Classic Coleslaw
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Whip up the ultimate tangy, creamy, and crunch-packed coleslaw in just 10 minutes — the perfect sidekick for all your summer cookouts!
With a refreshing crunch and just the right amount of creaminess, this easy coleslaw recipe is my go-to for summer cookouts and potlucks. It’s the quintessential coleslaw as you know and love it, but tastier and more vibrant. The secret? Cutting some of the mayo in the dressing with sour cream to add tangy flavor and richness. Apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, and celery seed amp up the flavor even more.
The slaw is terrific with BBQ chicken or ribs, burgers, bratwurst, pulled pork sandwiches, and reuben sandwiches. Or pair it with classic side dishes like potato salad, broccoli salad, and macaroni salad for the ultimate summer picnic spread. Best of all, the recipe utilizes a store-bought coleslaw mix, one of the most practical items found in the produce section of the supermarket. With all the tedious chopping already taken care of, the slaw only takes 10 minutes to prepare. Plus, it can be made a day in advance, making your meal planning that much easier.
Table of Contents
“Bravo! This is the gold standard for coleslaw. It’s crispy, flavorful, made with readily available ingredients and delicious.”
What You’ll Need To Make Classic Coleslaw
- Mayonnaise : Forms the base of the creamy coleslaw dressing. When cooking with mayonnaise, always use a good-quality brand, like Hellmann’s or Duke’s—it makes a huge difference.
- Sour cream: Adds tanginess and creaminess to the dressing, balancing the flavors.
- Apple cider vinegar: Introduces acidity, brightening the taste of the coleslaw.
- Sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness to balance the vinegar’s acidity.
- Dijon mustard: Contributes a mild spiciness and tangy depth to the dressing.
- Celery seed: Adds a distinctive, slightly bitter flavor that complements the creamy and tangy elements of the dressing.
- Prepared shredded coleslaw: This cabbage mixture typically contains a blend of shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots. Some mixes may also include a small amount of other vegetables like kale or broccoli, depending on the brand. Not having to shred cabbage yourself with a mandoline or box grater is a huge time saver.
- Scallions: Add a mild onion flavor that adds freshness and a slight crunch to the coleslaw.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the coleslaw dressing. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, celery seed, salt, and fresh black pepper.
Whisk until combined.
Add the pre-shredded coleslaw and the dark green portion of the scallions. Toss until well combined.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or until ready to serve.
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Classic Coleslaw
Whip up the ultimate tangy, creamy, and crunch-packed coleslaw in just 10 minutes — the perfect sidekick for all your summer cookouts!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb (about 7 cups) prepared shredded coleslaw
- 2 scallions, dark green parts only, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Add the coleslaw and scallions and toss until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 266
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 258 mg
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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I’d give this 10 stars, if possible! In fact, I keep extra dressing in the fridge which makes it easy when company comes (or I’m craving it). I buy the bagged coleslaw mix and chop it up extra-fine in a mini-chopper…..Perfect!
Hi Jenn,
I made this recipe and it is awesome. My family all raved about it.
Love your site for the best recipes!
Thank you! Finally a really good classic coleslaw without any “special” ingredients. Great with ribs, pulled pork or a burger.
Another hit at our house! Made as directed and will definitely make again.
Thanks Jen.
Meant to be 5 stars!
Hi! I REALLY enjoy your recipes 😍 I recently made the pumpkin bread and my family said it was the best bread they ever tasted. I like good coleslaw, but it’s rare, so I’m super excited to try this one as a topping to shredded barbecue tofu sandwiches. We don’t do much dairy here, so my question is this: Can you add more mayonnaise (Veganaise) in place of the sour cream? Or would you recommend a vegan sour cream? Thank you!
Hi Cyndi, It will be a bit richer with more mayo, but it will work. And so glad you like the recipes! 🙂
Excellent coleslaw recipe! I do use light mayo and sour cream to cut the fat and calories. You probably wouldn’t even guess that it is a “light” version. Thank you Jenn!
I am excited about preparing a “Once Upon a Chef” lunch for neighbors tomorrow! While prepping today for the Classic Coleslaw, I found my celery seed jar is empty. Is there a substitute or is it better to just omit it? I have your cookbook, but still learn so much from your online comments section! Thank you for your easy-to-follow and delicious recipes that you so graciously share with us!
Hi Barbara, I would just omit the celery seed; it will still be delicious. 🙂
Exactly as you said….omitting the celery seed worked fine! Everyone
raved about the delicious lunch!!!!
Made the dressing as written and its just right! Not too sweet or tart.
This is so delicious! And it took almost no time at all to make, which is a bonus. I didn’t have celery seed so I left it out but otherwise made exactly as written and it is the best cole slaw I’ve ever had!
My brother who says he doesn’t even like Cole slaw, said this is the best he’s ever eaten and even requested I bring it to a party he had on the 3rd of July.
I love everything I’ve made from your recipes, Jenn and have even done some test baking prior to your last cookbook, but I have to vent my frustration with the way your emails simply refuse to let me view the recipes you offer on my apple phone. no matter where I hit, an unwanted video totally unrelated to the recipe I am trying to see automatically starts playing and there seems to be no way to circumvent it. Make me so frustrated. Luckily it doesn’t happen on my laptop.
Hi Kathleen, so glad you (and your brother!) like the coleslaw. 🙂 And I’m sorry about the issues you’re encountering when you try to view a recipe on your phone! I will talk to my ad network so they can address it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
I had a recipe where I loved the taste of the dressing but it was too thin. I just tried this recipe today and it is perfect. Not too thin and I love the tang ACV gives this. I would love to share that a local restaurant puts dried cranberries in their coleslaw and it is delicious. I am going to try that addition next time. So glad I found your website.