With colorful cabbage in a creamy and tangy dressing, this Southern Coleslaw is as easy as it is delicious! With just 10 minutes prep time and 10 minutes to chill, this is a super fast coleslaw recipe that’s perfect for everything from BBQs to picnics to weeknight dinners.
When you’re looking for the perfect salad to bring to the BBQ, look no further than Creamy Southern Coleslaw! This classic coleslaw is so good alongside It’s so good alongside cheeseburgers, grilled chicken, and more.
I love topping sandwiches with coleslaw, too! Top pulled pork sandwiches (or BBQ chicken!) with coleslaw for a crisp and cool counterpoint.
I especially love this Southern Coleslaw recipe because it uses an easy shortcut–pre-shredded cabbage–for the fastest and easiest prep!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Perfect for parties and potlucks – Creamy Southern Coleslaw is always the most popular salad at the party!
- Simple and fast – The simple list of ingredients transforms into a creamy and tangy salad within minutes.
- Easy to customize – There are so many ways to make this Southern Coleslaw your own.
Recipe Notes
This Southern Coleslaw recipe is as simple as promised! Just a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes prep time for a classic southern side dish.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Southern Coleslaw to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cabbage – For this recipe, we use a mix of pre-shredded cabbage: Both tricolor cabbage and finely shredded cabbage. For a twist on cabbage coleslaw, try pre-shredded packaged broccoli slaw instead.
- Onion – A small amount of finely diced yellow onion adds flavor and texture to this Southern coleslaw. Sweet onion, white onion, or red onion will also work.
- Mayonnaise – Use your favorite real mayo. Miracle Whip will also work, if you prefer.
- Sugar – White sugar or granulated sugar add a sweet note to the coleslaw dressing.
- Buttermilk – Adds tangy taste and another element of creaminess.
- Lemon juice – For bright, vibrant flavor, we use fresh-squeezed lemon juice, but bottled lemon juice will work as well.
- White vinegar – For tangy flavor. Apple cider vinegar is also delicious in this Southern Coleslaw.
- Salt & pepper – Helps enhance the flavors. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Make it a non-creamy coleslaw- Leave out the mayonnaise and buttermilk for an old-fashioned coleslaw recipe with vinegar! Add 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil to the dressing instead of the creamy ingredients, for a sweet and tangy vinaigrette-based coleslaw dressing without mayo.
- Make it spicy– Chop up some jalapeños and add a generous pinch of cayenne pepper and/or chili powder for a spicy kick. Or add a squirt of Sriracha! This variation would be excellent with lime juice instead of lemon juice.
- Add fruit or veggies- Add more shredded carrots, cut up some broccoli stems, or use thin strips of red bell peppers. Or add shredded tart apple and/or raisins for a sweet touch.
- Throw in some herbs– Add a handful of chopped parsley, marjoram, oregano, or dill for fresh herbal flavor.
- Add crunch with nuts or seeds– Make a heartier coleslaw with a bit of welcome crunch by adding roasted sunflower seeds, toasted sliced almonds, or chopped pecans.
Recipe Step by Step
Place the coleslaw dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
Stir with a whisk until smooth and creamy.
Add the shredded cabbage and the onion.
Toss the cabbage with the dressing until thoroughly combined.
Recipe Tips
- Mince the onion finely – The onion is for flavor, but you don’t want big bits of it in your Southern Coleslaw.
- Chill, but not for too long – Chill coleslaw for at least 10 minutes before serving, but ideally for not much more than 12 hours. It does keep for a couple of days in the fridge, but the longer it sits, the more you risk it getting more soggy/watery than you might like.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Make the dressing ahead of time – If you’re going to be short on time, whip up the coleslaw dressing separately, place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate it. When it’s time to make the coleslaw, just mix the cabbage and onion with the pre-made dressing.
- Use store-bought dressing – This homemade coleslaw dressing is amazing, but if you’re extremely short on time, grab a premade dressing at the store for a super fast coleslaw recipe.
What to Serve with Southern Coleslaw
Since this coleslaw has the delicious flavors of crisp cabbage in a creamy and tangy dressing, it will pair well with many of your favorite BBQ dishes.
Choose one or several of these dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
BBQ-Themed Dish Ideas
- Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Zesty Crock Pot Pulled Pork
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Southwest Burger
Southern Coleslaw Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Pulled pork sandwiches– Pull out those Southern Coleslaw leftovers and add it to BBQ pulled pork sandwiches for a refreshing contrast to the spicy pulled pork.
- Add it to tacos– Stuff delicious Hawaiian chicken tacos or fish tacos with creamy coleslaw.
- Serve it with fish– Coleslaw makes the perfect side with this blackened fish for dinner!
- Stretch it with more ingredients– Add bell pepper strips, shredded carrots, broccoli slaw, apples, or raisins for a hearty salad.
Recipe FAQ’s
What country does coleslaw come from?
A form of coleslaw dates as far back as Ancient Rome, but in the 1700s, a dish called “koolsla” was became popular in The Netherlands. The name “koolsla” translates to cabbage salad, and eventually became known as “coleslaw” in the U.S.
What is the difference between red slaw and white slaw?
White slaw has mayo, while red slaw, which is a popular element of North Carolina barbecue, is made with ketchup instead of mayonnaise.
Is coleslaw a Southern thing?
While coleslaw originated in The Netherlands, southern-style coleslaw made with mayonnaise is popular in the Southern U.S.
Why do you put vinegar in coleslaw?
Vinegar adds a signature tangy taste to coleslaw.
More EASY Cabbage Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy side dish recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Southern Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 16 ounces tricolor cabbage, coleslaw mix
- 8 ounces finely shredded cabbage
- 1/4 medium yellow onion, finely diced
For the coleslaw dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- To make the dressing. whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the cabbage mix and onion to the bowl and toss to evenly coat in the dressing.
- Let chill 10 minutes, or up to an hour for the flavors to meld. Serve chilled.
Recipe Notes
- Cabbage – 1 medium head of green or red cabbage, shredded, will work in place of the pre-shredded cabbage.
- White vinegar – Apple cider vinegar will work as a substitute.
Leave a Reply