This Sweet Coleslaw is our go-to summer salad recipe. Packed with hearty veggies, and a creamy, tangy dressing that ties the whole dish together, this slaw recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes, and stores well if you make it ahead of time.
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This simple and sweet coleslaw recipe is perfect for any occasion — picnics, barbecues, or a cookout. It's a salad recipe we're obsessed with and have been making for years. Serve it with sausage on a bun, chicken sandwiches, or as the crunchiest side to any grilled meat.
Why You’ll Love This Coleslaw Recipe
- It’s cheap and cheerful: A small head of cabbage can make enough to feed a crowd and will cost you less than a cup of coffee. Plus, it’ll impress with its punchy dressing of Dijon, mayonnaise, and green onion for ultimate flavor and crispy bitte.
- It’s versatile: The perfect coleslaw for pulled pork, BBQ dishes like our Grilled Jerk Chicken Sandwich, BBQ Jerk Chicken Bowl or even our Sweet and Sour BBQ Beef Kabobs. It's a crisp salad that enhances most dishes providing sweetness, creaminess, and tanginess to every bite.
- It's all-season: While most popular in the summer, this creamy slaw recipe can be made any time of the year. With hearty cabbage, crisp carrots, and a bright sauce, this crunchy salad or side dish makes a great menu item for summer recipes to Super Bowl recipes, and everything in between.
Serve our Sweet Coleslaw with Maple Syrup alongside our Italian Sausage Sandwich with Peppers, Sausage Corn Chowder, Grilled Carne Asada Steak Quesadillas, or Curry Fried Chicken.
Ingredient List
- Cabbage: white cabbage is preferred for its pale green color. Purple or red cabbage can be mixed in as well, however, the color bleeds so we usually stick to just white.
- Carrots: use large carrots, as fresh as possible, grated with a box grater.
- Green onions: adds a subtle onion flavor to the dish without overpowering the coleslaw. Use only the green portion of the onion.
- Mayonnaise: real mayonnaise or homemade. Stay away from salad dressing style mayonnaise as it changes the flavor.
- Maple syrup: used for sweetness. Maple syrup gives a unique taste to the coleslaw.
- White vinegar: adds tang and helps to soften the cabbage.
- Cider vinegar: provides a subtle apple flavor to the dressing, but can be omitted for just white vinegar if you prefer a tangy coleslaw.
- Dijon: mustard adds spice and depth to the dressing.
- Garlic powder: mild garlic flavor enhances the coleslaw dressing.
- Celery seed: savory and earthy, celery seed is essential in coleslaw.
- Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt.
- Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Less sweet: reduce the amount of maple syrup by half.
- Spicy: add 1-2 thinly sliced bird’s eye chili peppers or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the dressing.
- Make it lighter: replace some or all the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
- Additions: shredded apple or pear can be added to the coleslaw for an even sweeter slaw.
- Maple syrup: white sugar or honey can be used in place of the maple syrup.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Sweet Coleslaw
1. Prepare the vegetables.
Shred or thinly slice the cabbage as thinly as possible, thinly slice the green portion of the green onions, and grate the carrots. Place the vegetables in a large bowl.
2. Make the dressing.
In a small mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, maple syrup, white vinegar, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Whisk until completely smooth then taste and adjust seasoning. It should be a little extra salty to maintain it’s flavor once soaked into the vegetables.
3. Dress the coleslaw.
Pour the dressing on top of the coleslaw and toss it until all the vegetables are completely coated in coleslaw dressing and evenly distributed.
4. Marinate and serve.
Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but ideally 2 or more hours, to allow the cabbage to absorb the dressing and soften.
Chef's Tips
Shredding the cabbage: use a mandoline if you have one to shred the cabbage. It results in the finest shred and even thickness.
Grating the carrot: grate the carrot on an angle to get longer pieces, that are closer in length to the cabbage.
Keep it cold: if serving the coleslaw for a summer bbq, avoid leaving it out in the sun. Place the bowl on ice or store it in the fridge until serving, then return to the fridge immediately after.
Make Ahead and Storage
In our opinion, coleslaw has the best flavor and texture between 2-12 hours after it is made. If making for a party, we often prepare the vegetables and dressing the night before and then dress the salad first thing the next morning.
Once dressed, our sweet coleslaw will last 2-3 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container.
Recipe FAQs
The term coleslaw comes from the Dutch word "koolsla," short for "koolsalade," meaning cabbage salad. In Dutch, "kool" means "cabbage" and "sla" means "salad." Dutch settlers brought the recipe to America, where it was anglicized to "coleslaw."
The only consistent ingredient in coleslaw is shredded cabbage. Recipes and dressings vary widely, though common ingredients include shredded carrots, apples, peppers, onions, and even cheese. Coleslaw dressing is typically made with a vinegar base or mayonnaise base.
Dressed coleslaw should only be stored in the fridge and does not freeze well.
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Recipe Card
Creamy Sweet Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head cabbage
- 2 carrots
- 2 green onions
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Shred or thinly slice the cabbage as thinly as possible, thinly slice the green portion of the green onions, and grate the carrots. Place the vegetables in a large bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, maple syrup, white vinegar, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Whisk until completely smooth then taste and adjust seasoning. It should be a little extra salty to maintain it’s flavor once soaked into the vegetables.
- Pour the dressing on top of the coleslaw and toss it until all the vegetables are completely coated in coleslaw dressing and evenly distributed. Place in the fridge at least 30 minutes, but ideally 2 or more hours, to allow the cabbage to absorb the dressing and soften.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Shredding the cabbage: use a mandoline if you have one to shred the cabbage. It results in the finest shred and even thickness.
- Grating the carrot: grate the carrot on an angle to get longer pieces, that are closer in length to the cabbage.
- Keep it cold: if serving the coleslaw for a summer bbq, avoid leaving it out in the sun. Place the bowl on ice or store it in the fridge until serving, then return to the fridge immediately after.
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