Last Updated on July 7, 2024

This Easy & Crunchy Red Cabbage Coleslaw is the BEST healthy coleslaw that’s colorful, light and fresh. The bright and crisp raw shredded red cabbage is tossed with shredded carrots and a slightly tangy dressing made with vegan mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, celery salt, salt & pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice. This summer side dish is creamy, crunchy, and comes together quickly in just a few easy steps!

I can’t say that I’ve ever been a huge coleslaw fan… I mean I like it, but I didn’t find myself craving it like I crave this red cabbage coleslaw! This slaw is so light and fresh, with a touch of creaminess and the perfect blend of tanginess and saltiness. This is definitely going to be my go-to coleslaw from now on! This salad recipe would be perfect for a potluck, picnic, cookout, barbecue, pool party, or even just served alongside vegan tacos on your next taco night!

Coleslaw Ingredients

Red cabbage. You will need 5 cups of shredded red cabbage. I bought a medium head of red cabbage and shredded my own (see below), but if you can find it pre-shredded at the supermarket that would be ok too. I would suggest cutting the cabbage yourself, as I find it tastes way crisper and fresher than using bagged shredded cabbage.

Shredded carrots. I do buy pre-shredded carrots for ease in this recipe. You’ll need 1 cup of shredded carrots.

Creamy dressing. The homemade creamy coleslaw dressing is a winner! You don’t need a ton of dressing to make this red cabbage coleslaw creamy and delicious. Dive deeper into the dressing below.

Salt & pepper. The recipe does call for salt and ground pepper, but feel free to add more to taste.

The Dressing

The creamy coleslaw dressing is made with just 7 simple ingredients and is adapted from the coleslaw dressing used in the Spend With Pennies coleslaw recipe.

Vegan mayonnaise. There are a few different brands that make vegan mayonnaise now (yay!) but I used Follow Your Heart Soy-Free Vegenaise.

Apple cider vinegar. You will need 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to give this dressing just a little zing.

Celery salt. Don’t skip this ingredient! It adds just the perfect flavor to the slaw dressing! If you can’t find celery salt, you may also use celery seed.

Maple syrup. Instead of adding sugar, this coleslaw dressing calls for 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup for the perfect touch of sweetness.

Salt. If you’re using celery salt, I suggest only adding salt to taste. If you are using celery seed, you may need a little bit more salt.

Pepper. I suggest adding 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper, plus more to taste if desired.

Lime Juice. For the final touch of tanginess, you’ll need to squeeze the juice of half of a lime into the final coleslaw salad.

How To Make Vegan Coleslaw

We’ll start by shredding a head of red cabbage. I highly suggest cutting your own cabbage.

I have a hard time finding shredded red cabbage in supermarkets, and I much prefer the freshness of cutting my own. You want to slice the cabbage as thinly as you can, like this:

Next, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt over the shredded red cabbage, toss, and let it sit for an hour to draw out the excess water in the cabbage. This allows for a crunchier, less watery coleslaw.

For more instructions on how to shred red cabbage, check out this post!

Next, drain, rinse, and dry the cabbage. You can easily do this using a salad spinner. Then combine the shredded red cabbage and shredded carrots in a large bowl.

Make the coleslaw dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and stir/whisk together.

Pour the dressing over the shredded cabbage and carrots.

Toss everything together until all the cabbage and carrots are coated with the dressing.

For best results, cover the coleslaw and chill in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the flavors to marinate. Then serve!

Can I Use Green Cabbage Instead of Red Cabbage?

Yes! You can certainly use green or white cabbage to make this coleslaw recipe. I personally love the color of the red cabbage paired with the orange carrots… what can I say? I like pretty colored food 😆💜.

How To Keep Coleslaw From Getting Watery

🧂 Salting the shredded cabbage helps draw out any excess water. This should be the first step when making any coleslaw. This not only helps the coleslaw from getting watery, but also helps to preserve the crispness of the slaw.

To do this, add the shredded cabbage to a colander rested on top of a large bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt over the cabbage (use one tablespoon of salt per head of cabbage or 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of cabbage) and toss the cabbage to disperse the salt throughout. Let the shredded cabbage sit at room temperature for at least an hour, preferably more. The excess water will collect in the bowl underneath.

Rinse the shredded cabbage in the colander to remove the excess salt, and then dry the cabbage. I suggest using a salad spinner, or dry the cabbage with paper towels. Now you’re ready to make the coleslaw!

Note: salting store-bought coleslaw mix probably doesn’t need to be salted. I tried it and it wilted the cabbage 🙁 . Maybe they do this step before packaging?

I also use the salting method when making my cucumber salad recipe:

Why I Recommend Using A Head of Coleslaw Vs. A Bag Of Coleslaw Mix

Just because I was curious, I bought a bag of coleslaw mix from the grocery store to try in this recipe. This coleslaw recipe is 100% better when using a whole head of cabbage and shredding it on your own.

When I salted the pre-bagged cabbage, the cabbage really kind of wilted and lost any crispness it had. Perhaps the stores already do this step before packaging the cabbage? All I know is that this recipe is more delicious using freshly shredded cabbage.

I know it seems a lot easier to go the pre-shredded route, but I think if you take the 5 extra minutes to cut your own cabbage you’ll enjoy this salad way more.

Can I Make This Coleslaw Ahead Of Time?

Yes! And actually, I found this red cabbage coleslaw to be better the next day!

How To Store Red Cabbage Slaw

After you toss everything together, keep the coleslaw stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Another reason why I love this recipe is that it stores well and you can make it ahead of time!

How To Enjoy This Coleslaw

Coleslaw makes the perfect side dish at a barbecue, picnic, pool party, or cookout! But some other ideas of how to enjoy this Easy & Crunchy Red Cabbage Coleslaw:

• Tacos
• Lentil Sloppy Joes (I’m planning on adding my recipe soon!)
• Alongside vegan hotdogs, brats, or burgers
• Vegan smoked pulled pork sandwiches
• Vegan ribs

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these Quick & Crunchy Refrigerator Sweet Pickles:

How about these side potato salad recipes too?!

More picnic side salad recipes:

Let me know how you like this Easy & Crunchy Red Cabbage Coleslaw below in the comments section, as well as giving it a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can discover this homemade vegan coleslaw recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!