This vegan coleslaw is the ultimate crowd-pleasing side dish. It's irresistibly tangy, sweet, cool, and creamy, just like the coleslaw you used to love, minus the mayo and dairy! The simple homemade dressing is what really sets it apart. Adapted from my oil-free vegan mayo, it's the perfect combination of easy prep, amazing flavor, and healthier ingredients!
I'm not sure about other parts of the U.S., but growing up in the South, coleslaw was eeeeverywheeere. From potlucks and summer cookouts, to BBQ joints and fast food chains, no menu was complete without it.
If you grew up on the sweet, creamy slaw from places like KFC and Chick-fil-A (or were lucky enough to have a family member with their own signature recipe), you know exactly the flavor I’m talking about.
This vegan version captures that same tangy, cool, crunchy vibe, but skips the mayo. I adapted my popular oil-free vegan mayo recipe to create a homemade coleslaw dressing that brings all the creaminess with none of the oil or heaviness.
This creamy coleslaw is perfect alongside vegan BBQ, veggie burgers, on sandwiches, or straight from the bowl!
Fun fact: Ever wondered why it’s called “cole” slaw? Turns out, the dish originated in the Netherlands, and koolsla is Dutch for “cabbage salad.” Over time, “kool” became “cole” with English-speakers, and the rest is history.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Vegan Coleslaw
- Tastes just like traditional coleslaw! It's creamy and tangy with a little sweetness and zing from vinegar and celery seed.
- It's oil-free, gluten-free, and can be made without nuts or cashews.
- Holds up well in the fridge for several days. Hello, meal prep!
- It makes boring, everyday meals feel way more exciting.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The magic is in the dressing. Here's what you’ll need:
- Raw cashews - If not using a high speed blender, soak them in hot water for an hour or two for easier blending. Raw sunflower seeds work well for a nut-free option.
- Water - Not only do you not need mayo for this recipe, you don't even need non-dairy milk! Water helps create a silky smooth and creamy dressing.
- Lemon juice + 2 types of vinegar - I like to use several different acids for the most complex, tangy flavor. You’ll need fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and white distilled vinegar (the strong flavor is important since we aren’t using mayo).
- Sugar - Gotta have sweetness for that classic coleslaw flavor! But it’s up to you how much you want to use. As written, the sweetness and tang are fairly balanced. Swap it for a little maple syrup, if preferred.
- Celery seed - Adds that classic savory slaw flavor.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper - These add more savory notes to round it all out.
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And for the slaw:
- Shredded cabbage - I like to use both green and red cabbage (or maybe you call it purple). You can vary the amounts depending on what you have or how colorful you want the slaw to be.
- Shredded carrots
- Optional extras: I usually stick to cabbage and carrots, but you can add all kinds of fun things to your slaw, like sliced green onion, diced red onion, or a little bit of grated onion (instead of onion powder). Also try chopped parsley for freshness, or a bit of chopped apple or pear if you like a sweet crunch.
See the recipe card below for amounts and step-by-step instructions.
How to Shred Cabbage for Slaw
If you have a food processor, the slicing blade makes shredding cabbage a breeze! Then for the carrots, switch to the standard shredder blade.
Without a food processor, it's actually pretty easy to shred cabbage by hand, but you will need a good chef's knife.
Just trim the bottom of the cabbage and cut it into quarters (or only use half of the head, depending on how much slaw you're making).
Remove the thick core, and cut each quarter in half again. Then lay each piece horizontally on the cutting board, and thinly slice it cross-wise. Voila! Shredded cabbage.
Check out this article for step-by-step photos on shredding cabbage with a knife. A large box grater works well for carrots.
How to Make Vegan Coleslaw
First, to make the dressing, just blend everything until smooth. Then toss the veggies with the dressing, refrigerate for 30 minutes to soak in the flavor (or longer if you have time). And dig into your creamy, dreamy vegan coleslaw!
Hint :
After blending the dressing give it a taste and adjust the balance of acidity, sweetness, and saltiness to suit your palate. Note that it should be very flavorful to stand up to the large volume of cabbage.
Serving Suggestions
Coleslaw works well with so many dishes. There are the obvious pairings like vegan ribs and BBQ soy curl sandwiches. It's also great with baked tofu, meatloaf, veggie burgers, on tacos, and grain bowls!
It would taste great with any of these:
Can I make coleslaw ahead of time?
Coleslaw is best the day it's prepared but does benefit from a few hours in the fridge, which makes it a great option for get-togethers. This allows the flavors to mingle and the cabbage to soften just a bit, while still having plenty of crunch.
That said, leftover coleslaw can be enjoyed for several days. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
FAQs
Yes, sub ⅔ cup raw sunflower seeds for the cashews, or use any vegan mayonnaise you like (see the next question for details).
Absolutely! If you have some vegan mayonnaise to use up, or just don't feel like hauling out your blender, combine ¾ cup mayo with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon each salt, black pepper, and celery seed. Whisk until smooth, then taste and adjust the flavors as desired.
Cabbage has a high moisture content. So when combined with coleslaw dressing, which contains salt, the salt draws moisture out the cabbage, resulting in some dressing pooling in the bottom of the dish. There's nothing wrong with this, but if preferred, you can avoid it by pre-salting the cabbage. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water and pat dry (or use a salad spinner). Note that this process makes the cabbage taste salty, which means you would need to reduce the salt added to the dressing.
Top Tips
- Make-ahead tip: Shred the veggies and make the dressing up to 1 day in advance. Store the two separately in the fridge, then combine a few hours before serving.
- Size of the shreds: Use a food processor or mandolin for evenly shredded cabbage. Go with long, thin shreds, or use a knife to trim the cabbage into even smaller pieces, which makes it easier to eat.
- Let it chill: Refrigerate your vegan coleslaw for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 hours, before serving for the best flavor and texture.
I hope you enjoy this vegan coleslaw. If you try the recipe, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
Recipe
Vegan Coleslaw From Scratch (No Mayo)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cups shredded green cabbage - about 10 oz. or half of a medium size head
- 2–3 cups shredded red cabbage - about 5 oz.
- 1 large carrot - peeled and shredded
For the dressing:
- ¾ cup raw cashews - see Notes for subs
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tblespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a blender combine all dressing ingredients except celery seed and black pepper. Blend on high until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Taste and adjust the acids, sugar, and salt, if desired. Note that the dressing should taste very bold at this point and will mellow as it sits. Add the celery seed and black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Combine the shredded cabbage and carrot in a large mixing bowl. Toss with half of the dressing, then add more dressing until it's as creamy as you like.
- If you have time, refrigerate the coleslaw for 30 minutes before serving (or up to 4 hours). Store leftover slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Lori says
Delicious! My husband took one bite and said “that tastes like KFC coleslaw.” 🥇😀 Winner!
Lori Rasmussen says
Woohoo! I'm glad you both enjoyed it.