Whip up your own creamy southern-style coleslaw with simple homemade Coleslaw Dressing. It only takes 5 minutes to make!
Recipe overview
Why you will love it: You can make this dressing with ingredients you probably already have. It’s cheap, easy and healthier.
How long does it take: 5 minutes
Equipment needed: measuring cup, whisk
Servings: 4
Coleslaw seems to appeal to almost everyone. It’s an easy salad and goes with everything from steaks to burgers. Creamy southern coleslaw is pretty much a must-have for pulled pork or meatloaf sandwiches. I love it with my BBQ salmon or BBQ chicken wings from the air fryer.
Another benefit of coleslaw is that it can be made ahead of time; In fact, it’s better if you do it an hour or so in advance. How many salads can claim that? Most of the time, salads have to be thrown together at the last minute or they get soggy.
I don’t think my mother ever bought coleslaw. She ALWAYS makes her own dressing and adds it to a bag of coleslaw mix. I asked her for her prescription and she said (of course!) that she didn’t have any. She simply mixes a little mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, celery seeds, salt and pepper in the bottom of a large bowl, adds the cabbage and stirs. (She also likes to add a bunch of chopped parsley; parsley goes into pretty much everything she makes.)
You may be thinking why not buy coleslaw dressing in a jar or bottle? It’s really easy, isn’t it? STOP don’t do it! Commercial brands are way more expensive, not as healthy (too much sugar!), and it’s so easy to make your own. Try it!
About this recipe
If you’re familiar with my website, you know I’m always trying to make recipes a little bit healthier. This coleslaw dressing is no exception. I substitute Greek yogurt for half the mayonnaise.
Why? Greek yogurt is lower in fat and high in calcium and protein. It is hardly noticeable in the dressing; In fact, Greek yogurt has a nice tangy note that accentuates the dressing.
You can prepare this dressing a few days in advance. Just add it to the cabbage mixture an hour or two before serving.
Look for the recipe card below for specific measurements, directions, and nutritional information.
what you will need
- Mayonnaise: Choose the brand of mayonnaise that you like the most. I like mayonnaise with olive oil, but that’s just personal preference.
- Greek yogurt: We tested the dressing with full-fat Greek yogurt, and we also tested it with non-fat Greek yogurt. Both worked well, meaning 2% Greek yogurt is fine too. Be sure the yogurt is tasteless unadorned yogurt.
- White Distilled Vinegar: This is regular inexpensive white vinegar. It’s a bit tart and sour. It helps soften the shredded cabbage and also adds a tangy flavor.
- Sugar: Many commercial brands of coleslaw dressing contain tons of sugar. One popular brand lists high fructose corn syrup as the main ingredient! A little sugar is necessary, but we’re not looking for frosted coleslaw.
- Dijon mustard: We prefer a smooth Dijon here rather than a coarsely ground or whole mustard.
- Celery Seeds: These tiny brown seeds have a lot of celery flavor. Most traditional coleslaw recipes include celery seed.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper: Do not forget about these simple but necessary spices. If you don’t like the black pepper spots, replace them with white pepper.
- Coleslaw mix: For a really easy salad, buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage for your coleslaw. Coleslaw mixes often include red cabbage and carrots. If you prefer a fresher flavor, buy a cabbage and shred it yourself. You’ll need about 4 heaping cups.
How to do it
It is so easy. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, measuring cup, or glass.
I often use a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. You could use a 1-cup measuring cup for liquids, but the larger cup gives you a little more stirring room.
In the cup, measure out 1/4 cup of mayonnaise. Next, add the yogurt so you have 1/2 cup total. Now add vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seeds, salt and pepper.
Stir or whisk everything together.
Cover the mug with plastic wrap if not using immediately, pour into a clean glass or container before refrigerating.
If you’re making the coleslaw right away, you can mix the ingredients for the dressing right in the salad bowl.
Once mixed, add the coleslaw mixture and stir well until the cabbage is coated.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
frequently asked Questions
Although they may sound similar, celery seed is very different from celery salt and should not be used interchangeably. Celery seeds are tiny brown seeds of the celery plant. They have an intense celery flavor. Celery salt is predominantly salt, lightly flavored with ground celery seeds.
Greek yogurt is regular yogurt that has been strained to remove some of the watery whey, resulting in a thicker, creamier product. Greek yogurt is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates than regular yogurt.
Make it your own
- If you’re not a fan of Greek yogurt, make the dressing with mayonnaise. You can also use regular plain yogurt, although the dressing will be a bit thinner in consistency. You can also use sour cream instead of yogurt.
- Another option is to make the dressing without mayonnaise. Substitute Greek yogurt for the mayo (use ½ cup yogurt, no mayo). Another option is my Vinegar Slaw, which is a different type of slaw without mayonnaise or yogurt.
- Add extras to your coleslaw. Try finely chopped green or red peppers, celery, onions, parsley, scallions, etc.
Make-Ahead/Storage Tips
You can prepare the dressing a few days in advance. Place in a tightly closed container and store in the refrigerator. Give it a stir before adding it to the coleslaw mixture.
It’s great when you want to make small batches of coleslaw, even one serving. Just use as much dressing as you need and store the rest in the fridge.
remnants of love
This dressing is versatile and can be used on other salads as well. Use it for that shaved Brussels sprouts salad or roasted cauliflower salad.
Did you do this? Leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
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Whip up your own creamy Southern-style coleslaw with easy homemade coleslaw dressing. It only takes 5 minutes to make!
instructions
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Combine dressing ingredients in a measuring cup or small bowl; stir until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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to make coleslaw: In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mixture with the dressing until coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Remarks
- Make the dressing up to 3 days in advance. Store in a covered container or small jar and refrigerate.
- If you prefer, use 1/2 cup mayonnaise and omit the yogurt. Or use 1/2 cup yogurt and omit the mayonnaise.
- Add Ins: If you want to spice up your coleslaw, add finely chopped green or red bell peppers, onions, scallions, parsley or celery.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 151kcal, Carbohydrates: 12G, Protein: 3G, Fat: 11G, Saturated Fatty Acids: 2G, Polyunsaturated fat: 6G, Monounsaturated fatty acids: 2G, Trans fats: 0.03G, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 414mg, Potassium: 174mg, Fiber: 2G, Sugar: 9G, Vitamin A: 95ie, Vitamin C: 31mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutritional information as a convenience and courtesy only. Nutritional data is collected primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, where available, or other online calculators.