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This Southern Coleslaw Recipe is creamy, crisp, slightly sweet, and tangy, with the kind of cool crunch that works especially well next to rich, smoky, or crispy foods. It’s an easy make-ahead side for cookouts, family dinners, and holiday meals.
Serve it with BBQ Pulled Pork in a Slow Cooker, Slow Cooker Ribs, or a Fried Chicken Sandwich, or add it to a game day spread. If you prefer a lighter, no-mayo version, try my Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Southern Coleslaw
- Classic Southern flavor: It’s creamy, sweet, tangy, and well balanced.
- Creamy but still crisp: The dressing coats the cabbage without overwhelming its crunch.
- Easy to make ahead: Let it chill for at least an hour, then toss again before serving.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Grab the exact ingredient amounts from the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
For the Slaw
- Bagged coleslaw mix: I use a mix with cabbage, thinly sliced carrots, and radicchio. A traditional cabbage-and-carrot mix works too.
For the Southern Coleslaw Dressing
- Mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar: Use up to 3 tablespoons if you prefer a tangier slaw.
- Granulated sugar: Balances the acidity and gives the dressing its subtle sweetness.
- Celery seed: Adds classic coleslaw flavor.
- Sea salt
- Coarse black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
How to Make Southern Coleslaw
Use the step-by-step photos as a guide and look for these cues along the way.
Mix the Dressing
Whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and seasonings until smooth and well combined.
Add the Coleslaw Mix
Place the cabbage mixture in a large bowl and break apart any clumps.
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Toss With the Dressing
Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors have time to develop.
Toss and Serve
Toss once more before serving to redistribute the dressing, then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
How to Keep Southern Coleslaw Creamy & Crisp
- Don’t over-dress it: Cabbage releases moisture as it sits, so the slaw will become creamier while it chills.
- Give it time to rest: At least 1 hour helps the dressing develop without sacrificing too much crunch.
- Adjust after chilling: Toss and taste before adding more vinegar, sugar, salt, or pepper.
Easy Swaps & Variations
- Use fresh cabbage: Thinly shred green cabbage and carrots instead of using bagged coleslaw mix.
- Make it tangier: Increase the apple cider vinegar to 3 tablespoons.
- Make it low-carb: My Keto Coleslaw has the same creamy style with a low-carb sweetener.
What to Serve With Southern Coleslaw
Southern coleslaw is especially good with smoky BBQ, crispy sandwiches, and rich comfort foods.
- For BBQ, serve it with Slow Cooker Ribs or Air Fryer Ribs. Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork is another easy option.
- Add it to Pulled Pork Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls, or pile it onto my Fried Chicken Sandwich for a cool, creamy crunch.
- For an easy party spread, serve it alongside Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls and Homemade French Fries in the Air Fryer.
- Round out a Southern-style meal with Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Homemade Cornbread, or Cornbread Muffins.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: Prepare the coleslaw at least 1 hour before serving. A few hours of chilling gives the flavors even more time to develop.
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The cabbage will soften as it sits.
- Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing creamy coleslaw because the cabbage loses its crunch and the dressing can separate.
- Serve: Keep refrigerated and toss again before serving. No reheating is needed.
Southern Coleslaw FAQs
Southern coleslaw typically combines shredded cabbage and carrots with a creamy, slightly sweet and tangy dressing. This version gets that classic balance from mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and celery seed.
Avoid adding too much dressing at the beginning. Cabbage releases moisture as it chills, so toss it with the dressing (even though it may not seem like enough), refrigerate it, and check the consistency again before serving.
Yes. Keep it covered in the refrigerator overnight and toss it again before serving. For the crispest texture, I prefer making it a few hours ahead.
Yes. Thinly shred green cabbage and carrots, or add a little red cabbage for extra color.
Southern Coleslaw Recipe
Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!
Ingredients
For the slaw
- 16 ounce Coleslaw Mix, I used one with cabbage, thinly sliced carrots and radicchio
For the dressing
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar, use 3 tbsp for a tangier flavor
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp celery seeds
- 1 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt, use DRDAVINAHS to save
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
Instructions
- Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl: Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to a mixing bowl
- Mix the dressing: Whisk together to make the dressing
- Add the cabbage mixture to a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss until evenly coated.
- For maximum flavor: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then, toss again before serving.
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Recipe Notes
- Tangier slaw: Use up to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
- Before serving: Toss again to redistribute the dressing.
- Storage: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Best texture: For the crispest coleslaw, make it a few hours before serving.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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