Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo Coleslaw) | Downshiftology (2024)

Home Recipes Courses Appetizers and Snacks Vinegar Coleslaw (No Mayo)

by Lisa Bryan

274 Comments

Updated Jan 25, 2023

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Vinegar Coleslaw is an excellent no mayo coleslaw recipe for those who love coleslaw but don’t love mayonnaise. This vinegar based coleslaw is tangy, not overly sweet and provides the perfect crunch with its combination of green cabbage, onion and carrots.

I bring this slaw to BBQs and parties as it pairs great with Carne Asada, Honey Mustard Chicken andBBQ ribs. It’s also a delicious side to my BBQ Chicken Sweet Potatoes.

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo Coleslaw) | Downshiftology (2)

I love a classic Coleslaw recipe with a creamy, mayo dressing. But I also love this vinegar coleslaw that’s got a stronger bite of flavor (thanks to the apple cider vinegar). It’s always great to have options and you really can’t go wrong with either recipe. So do what I do and alternate them for a little variety!

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe Video

It’s quick and easy to make this vinegar coleslaw recipe, but it always helps to watch a step-by-step video tutorial. Give it a watch below!

Benefits of Eating Cabbage

One reason you should eat more coleslaw is the amazing health benefits of cabbage! You can boil cabbage, sauté it, ferment it or enjoy it raw, like in this tasty coleslaw recipe. However you eat it, you’ll be absorbing plenty of necessary nutrients from cabbage.

Cabbage comes from the same plant family as kale, cauliflower and broccoli. And like broccoli, cabbage has a similar anti-inflammatory profile.Chronic inflammation over time is associated with heart disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), cancer and diabetes. In other words, eat more cabbage and other veggies!

Cabbage has a ton of Vitamin C which is an antioxidant that protects cells from harmful free radicals. In turn, Vitamin C has been linked to lowering high blood pressure and boosting your immunity (and you know I’m all about boosting the immune system).

This crunchy vegetable is also high in Vitamin K. Just one cup of cabbage is 85% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin K, which is essential to help with blood clotting. So much goodness from one simple vegetable.

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo Coleslaw) | Downshiftology (3)

Vinegar Coleslaw Ingredients

One of the things I love about coleslaw recipes are how easy they are to whip up. It’s just a handful of ingredients. Here’s what’s in this oil and vinegar based coleslaw recipe:

  • Green Cabbage
  • Carrot
  • Onion
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Olive Oil
  • Honey
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Celery Seed
  • Salt and Pepper

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo Coleslaw) | Downshiftology (4)

Why Does Everyone Say Coleslaw is So Bad for You?

There’s a lot of dairy and sugar in store-bought coleslaw and restaurant versions. But this recipe is dairy-free, paleo, low carb and can easily be made vegan by simply swapping the honey for maple syrup.

I’ve also limited the honey to one tablespoon for this big batch of coleslaw. So that’s very little sugar per serving. And trust me, you won’t be missing it in this easy, ultra-flavorful recipe.

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo Coleslaw) | Downshiftology (5)

More Healthy Sides for a BBQ or Picnic

  • Potato Salad
  • Avocado Egg Salad
  • Pico De Gallo
  • Guacamole
  • Baked Sweet Potato

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo Coleslaw) | Downshiftology (6)

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo Coleslaw)

4.92 from 158 votes

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

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Description

Vinegar based coleslaw is an excellent no mayo coleslaw recipe for those who love coleslaw but don't love mayonnaise. It's an easy combination of cabbage, carrots and onion mixed with an apple cider vinegar dressing.

Video

Ingredients

  • 1 head of green cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 large carrot, grated
  • 1/2 yellow or red onion, finely sliced

Dressing

Instructions

  • Add the shredded green cabbage, carrot and onion to a large bowl.

  • In a smaller bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, celery seed, salt and pepper to create the dressing. Taste the dressing and decide if you'd like to add more honey.

  • Add about half of the dressing to the cabbage, onions and carrots and gently toss. Slowly add more dressing until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

  • Serve and enjoy!

Lisa's Tips

  • This recipe makes approximately 12 cups of vinegar coleslaw.
  • You can also store it in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 925IU | Vitamin C: 28.3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: No Mayo Coleslaw, No Mayonnaise Coleslaw, Vinegar Based Coleslaw Recipe, Vinegar Coleslaw

©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

Read More About Me

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo Coleslaw) | Downshiftology (2024)

FAQs

Can you use regular vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar in coleslaw? ›

Distilled white vinegar is a great substitute for apple cider vinegar.

What is traditional coleslaw made of? ›

What is traditional coleslaw made of? Traditional coleslaw is little more than shredded cabbage and a creamy dressing. This recipe adds a bit more flavor with shredded carrots and onion. The creamy dressing is made with mayonnaise, sugar, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper, for a just right tangy-sweet flavor.

How do you keep coleslaw from getting runny? ›

Salting the cabbage should be step one of any coleslaw recipe. With the shredded cabbage in a colander, mix in a tablespoon of salt per head of cabbage till it's evenly distributed. The salt will draw out excess water from cabbage while helping preserve the crispiness.

Why does my homemade coleslaw taste bitter? ›

Once you settle on your variety of cabbage, always opt for the freshest heads possible. They should be firm, dense, and heavy with crisp, vibrant, tightly packed leaves. Older, overripe heads often have a more pungent smell and are more likely to taste bitter.

What is amish coleslaw made of? ›

CABBAGE, MAYONNAISE (SOYBEAN OIL, EGG YOLKS [EGG YOLKS, SALT], HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WHITE DISTILLED VINEGAR, MUSTARD [WATER, DISTILLED VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, SPICES], WATER, SALT), FRUCTOSE, SUGAR, CARROTS, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, GLUCONO DELTA LACTONE, PEA FIBER, ERYTHORBIC ACID (TO ...

Is it OK to use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar? ›

Distilled White Vinegar

Use it as an equal swap for apple cider vinegar, but consider adding a splash of fruit juice or a pinch of sugar to balance out the flavor. On its own, distilled white vinegar can be a bit harsh.

Why is KFC coleslaw so good? ›

Fresh ingredients are key to a good slaw, and KFC does alright for a fast food restaurant. You won't find any wilted cabbage pieces, and the carrots are nice and hard as well. What's more, KFC finely dices everything so you don't have to chew that much, and all the flavors and textures blend perfectly.

What is the difference between cabbage slaw and coleslaw? ›

The real difference is that the raw, chopped vegetables in coleslaw are primarily cabbage: Napa, red, savoy, or bok choy. Slaw without the cole can feature any crunchy veggie in place of cabbage, including chopped or shredded broccoli, carrots, snow peas, jicama, and more.

What is coleslaw mixture made of? ›

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, celery seeds, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper. Make the coleslaw. In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, and scallions. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat.

What can I add to store bought coleslaw to make it taste better? ›

<br/><br/>Adding horse radish or onion or celery seeds or bacon bits or some other tasty flavors to make it your own is a really good idea.

Why do you put salt on cabbage for coleslaw? ›

Salting the cabbage, carrot, and onion purges excess moisture that would otherwise turn the slaw into a soupy mess. Including sugar (another osmosis-inducing ingredient) balances the flavor. Limiting the purge to five minutes keeps the cabbage crunchy.

How long will homemade coleslaw last? ›

How Long Does Coleslaw Last? Assuming that you're storing your coleslaw in the refrigerator — and haven't taken it out for a stretch of time and put it back in — coleslaw can safely last up to five days. However, it's important to remember that this is the maximum amount of time it should be kept.

How to tone down vinegar taste in coleslaw? ›

- Add some sugar or honey to the dish. Sugar and honey can counteract the sourness of vinegar and add some sweetness to the dish. You can start with a small amount and adjust according to your taste.

Do you wash cabbage when making coleslaw? ›

Rinse! Rinse well to purge the salt. Get rid of the excess water. Squeeze cabbage dry with paper towels or take it for a spin in a salad spinner to remove the excess water.

Why does coleslaw smell weird? ›

Cabbage and onions contain sulfur-based compounds and enzymes that are kept apart — and nonreactive — in separate cells when the plants are whole. But when you cut the vegetables, the compounds and enzymes mix, creating pungent, bitter and foul-smelling compounds that repel insects (and people!).

What can I use if I don't have apple cider vinegar? ›

Freshly squeezed lemon juice or pre-squeezed or bottled lemon juice can be an easy substitute for apple cider vinegar, especially for salad dressings and marinades, as lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are both fruity and acidic. Use a 1:1 ratio of lemon juice to apple cider vinegar.

What can I substitute for white vinegar in coleslaw? ›

For 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, swap in 1 tablespoon of either lemon juice, lime juice, cider vinegar, or malt vinegar.

Can you use regular vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar for pickles? ›

Don't have ACV in your pantry? Try it with white vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or even a blend of different vinegars. Dill: I love dill pickles so I used fresh dill in this recipe. Fresh dill works best in this recipe to really infuse the flavor into the pickling solution for the cucumbers to soak up.

Can you use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar for broth? ›

Then roast the bones in a hot oven till they get lovely and dark -- this accomplishes two things: enhanced flavor due to caramelization and cracked bones. Now you're ready for the vinegar and water to simmer. Do you have to use apple cider vinegar in your bone broth? No -- any acid will do.

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