I love a crunchy coleslaw recipe and this is my go-to. It's the perfect side dish to serve at your summer cookout or as a topping for pork sliders, pulled pork sandwiches or bbq chicken sandwiches.
Why you'll love this easy coleslaw recipe
Whenever I'm throwing a cookout, one of the first things I do is make a big batch of my favorite crunchy coleslaw recipe for pulled pork sliders.
This easy recipe packed full of crunch and tangy flavors. And it's a great addition to your family dinner rotation, too.
I know that you'll love that this homemade coleslaw dressing is made with simple ingredients. It magically turns cabbage into something spectacular.
So whether you serve it as a topping for pulled pork sandwiches on brioche buns with homemade bbq sauce. Or as a side dish with your favorite pork recipes, it's a perfect addition to any spread every single time.
And since this recipe has no mayo, you can let it sit at room temperature for longer! This makes it a great choice for outdoor gatherings.
So let's dig in!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Green & Purple Cabbage (aka red cabbage): If you want to switch it up, you could swap the green cabbage for napa cabbage. And if you don't want to cut up a bunch of your own cabbage, feel free to buy a bag of coleslaw mix from the grocery store.
- Green Onions: If you don't have green onions, you could swap them for chives or just leave it out. It won't make or break it.
- Red Onions: Feel free to swap the red onions for white onions, yellow onions or sweet onions.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: I think apple cider vinegar is the perfect compliment to tangy slaw. But you could swap it for another vinegar like red wine vinegar, white vinegar, rice wine vinegar or the like. You could also use lemon juice but i think a vinegar is a little more tasty.
- Dijon Mustard: If you prefer another type of mustard like yellow or grain mustard, go for it!
- Olive Oil: Any neutral oil will work fine in place of olive oil.
- Brown Sugar: You could use white sugar but brown sugar has that rich deepness that really helps balance out the tanginess of the dressing.
- Celery Seed or Celery Salt: I accidentally made this recipe with celery salt and i think I actually prefer it!. I think you can use these two interchangeably and you'll still get the same great taste in this classic coleslaw recipe. If you don't like the celery taste in your classic coleslaw recipe, then you can totally leave it out.
- Garlic Powder: If you don't have garlic powder, try onion powder.
- Kosher Salt: This recipe is written for kosher salt. If you're using table salt, add way less since it tastes more salty.
- Optional Add-ins: Since I want this to be your favorite way to make coleslaw, feel free to add your favorite ingredients to appeal to your personal taste buds. Some people love to add black pepper, chili powder, taco seasoning or another spice mixture or spice rub. If you wanted it even more flavorful, add a dash of hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, or even some fresh lemon juice. And of course, if you like mayo coleslaw or a more creamy coleslaw dressing, you could add ⅓ cup creamy mayo to this crunchy slaw recipe.
How to assemble it
All you need to do to make this tangy slaw is follow a few easy steps.
- Prep the Ingredients: You can either use a mandolin or food processor to shred the cabbage quickly. Or if you prefer, use a super sharp knife and your cutting board and get to work. And if you wan tot skip all that, just head to the grocery store and grab a bag of the packaged shredded cabbage coleslaw mix.
- Salt the Cabbage: Add the shredded cabbage and carrots to a large bowl or colander and a hefty pinch of salt - about ½ tsp. If you can, it's best after 2 hours but honestly I never have time for that and typically just let it sit for about 30 minutes while I prep everything else. After it sits for a while, you'll want to strain out the excess liquid.
- Make the Homemade Coleslaw Dressing: Next, you'll want to add the apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, brown sugar, celery seed, garlic powder, and kosher salt to a small bowl and whisk. Taste it and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Mix it up: Once the cabbage has been drained, add the red and green cabbage mixture to a large mixing bowl followed by the green onions, red onion, and carrots. Toss everything together.
- Let it Marinate: It's so important that the cabbage mixture has time to sit. This is when the flavors really meld and turn the whole thing into the best coleslaw recipe ever!
- Enjoy or Store it: If you have leftovers are aren't enjoying this recipe today, place the coleslaw recipe in an airtight container
What goes with it
This coleslaw recipe and a great side dish for my dr pepper slow cooker bbq pork!
My family absolutely devours it when I pile it on top of pulled pork sandwiches. Try adding a scoop to a slider bun with my homemade southern barbecue sauce and some of my dr pepper crock pot pork shoulder.
It's also delish when served with these southern sides:
- Southern Cheesy Squash Casserole with Ritz Cracker Crust
- Southern Cornbread Salad Recipe with Herby Buttermilk Lime Dressing
- Creamy Gouda Mac and Cheese
- Southern Crockpot Collard Greens
- Southern Black Eyed Pea Dip
- Southern Candied Yams with Crunchy Ritz Cracker Topping
Recipe
The Best Crunchy Coleslaw Recipe (for BBQ Pulled Pork)
I love a crunchy coleslaw recipe and this is my go-to. It's a great side dish to serve at your summer cookout or as a topping for pork sliders, pulled pork sandwiches or bbq chicken sandwiches.
Ingredients
For the Slaw
- 4 cups Green Caggage shredded
- 2.5 cups Red Cabbage shredded
- ½ cup Carrots shredded
- ** OR 1 lb bag coleslaw mix
- 2 stalks Green Onion finely sliced
- ¼ cup Red Onion finely diced
For the Homemade Coleslaw Dressing
- ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Celery Salt (or celery seed)
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt divided
Instructions
- Use a mandolin, food processor or super sharp knife to to shred the cabbage quickly. And if you wan tot skip all that, just head to the grocery store and grab a 1lb bag of the packaged shredded cabbage coleslaw mix.
- Add the shredded cabbage, carrots and onions to a large bowl or colander and a half of the salt. If you can, let it sit for 2 hours but honestly I never have that much time and typically just let it sit for about 30 minutes while I prep everything else. After it sits for a while, you'll want to strain out the excess liquid.
- As it's sitting, make the dressing. Add the apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, brown sugar, celery seed, garlic powder, and kosher salt to a small bowl and whisk. Taste it and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Once the cabbage mixture has been drained, add the mixture to a large mixing bowl followed by the dressing and the the green onions.
- Let the coleslaw marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to bloom. Toss, taste and season once more before serving.
Did you make this recipe?Tag me on instagram @grilledcheesesocial so I can see it!
