This post may contain affiliate links. An easy coleslaw recipe that’s a perfect side dish for purple cabbage coleslaw parties, potlucks and barbecues. My recipe is light, flavorful and has far less sugar than you’ll find in store-bought versions or from KFC. Coleslaw is one of the quintessential summer salads and side dish recipes, along with Potato Salad, Cucumber Salad and Broccoli Salad.
The other bonus of making coleslaw at home? Personally, I prefer coleslaw that’s a little less creamy and more crunchy. But you can always tweak it to your liking! Traditional coleslaw has quite a bit of white sugar and many versions contain dairy, in the form of buttercream.
My version is dairy-free and the only sugar is a smidge of honey. Watch my Coleslaw Recipe Video In this quick video I’ll show you how to make both this classic coleslaw recipe and my vinegar based coleslaw. How to Make the Best Coleslaw Recipe I recommend you use fresh cabbage and carrots, rather than a bag of pre-chopped coleslaw mix for the best flavor. Sure, it’s a little bit more work to slice everything, but it’s very fast. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. Chop off the stem at the end. There’s more of the stem on the inside but we’ll get to removing that.
Chop the cabbage in half, then into quarters. Then diagonally cut out the area where you see the stem or core on the inside. Thinly shred the cabbage with a knife. You can make the cabbage as thin or thick as you desire.
I personally like my cabbage to be thin. If you feel the cabbage is a little too long, then cut the shredded cabbage in half. Alternatively, you could use a spiralizer to shred the cabbage. A mandoline would also be a great tool for shredding cabbage and carrots. If you don’t have a spiralizer or mandoline to shred the carrots, use the large hole side of a box grater.
It works perfect for this coleslaw recipe. Once the cabbage and carrots are shredded, just mix it with the Coleslaw Dressing and enjoy! Coleslaw ingredients in a mixing bowl with coleslaw dressing on the side. An easy coleslaw recipe that’s a perfect side dish for summer parties, potlucks and barbecues! Can Coleslaw Be Made the Day Before? Yes, you can make coleslaw the day before! This is especially helpful when planning for an event.
I personally love when my cabbage and carrots marinate in the dressing overnight. They seem to be so much more flavorful than the first day I tossed. However, you can also keep the veggies and coleslaw dressing separate and mix them the day of. While coleslaw is veggie-packed, many recipes are drowning in dressing that contain more sugar and fat than necessary. So if you’ve never made mayo at home, you must give it a try.