This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.
This classic Southern-style coleslaw is crunchy, creamy, tangy, and just a touch sweet. It’s a perfect complement to BBQ, fried chicken, grilled meats, sandwiches, and more.
Why we love this recipe
The perfect coleslaw recipe is a great tool to have in your American culinary arsenal. It feels casual and comforting, but is also a stealthily sophisticated way to get your leafy vegetables. This classic Southern-style coleslaw is:
- Beautifully balanced — crunchy, creamy, tangy, and savory, with a barely perceptible sweetness
- Gorgeous and vibrant, with the perfect balance of veggies for both color and flavor
- Flexible — you can swap in other veggies if you prefer, including a pre-shredded bag of coleslaw mix
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- I like to use a 3:1 ratio of green cabbage to red cabbage. The flavors are slightly different, but it’s mostly because the red cabbage feels like a party dress. If you prefer, you can use all green cabbage, or even five cups of a bagged, pre-shredded coleslaw mix. I don’t tend to use them, since you can’t beat the freshness of shredding your own veggies — but it definitely saves time and is a perfectly fine option.
- Carrot adds color and sweetness.
- I love the nuanced combination of a little bit of very finely sliced red onion and a couple of scallions.
- Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley adds a mild, earthy freshness and gorgeous bright-green color.
- For the mayo, you can use a good-quality grocery store brand, homemade, or my favorite Kewpie (a Japanese brand that’s creamier, tangier, and more umami-fied than American mayo).
- The dressing gets its tang from a combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice and a little bit of distilled white vinegar. A tiny bit of sugar takes the edge off without adding cloying sweetness.
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a beautiful batch of Southern-style coleslaw. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Mix up the dressing right in the bowl.
- Prep the veggies. See the section below for tips on getting the best consistency.
- Add all the veggies to the bowl.
- Toss well. I like to let coleslaw rest for a bit before serving so the flavors can mingle. It’s a great make-ahead dish, since it keeps for a week and only improves over the first 24 hours.
Expert tips and FAQ
Here are my top tips for making this dish the best it can be.
How to shred the cabbage
You’ve got two excellent options for shredding the green and red cabbage. Either way, you’ll start by removing any gnarly outer leaves, quartering the cabbage, and coring it.
You can see this process in action in one of my very early videos. It’s awkward AND instructional! For coleslaw I like to cut each cabbage quarter lengthwise into three or four pieces before shredding so that the strands won’t be super-long — but the video will give you a good basic idea of the process.
If you have a standard food processor, you can use the shredding disc to get nice, short, even shreds of cabbage for coleslaw. If not, simply use your chef’s knife as shown in the video to cut each section crosswise. It takes longer but is perfectly manageable, promise.
How to shred the carrots
If you’re using a food processor to shred the cabbage, run the carrot through that as well. Otherwise you can use the largest holes of a box grater. Some carrots release quite a bit of moisture when shredded, so if you like, you can blot them dry between layers of paper towel before incorporating into the recipe.
How to slice the onion
If possible, start with a very small red onion. Trim and peel it, then quarter it from tip to root. Use a chef’s knife to cut very thin slices in this same direction — from tip to root. Cutting in this direction rather than crosswise helps the slices maintain their excellent texture and structure.
How to cut the scallions
You’ll use both the white and green parts of your scallions in this recipe. While it’s okay to simply slice them into thin discs, I prefer to quarter them lengthwise first. This quick step means you’ll end up with fine pieces that incorporate well into the slaw, rather than little rings and wheels that don’t quite meld into the whole.
You’ll use five cups of a bagged mix to replace the green and red cabbages and the carrots. You’ll still add the red onion, scallions, and parsley on your own, as well as the dressing.
Definitely. If possible, I prefer to let coleslaw rest in the fridge for at least an hour or two before serving, since it really helps the flavors blend. You can make this recipe up to a week in advance and store it (or any leftovers that haven’t been out at room temperature for too long) in an airtight container.
What to serve it with
This classic Southern-style coleslaw makes a beautiful accompaniment to any American-style picnic, cookout, or BBQ. I especially love to serve it with:
More favorite slaws
- No-mayo coleslaw
- Celeriac or kohlrabi remoulade
- Raw beet salad
- Shredded Brussels sprouts salad
- Tangy taco slaw
- Zuni Cafe’s shredded radicchio salad
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
Southern-style Coleslaw
Ingredients
For the dressing
- ½ cup (112 grams) mayo
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the slaw
- 3 cups (185 grams) shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup (70 grams) shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup (100 grams) shredded carrot
- 2 scallions
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup (30 grams) chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Shred the cabbage with a chef's knife or the shredding disc of a food processor.
- Shred the carrot on the large holes of a box grater or with the shredding disc of a food processor. If they seem watery after shredding, dry them between layers of paper towels before proceeding.
- Trim and discard the roots from the scallions. Quarter scallions lengthwise, cutting through each of the shoots so there won't be any rings left intact. Then thinly slice them crosswise.
- Add cabbage, carrot, scallions, onion, and parsley to the mixing bowl.
- Toss slaw to coat it all with dressing.
- Before serving, let it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes or in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the flavors to combine.
Notes
- I like to use a 3:1 ratio of green cabbage to red cabbage. The flavors are slightly different, but it's mostly because the red cabbage feels like a party dress. If you prefer, you can use all green cabbage, or even five cups of a bagged, pre-shredded coleslaw mix. In that case, you'll use five cups of a bagged mix to replace the green and red cabbages and the carrots. You'll still add the red onion, scallions, and parsley on your own, as well as the dressing
- For the mayo, you can use a good-quality grocery store brand, homemade, or my favorite Kewpie (a Japanese brand that’s creamier, tangier, and more umami-fied than American mayo).
- If possible, start with a very small red onion. Trim and peel it, then quarter it from tip to root. Use a chef's knife to cut one of the quarters into very thin slices in this same direction — from tip to root. Cutting in this direction rather than crosswise helps the slices maintain their excellent texture and structure.
- You can make this recipe up to a week in advance and store it (or any leftovers that haven't been out at room temperature for too long) in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
Delicious and fresh. I ate a large serving for lunch!
Woohoo! Thanks, David!