Vegan Coleslaw
You’ll love this easy vegan coleslaw recipe made with the best coleslaw dressing! You’ll need only a few ingredients to make it and it’s a perfectly creamy and delicious side dish for any summertime meal.
I love a good summer salad recipe. It’s one reason I turn to this Kale Salad so frequently. I turned to inspiration from my Midwestern roots when making this vegan coleslaw. You’ll love the creamy and slightly sweet dressing served over a mixture of green and red shredded cabbage. it’s so amazing!
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Adding both green and red cabbage gives your slaw a op of color and texture
- Maple syrup makes the sauce tangy, sweet, and irresistible
- Letting the slaw marinade in the fridge before serving helps soften the cabbage slightly and melds the flavors together.
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Vegan pie crust — This vegan pie crust recipe creates 2 flaky crusts and we’ll be using both for this dish.
- Vegan chicken — You can use vegan beef or vegan turkey in place of the vegan chicken. You can also substitute this marinated tofu. I have used Gardein Teriyaki Chik’n Strips (and save the sauce packet for some other time). Or you can use homemade vegan chicken cut into strips.
- Vegan butter — Use storebought vegan butter or margarine or make homemade vegan butter.
- Onion — You’ll need a half cup of chopped onion. I recommend a yellow onion because it has a milder flavor.
Ingredient Spotlight
What Cabbage is Best for Coleslaw?
Red cabbage is tougher and therefore requires it to be grated finer. Green cabbage is a favorite for its texture and flavor in slaws. You can substitute with napa cabbage, but it has a tendency to leach more water than green cabbage. When selecting cabbage, look for heavy, compact heads without dried or blemished leaves. You can expect smaller heads to be more tender. Wrap cabbage tightly in a plastic bag and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Once cut, you’ll want to use the cabbage within 2 to 3 days.
How to Make Vegan Coleslaw
- Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a bowl.
- Stir together the dressing ingredients
- Pour the dressing over the bowl with the cabbage.
- Stir it together, cover, and refrigerate for up to an hour.
How to Shred Cabbage for Coleslaw
There are many ways to shred cabbage for coleslaw, including using a knife, a mandolin, or a food processor. Each of these processes involves removing the cabbage core first. Here’s how to do that:
- Wash the head of cabbage under running water and remove any wilted outer leaves.
- Cut the cabbage in half, down through the core.
- Cut the halves into quarters.
- Use a paring knife to cut in and down around the core on each quarter to remove it.
To shred the cabbage using a knife:
- Use a chef’s knife to cut thin strips of the quarters, resulting in shredded cabbage.
- Be sure to cut down on the cabbage, away from your hands.
To shred the cabbage using a mandolin slicer:
- Place one of the quarters on the mandoline. If it’s too big (extends beyond the sides of the mandolin), cut off a little on one of the sides.
- Press the guide (to protect your fingers) into the cabbage and press it to gently move the cabbage up and down the mandolin.
To shred cabbage using a food processor:
- Attach the shredding blade to the food processor
- Cut each quarter into pieces that are small enough to fit through the top of the food processor’s feeder.
- Use the food processor’s feeder to push the cabbage through, repeating with each section.
Quick Fix Tip
If you’re in a hurry, you can substitute two bags of coleslaw mix, which usually includes shredded cabbage combined with shredded carrots.
The Vegan Slaw Dressing
When it comes to making coleslaw, you have options for a vegan sauce, including:
- Want your vegan coleslaw with yogurt? Substitute plain vegan yogurt for the mayo for a lighter dressing.
- Substitute Cashew Cream for the mayo.
- You can even use this Tahini Sauce in place of the mayo.
You can make the dressing sweeter or less sweet by changing the amount of maple syrup used.
- Sweeter Sauce — Use 3 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- Less Sweet — Use 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
- Zero Added Sugars — Stir in 2 to 3 teaspoons of stevia or monk fruit sweetener.
Frequently-Asked Questions
What is in coleslaw?
Some slaws have a vinegar dressing while others have a mayo-based dressing. When you’re making vegan coleslaw you have options for the dressing base, including vegan mayo, vegan yogurt, and even tahini or cashew cream base.
What cabbage is best for slaw?
Green cabbage is preferred for coleslaw because of its milder flavor, color, and texture. However, you can also use red cabbage and even Brussels sprouts to make your slaw recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this vegan slaw with your favorite vegan grilling recipes, such as:
Storage Tips
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 4 or 5 days. If you want to freeze, I recommend freezing only the cabbage mix and then adding the mayo-based sauce after it comes to room temperature.
Vegan Salads
If you love this vegan coleslaw, here are even more tasty summer salads to tickle your taste buds:
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Vegan Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
- 2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup carrot, finely shredded
Slaw Dressing
- ½ cup vegan mayo
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a bowl.
- Stir together the dressing ingredients and pour over the bowl with the cabbage. Stir to combine.
- Refrigerate for up to an hour to allow the ingredients to combine and for the dressing to marinade the cabbage and carrots.
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Notes
- Sweeter Sauce — Use 3 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- Less Sweet — Use 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
- Zero Added Sugars — Stir in 2 to 3 teaspoons of stevia or monk fruit sweetener.
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I never thought of slaw as a condiment, but added this to my black bean burger and it was so good!
Hey Catey, so glad you liked that suggestion…and this recipe!