I never knew I was a coleslaw person until I made it myself. I had eaten it plenty of times at restaurants, never once having been impressed, and always wondered what the appeal was. But then I decided to make a quick batch of creamy coleslaw to go on a sandwich one day, and it totally stole the show. Something about that creamy-crunchy combo made me keep coming back for more, and I’ve been making it on the reg ever since.
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“I love this recipe! I’ve used this recipe (which was posted on the BBQ bean sandwiches forever ago) for years! I’ve had people even ask for (and use!!) it so many times! This is the only slaw I ever make. Trust me, you will not be disappointed with this one!! (Just a preference thing- I usually don’t bother with the green onions, but I’ve had no luck changing anything else about it. It just works!!)”
Elle
Easy Recipe for Creamy Coleslaw
The super simple dressing for my creamy coleslaw is made with a few pantry staples, including a little Dijon mustard for tang and a dab of honey for sweetness. Then the dressing is just tossed with shredded cabbage, carrots, and sliced green onions, and you’re done! It’s creamy crunchy heaven ready to be piled onto a sandwich or taco, stuffed into a wrap, or enjoyed as is.
I rarely need a ton of slaw at once, so I made this recipe a “small batch.” It’s about two cups total once done, or just enough for about four sandwiches. (Or two sandwiches and four mouthfuls, LOL).
I used pre-shredded bagged “coleslaw mix” (shredded cabbage and carrots) for this recipe because I think it’s one of the few times using pre-chopped vegetables is cost-effective. And then you’re not left with half a cabbage in your fridge, wondering what to do with it. Because no matter how small a cabbage is, it always seems to be too much.
BUT, if you happen to have that half head of cabbage and want to make this with it, you’ll need about 3 cups finely shredded cabbage and about one medium carrot, shredded.
Easy Creamy Coleslaw
Dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise ($0.55)
- 1/2 Tbsp honey ($0.06)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.03)
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, $0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.03)
Vegetables
- 1/2 14 oz. bag coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots, $2.18*)
- 3 green onions ($0.30)
In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing (mayonnaise, honey, Dijon, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper).
Slice the green onions. Add the coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots) to a large bowl with the green onions, then pour the dressing over top. Stir until the cabbage is evenly coated in dressing. Serve immediately.
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*You can also use 3 cups finely shredded cabbage and 1 shredded medium carrot.
Calories: 158.6kcalCarbohydrates: 8.1gProtein: 0.7gFat: 14.8gSodium: 325mgFiber: 1.2g
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nutrition disclaimer here.
How to Make Classic Creamy Coleslaw Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Make the dressing: Stir together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 5 cranks of a pepper mill) in a small bowl.
Prep the veggies: Add 1/2 of a 14 oz. bag of coleslaw mix (shredded green cabbage and carrots) to a large bowl. Slice three green onions and add them to the bowl as well.
Make the slaw: Pour the prepared dressing over top of the cabbage mixture…
And then, stir until all the cabbage is coated in dressing.
Then dig in (or put it on your sandwich or taco, stuff it into your wrap, or serve it on the side with your ribs)!
I don’t often stray too far away from the classic coleslaw ingredients whenever I make this recipe, but when I do, it’s always delicious! Here are some fun add-in ideas to try (with some suggestions from our readers included!):
- Celery seeds
- Dried cranberries
- Pomegranate seeds
- Use a broccoli slaw mix instead of a cabbage-based one
- Pickled red onions (drained well)
- Chopped walnuts or almonds
- Cooked macaroni (for a twist on classic macaroni salad)
Serving Suggestions
Creamy coleslaw is absolutely perfect with anything BBQ or anything with buffalo sauce. That cool, tangy crunch balances out the sweet smokiness of BBQ and the fiery heat of buffalo like nothing else.
One of the first recipes I paired it with was my BBQ bean sliders, and it’s still a favorite of mine for summer. I also love it with Sloppy Joes, as it’s just what I need to cut through the saucy sandwich filling. It’s great on tacos, too, like my blackened shrimp tacos, where the slaw adds freshness and crunch, or alongside spicy dishes like Nashville hot chicken or Buffalo cauliflower wings for game days, cookouts, midweek dinners, and everything in between.
Storage Instructions
Part of what makes cabbage so crunchy is that it contains a lot of water. Over time, the salt in the dressing pulls the water out of the cabbage, leaving water in the bottom of your bowl and your cabbage a little less crisp. The only way to prevent this from happening is to store your dressing separately from the shredded vegetables. So, if you don’t plan to eat the whole batch right away, make sure you only add dressing to the portion you plan to eat.
However, if you don’t mind a thinner dressing, you can store this homemade coleslaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Our Creamy Coleslaw recipe was originally published 1/14/20. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 6/18/25.
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