the coleslaw at least 2 hours in advance so the flavors have time to develop. If it doesn’t seem moist enough, give it some time in the refrigerator before you add more dressing. The cabbage will exude extra moisture as it stands.

easy lightly sweetened basic coleslaw on a plate

There are many recipes for coleslaw, and this is one of my favorites using fresh shredded cabbage. I find the best way to shred cabbage is with the slicing blade of a food processor. Though the food processor is faster, the cabbage can be shredded with a mandoline or knife.

Take the coleslaw along to a cookout or serve it as a topping for pulled pork or chicken sandwiches. One visitor even used lime juice instead of vinegar with success. Even coleslaw-haters loved this one!

creamy coleslaw on a serving plate
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Basic Coleslaw Recipe

basic coleslaw recipe shown on a plate

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This lightly sweetened creamy coleslaw will quickly become a family staple.

  • Author: Diana Rattray
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Salads

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine the cabbage and carrot in a large bowl; toss to mix.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, and celery salt.
  3. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, as needed. Toss to blend the ingredients and coat the cabbage with dressing.
  4. Chill the coleslaw until serving time.

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