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 feel like this is the silliest question…. I bought a one pound bag of shredded coleslaw mix, but the nutrition label says it’s only 3.5 cups total which is half the amount in cups that the recipe says, but the correct weight. Which do I go by? Thank you!!!
Hi Sarah, Not a silly question – that is very confusing! Definitely go by the weight, as there can be a lot of variation with cup measures.
Made this for dinner last night to serve with soft shell crab sandwiches. Delicious! My husband is not usually a coleslaw fan but even he went back for seconds.
This will be on repeat over the summer for sure! Thanks for another great recipe.
Easy! And Excellent!
Simple! And Sensational!
Thank you!!😊
Made this delicious coleslaw recipe as written for the first time yesterday. It looked great when I initially mixed the dressing and cabbage, but when I actually served it about three hours later, it had become very soupy. Is this to be expected when making this slaw in advance? If so, can it be avoided by using less dressing or is it simply best to mix and serve immediately?
Hi Astrid, It’s natural for the coleslaw to release a little liquid as it sits. If that bothered you, feel free to wait until right before serving to toss the dressing with the cabbage.
Made this recipe as written for the first time today. It was delicious, although it became rather soupy by the time I served it. I had made it a few hours before serving. Is that to be expected if you aren’t serving it right away?
Sublime! Will only use this coleslaw recipe from now on! Flavors were so amazing! Best comfort food!
Jenn,
I believe this recipe used to call for Worcestershire sauce and did not use apple cider vinegar. I made this new version, and though delicious, I miss the old. Would you be able to link to the old version or respond to this comment with the differences?
Sincerely,
Sarah
Hi Sarah, this recipe never contained Worcestershire sauce; I think you must be confusing it with another coleslaw recipe.
Jenn, I might be thinking of your egg salad. I just remembered that I used balsamic vinegar last time because I was out of apple cider vinegar, and that’s why it was different. 🤦🏼♀️
Love this recipe. My wife used to turn her nose up to coleslaw but the two of us eat the whole thing in two days. One improvement that we think puts it over the top (for us), is the generous addition of caraway seeds to the recipe.
BTW, this is my go-to site for 90% of the recipes I use.
Delicious! Just made this to go with a burger supper tonight (using your steakhouse burger recipe). Serving it alongside my own potato salad and fresh from the garden corn on the cob. Wish you could join us Jenn as it’s your wonderful recipes I keep using and two of them will be starring at supper tonight with the family!
💗
This was sooooooo good. Used a 16 oz bag green cabbage shredded and a 10 oz bag red cabbage shredded,. Grated a little extra carrot and made the dressing exactly as described. Served with some baby back ribs and we were licking our lips! Thanks again Jenn for so many “go to” recipes. This is another keeper!!