Red Cabbage Coleslaw is a super simple side dish recipe made without mayonnaise. It’s tangy, delicious and crunchy.
I love to serve this red cabbage slaw with my Easy Roasted Chicken, Shake n Bake Pork Chops, or grilled dishes like this Grilled Chicken with Peanut Sauce, Grilled Shrimp Skewers, or Grilled Pork Tenderloin.
It also makes an amazing topping for Fish Taco Bowls, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, or Veggie Burgers.
What is Red Cabbage Coleslaw?
A simple, crunchy side dish recipe made from cabbage, carrots and a slightly sweet, tangy vinegar-based dressing.
The best part? You only need a handful of ingredients to make this delicious, healthy vinegar coleslaw recipe.
Ingredients
- Red Cabbage
- Green Cabbage
- Carrot
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Honey
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
Red Cabbage Slaw Dressing (No Mayo)
To make coleslaw dressing, whisk together apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil and salt.
How to Make It
- Add cabbage and carrot to a large bowl.
- Whisk together apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil and salt.
- Pour dressing over cabbage mixture.
- Toss well to combine.
This easy side dish is also super flexible...
Variations
Don’t have apple cider vinegar? You can substitute red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, rice vinegar, lemon or lime juice.
Don’t have honey? Try using agave syrup or sugar.
Want to make this easy slaw recipe even quicker? Use a 16-ounce package of shredded cabbage mix instead of chopping up the cabbage and carrots.
I kept this recipe super simple, using minimal ingredients. However, if you would like to spice things up a bit, here are some options:
- Add in a pinch of celery seed.
- For heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- For added tang, add in a spoonful of dijon mustard.
- For extra crunch, add in some red onion.
How to Make Ahead & Store
I’ve found that this slaw maintains a delicious crunch and flavor when stored in the fridge for up to two days.
However, if you’d like to guarantee a super crunchy slaw, it’s best to keep the slaw mixture and dressing separate until right before you plan to serve. Then just toss everything together and enjoy. It will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days this way.
Recipe FAQs
To easily shred red cabbage, you can use the slicer blade of your food processor. Or, simply cut the cabbage in half, remove the core, and use a sharp knife to shred the cabbage. You can also use a mandolin to shred the cabbage.
Yes! You can shred the cabbage up to five days ahead of time for this recipe.
More Cabbage Recipes
- Pickled Red Cabbage
- Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage
- Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
- Cabbage Steaks with Bacon & Garlic Creme Fraiche
- Hawaiian Coleslaw
- More → 20+ Red Cabbage Recipes
What to Serve with It
- Easy Roasted Chicken
- Instant Pot Pork Chops
- Grilled Chicken with Peanut Sauce
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Fish Taco Bowls
- Veggie Burgers
PS – Have leftover red cabbage? Try making this Red Cabbage Soup!
Did you try this vinegar coleslaw recipe?
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Red Cabbage Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo)
Ingredients
- ½ head red cabbage (shredded)
- ½ head green cabbage (shredded)
- 1 carrot (grated)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Add cabbage and carrot to a large bowl.
- Whisk together apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil and salt. Pour over cabbage mixture.
- Toss well to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
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This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2023 to add new content. The red cabbage slaw recipe with no mayo remains the same. Enjoy!
I have half a head of cabbage in the fridge and this sounds like a perfect way to use it! I’m a big fan of vinegar-based coleslaw over mayo-based. Personally, I like to toss on the dressing about 30 minutes before serving: you get all the crunch, but the dressing has a chance to pull together.
I love cabbage slaw, and really love that this recipe has no mayo and is flexible with the kinds of vinegar used! So perfect to go with so many different dishes!
This is great!! Having it for dinner tonight! Thank you, Erin!
Thank you! Cheers!
Love it! I try not to use mayo where ever I can. This dressing is delicious!
Love Love. Added spicy brown mustard and sugar substitute.
How big is “a serving” if this serves 12 people with 39 calories.?
Hi Kathleen – It makes quite a bit! I would say that a serving is about a cup of coleslaw.
Excellent crunch, refreshing, tasty, loved the flavor, a keeper. Thanks for sharing. I did add a bit of slivered Mexican Jicama, made extra dressing, so delicious.
Thank you!