A creamy coleslaw with plenty of crunch.
There’s no need to buy a big tub of coleslaw with an annoyingly short expiration date when you can whip up a perfect sized batch of homemade coleslaw in 5 minutes.
So good as a side for summer barbecues and lazy lunches, or as a topping for pulled pork and crispy chicken burgers.
Do you have a favourite style of coleslaw? Is it that creamy, extra crunchy luxury supermarket or KFC coleslaw?
Or the lightly-dressed colourful coleslaw with vibrant green and purple cabbage?
Table of Contents
I think they both have their place and I love them equally.
The lighter one for the nutritious, zesty crunch with grilled meats and fish.
The creamy one as a more indulgent side that works best on sandwiches, or with crispy chicken and BBQ food.
This is my recipe for that delicious creamy version.
I’m making quite a big batch (it will last our family of 4 a few days), but you can scale it right down if you prefer just to make a couple of servings (see recipe card notes section for more info on scaling down).
📋 Ingredients
We’re looking for a 3:1 ratio of cabbage to carrots, and then a small amount of onion.
I’m using half of a large white cabbage, 2 medium carrots and 1/4 of a small onion. The cabbage and carrots will be julienned and the onion will be finely grated (this will add a little flavour, but ensure you’re not getting the raw crunch of onion).
What’s the best type of cabbage to use?
Firm white cabbage – the shiny kind with pale green firm leaves – is the one to go for. I use the variety ‘Winter White’.
This is the best cabbage if you’re looking for maximum crunch, some pople also like to use green cabbage.
Pro Tip
To cut the vegetables I like to use a mandoline (affiliate link) to evenly cut the cabbage and carrots. You can use a food processor with a julienne disc, or you could slice them thinly with a sharp knife or use a hand julienne peeler (affiliate link) if you prefer.
Shortcut tip:
You can buy bagged, cut, coleslaw mix veggies from the supermarket. The result will be a little different, as they often used red onion and red cabbage in the pre-cut mixes.
You can use these pre-cut veggies with the coleslaw sauce from my recipe for extra flavour.
📺 Watch how to make it
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***
🧑🍳 How to make coleslaw
- Julienne cabbage and carrots using a mandoline (<- affiliate link). Place in a large bowl.
- Grate (shred) quarter of an onion and add to the bowl
- Add in mayonnaise, sour cream, white wine vinegar, salt, sugar, mustard powder and white pepper.
- Stir everything together until thoroughly combined.
🍽️ What to serve it with
You can serve this homemade coleslaw with:
- It goes fantastically with my Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Oven-Baked Chicken Goujons (or my Crispy Fried Buttermilk Chicken Tenders)
- Crispy Pulled Pork – like the pork from my Pork Gyros
- Shredded Beef Brisket
- Crispy Chicken Burgers
- Cheesy Chickpea Veggie Burgers
- Peri Peri Chicken
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Pin ItExtras to add into your coleslaw
Sometimes I like to change it up a little so I like to toss in; Red onion, red cabbage, mustard seeds, honey & mustard and grated cheddar cheese all make interesting additions to a classic coleslaw recipe.
🍲 More fantastic sides
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Homemade Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ large white cabbage (or 1 small white cabbage)
- 2 medium carrots peeled
- ¼ brown onion peeled
- 240 g (1 cup) mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar granulated or superfine
- ⅛ tsp mustard powder
- pinch white pepper
Instructions
- Julienne the white cabbage and the 2 carrots using a mandoline, so you have fine, even, strips. Place in a large bowl.1/2 large white cabbage, 2 medium carrots
- Carefully grate (shred) the quarter of an onion using a grater and add the onion to the bowl.1/4 brown onion
- Add the cup (240g) of mayonnaise, 3 tbsp sour cream, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp mustard powder and the pinch of white pepper.240 g (1 cup) mayonnaise, 3 tbsp sour cream, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp mustard powder, pinch white pepper
- Stir everything together until thoroughly combined.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until needed (up to 2-3 days).
Video
Notes
Adjusting the quantity of coleslaw
If you’re just looking to make a small amount of dressing – for example you want to make one cup of coleslaw, use:
A matchbox-sized piece of cabbage, 1/4 of a carrot, a tsp of grated onion, 2 tbsp mayo, 1.5 tsp sour cream, a few drops of white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp sugar and a tiny pinch each of mustard powder and white pepper.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
? Frequently Asked Questions
Coleslaw dressing is usually made with mayonnaise, seasoning (salt and pepper), an acid (such as lemon juice, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar) and a sweetener (such as sugar or honey).
Some dressings also include buttermilk, sour cream, mustard or celery seeds.
Coleslaw gets more watery the longer you leave it due to the vegetables releasing their water over time.
No, I don’t advise freezing coleslaw. The vegetables release their liquid upon defrosting, as does the mayonnaise. This can split the sauce or make it over-liquidy.
Yes – you can make this coleslaw ahead. Once prepared, cover and place in the fridge. It should last for around 3-4 days. You’ll need to give it a stir before serving.
This creamy coleslaw recipe was first published in June 2020. Updated in October 2024 with extra information and for housekeeping reasons.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
I made it with red cabbage, 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup sour cream, I added 1 tbsp lemon juice and one more tbsp vinegar, and was generous with the sugar…perfect slaw.
Can the dressing be made and stored in fridge if so does anyone know how long it will last
Hi Julie, the dressing without the vegetables, should last for a week in the fridge in an airtight container.
Hi Nicky,
I like your Coleslaw recipe,am looking forward to tryng it. For my Wife and I during the salad season, we make up enough coleslaw ingrediants for 2 or 3 nights, place it dry in a plastic bag, into the fridge, then draw off what we need for each meal. At which time we add the dressing, we know vegies etc stay good for 3 days, it never seems to last longer than that, due to our passion for it.
Kind regards Ray .
Why not add some shredded purple cabbage to give it some colour?
Easy to make and tasty
Just made your creamy coleslaw – absolutely delicious. Far superior to any shop bought. Used a whole small brown onion, as we like onions a lot – perfect!!
I’ve made this recipe a number of times and it always pleases. It’s far better than shop bought coleslaw, even “Finest”.
Made this awesome slaw but thru in some chopped dates I had, was so good.
Best ever coleslaw recipe and my family absolutely love it, so glad I found your website. Brilliant
A great slaw