Creamy ColeslawThis creamy coleslaw recipe is rich, tangy and sweet. It’s the perfect partner for barbecue, but it tastes just as good as a topping for tacos or a meaty sandwich.
The best place to start is with a classic creamy coleslaw. Make the dressing with both mayo and sour cream, plus dried mustard, sugar and salt. It’s super easy, whether you use bagged coleslaw mix or
shred cabbage yourself.
Nutty Broccoli SlawThis super-easy, veggie-packed ramen coleslaw is a special side dish for barbecues, potlucks or any quick meal.
The beauty of a slaw is its versatility and ability to take on any number of ingredients. This one starts out as a broccoli slaw, but gets added flavor and crunch from onions, almonds, sunflower kernels and crushed ramen noodles. The dressing is a simple olive oil and cider vinegar blend.
Ruby Raspberry SlawGive ordinary coleslaw a "berry" tangy twist. It's sure to get raves at your next picnic or potluck. —Deborah Biggs, Omaha, Nebraska
Sometimes all it takes is one extra ingredient to give ordinary coleslaw some pizzazz. In this case, it’s a tangy raspberry vinaigrette and fresh berries.
Farmhouse Apple ColeslawCreamy, crunchy, crispy and refreshing—this apple slaw may just be the perfect coleslaw!
Crisp apple offers a nice contrast to shredded cabbage in this coleslaw. Raisins add sweetness, but you can also leave them out.
Copycat KFC ColeslawWho needs the drive-thru? This KFC coleslaw recipe is the perfect copycat recipe when you’re craving that signature sweet-and-tangy flavor and creamy dressing.
Thanks to its buttermilk and mayo dressing, this sweet and tangy coleslaw is a perfect side dish for fried chicken and biscuits. Grate the cabbage by hand for best and freshest consistency, but you can certainly use bagged
coleslaw mix in a pinch.
Red Cabbage SlawWe dress this red cabbage slaw with a delightful homemade honey-mustard dressing. It’s tangy and crisp, and it comes together in a flash.
Red cabbage can sometimes turn creamy coleslaws pink, but when used on its own with a vinegar-based dressing, it stays crips and vibrant. Pile this sweet slaw high on
slow-cooker pulled pork sandwiches.
Spectacular Overnight SlawTo come up with this dish, I used a number of different recipes, plus some ideas of my own. It's great for a potluck because it's made the night before and the flavor keeps getting better. Whenever I serve it, I'm inundated with recipe requests. —Ruth Lovett, Bay City, Texas
Like a lot of great salads, the flavors in this coleslaw get even better when you let them meld overnight. There’s a lot of savoriness in this one: shredded cabbage, thinly sliced onion, sweet bell peppers, pimento-stuffed olives and a mustardy dressing.
Mom’s Chopped ColeslawFor Friday dinners, my mother made coleslaw to go with our fish. It’s still a family tradition, and the tangy dressing even works on a tossed salad. —Cynthia McDowell, Banning, California
Buttermilk is a classic addition to coleslaw dressing, favored for its tanginess and zest. Serve this chopped slaw with a good old-fashioned Friday fish fry, at your summer potluck parties or any time.
Make your own
coleslaw dressing to put on any kind of coleslaw mix.
Island Mango SlawThe cooling effect of tropical fruit and Greek yogurt meets jalapeno spice in this snappy mango slaw. To ensure ripeness, you may want to buy your mango a day or two ahead. —Jenn Hall, Collingswood, New Jersey
Savoy cabbage is a type of cabbage with softer, frilly leaves that lends well to a coleslaw like this one. There’s fresh mango in both the slaw and the dressing, which gets a kick of heat from jalapeno. Before you get started, learn how to
peel a mango with out any special equipment.
Campers’ ColeslawCrispy and crunchy, this old family slaw recipe makes a refreshing side dish for picnics and parties. —Kimberly Wallace, Dennison, Ohio
A good basic crunchy coleslaw should be in everyone’s repertoire. You can shred the cabbage or run it over a box grater for a choppier consistency. Because it isn’t creamy, this is a great recipe for picnics and outdoor potlucks.
Coleslaw with Poppy Seed DressingThis is the kind of salad you can keep in the fridge for a couple days and it just gets better. I just add the sunflower seeds before serving to keep the crunch. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
If you prepare poppy seed coleslaw ahead of time, make sure to leave the sunflower seeds off until you’re ready to serve. Add those just before it hits the table so they stay crunchy and add texture.
Macaroni ColeslawMy friend Peggy brought this coleslaw to one of our picnics, and everyone liked it so much, we all had to have the recipe. —Sandra Matteson, Westhope, North Dakota
A coleslaw that doubles as a macaroni salad is a great accompaniment to any
barbecued rib recipes. Use traditional macaroni or other small shapes like ditalini for easier eating.
Pennsylvania Dutch ColeslawMy mother used to make this salad on holidays. With all the cabbage that is grown here, this coleslaw recipe is a real natural for us! —Deb Darr, Falls City, Oregon
This coleslaw may turn a bit pink since it uses both green and red cabbage, but it doesn’t change the flavor. Made with a traditional mayo-cider vinegar-sugar dressing, this one works great as a sandwich topper or as a side dish.
Pineapple ColeslawIt’s rich. It’s juicy. It’s sweet. Pineapple coleslaw is the tropical twist that has been missing from picnics and backyard barbecues.
Pineapple chunks add just enough sweetness to this creamy coleslaw, especially with its tangy dressing. You can easily add more cabbage or less pineapple to fit your own taste.
Fiesta ColeslawMexican coleslaw captures everything you love about classic coleslaw, with a sweet and spicy twist. It’s perfect as a side dish or a topping for tacos and burrito bowls.
When you add crisp vegetables like jicama and radishes to cabbage, you get a cool and crunchy slaw that pairs with everything from smoked pork to barbecued chicken. Thanks to jalapeno and cilantro, it’s also a perfect topper for
fried fish tacos.
Christmas ColeslawIn our family, this is a must-have side dish for Christmas dinner. The colorful slaw combines sweet, crunchy and nutty ingredients with tongue-tingling results. It's such a refreshing counterpoint to our meaty main course. —Lyndsay Wells, Ladysmith, BC
With apple, cherries, almonds and mandarin oranges, it’s like a holiday in a bowl. Reserve the oranges for folding in right before serving so they don’t get too mushy.
Kale Slaw Spring SaladMy parents and in-laws are retired and like to spend winters in Florida. This tangy spring salad welcomes the snowbirds back for our Easter celebration! —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan
Move over
kale salads! This slaw-salad hybrid using bagged cabbage along with the leafy greens is a welcome change of pace from everyday slaws. Toss in salty feta cheese and crunchy sunflower seeds at the table.
Blue Cheese Slaw“I'm apt to add blue cheese to anything I can think of, including this tangy slaw. I make it ahead of time because the longer it sits, the better it tastes.” —Nicole Clayton, Prescott, Arizona
Combine carrots and green and red cabbage in a bowl, then add a tangy mustard-vinegar dressing and lots of blue cheese chunks. Let it all sit in the fridge for at least two hours before serving so the flavors meld.
Jicama SlawThis jicama slaw is a nice change of pace from traditional cabbage coleslaw. The jicama adds a sweet, nutty flavor and lots of extra crunch.
Instead of cabbage, let jicama add a sweet, nutty flavor to coleslaw. When buying jicama, choose one that is firm with a dry skin. It shouldn’t look too wrinkled or shriveled, and should be free of large blemishes.
Summertime SlawAs a change from mayonnaise-laden slaw, I created this refreshing alternative. It uses many of the garden vegetables I grow, so it's also economical. I serve it at our family reunion each Fourth of July, and it's always a big hit at get-togethers. —Sharon Payne, Mayfield, Kentucky
A refreshing change from creamier slaws, this one uses garden vegetables like tomatoes and onions along with shredded cabbage. Sweet pickle relish is the secret ingredient to the dressing!
Honey Mustard ColeslawI tinkered around with a family cole slaw recipe until I arrived at this sweet & tangy combination. The packaged shredded cabbage is a real time-saver, and the honey helps the dressing come together faster. An added bonus is there no mess to clean up!
Spicy brown mustard is the preferred choice for this tangy, creamy dressing, but any variety will do the trick. Bagged coleslaw mix takes a lot of the prep work out of this slaw, but you can shred your own if you have the time.
Caraway Coleslaw with Citrus MayonnaiseThe combination of caraway and orange keeps this slaw from being anything but run-of-the-mill. I always get requests to bring a big batch to potlucks; proof positive that it's a keeper! I also like to make it a day ahead so the flavors can truly blend. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Caraway seeds and a citrusy, orange dressing make this coleslaw super unique. Make it a day in advance to let the flavors come together. This would taste great with
grilled bratwursts or other sausages.
Zesty ColeslawThis simple slaw tastes best when it's refrigerated for at least one hour. The mixture seems to get creamier as it sits. —Michelle Gauer, Spicer, Minnesota
Bell peppers add some extra zing to this creamy coleslaw. Everyone has their favorite way of
cutting a bell pepper, but we like to slice off the top, pull out the seeds, cut it in half and commence slicing.