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    Pink Owl Kitchen » Side Dishes » Classic Creamy Southern Coleslaw

    Classic Creamy Southern Coleslaw

    Published: Mar 11, 2022 by Ashley Boyd · This post may contain affiliate links

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This creamy coleslaw is a classic southern recipe made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and a sweet creamy dressing. Serve this coleslaw up with some delicious barbecue or fried fish for an authentic southern meal!

    Creamy southern coleslaw in a blue bowl with an orange linen underneath.

    Southern coleslaw is a thing of simplistic beauty. There aren't a lot of fancy ingredients or fuss to this recipe and the sweet, creamy finished product is scrumptious! I grew up eating coleslaw prepared exactly like this recipe in Mississippi so rest assured this is an authentic southern recipe!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make This Recipe
    • How To Make This Recipe
    • What is Coleslaw?
    • Variations and Substitutions
    • Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
    • What to Serve with Coleslaw
    • Recommended Tools for This Recipe
    • More Southern Recipes You Will Love!
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients You Need to Make This Recipe

    • One 10-ounce bag of shredded cabbage. Dole Angel Hair Coleslaw is my favorite because of how thinly the cabbage is sliced. You can also shred your own cabbage if you prefer. This is a great step-by-step tutorial on how to shred cabbage at home. You will need 1 ¼ cups of shredded cabbage.
    • ½ cup of shredded carrots. Cabbage and carrots are the base vegetables for southern-style coleslaw.
    • ½ cup mayonnnaise. Mayonnaise is the base of for the creamy coleslaw dressing. If you ask any southerner, they'll tell you that Duke's Mayonnaise is a must in southern coleslaw!
    • ¼ cup of granulated sugar. Southern coleslaw has a signature sweetness to it which is why it pairs so well with barbecue!
    • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar adds acidity and tanginess to the coleslaw.
    • 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard. The mustard adds a tangy bite and additional acidity.
    • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Fresh squeezed lemon juice adds a nice brightness to the coleslaw and additional acidity to compliment the sweetness.
    • ½ teaspoon of salt. Salt brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
    • Cracked black pepper. The large pieces of peppercorn add bursts of peppery, woody, and piney flavors. I like to go a little heavy on the cracked pepper, but only use as much as you like.
    Creamy southern coleslaw in a blue bowl on a wooden surface.

    How To Make This Recipe

    • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until everything is combined.
    • Add the shredded cabbage and carrots to a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the cabbage. Toss everything together with a wooden spoon or silicone-tipped tongs so that all of the cabbage is coated with the dressing. Serve coleslaw immediately.

    What is Coleslaw?

    Coleslaw is a cabbage salad dating all the way back to ancient Rome. Southern coleslaw first came about when mayonnaise was invented in the 19th century and has transformed into the delicious, sweetened coleslaw we know today.

    Coleslaw and slaw are a bit different as coleslaw is dressed with a creamy mayonnaise-based sauce and is made primarily with cabbage. Slaw, on the other hand, can be made with a number of different shredded vegetables, such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, fennel, and more, and is typically dressed with a vinegar-based dressing.

    Variations and Substitutions

    You can use packaged pre-mixed coleslaw if you prefer. Most brands of packaged coleslaw contain green and purple cabbage and shredded carrots.

    Feel free to adjust the coleslaw dressing ingredients to your liking. You may prefer less sugar or more of another ingredient. You can also add different spices and herbs if you prefer. Just note that you'd be moving away from a traditional southern coleslaw, but by all means - have fun!

    Creamy southern coleslaw in a blue bowl on a wooden surface.

    Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions

    You can make the coleslaw dressing a day or two in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve the coleslaw. Just toss the dressing with the cabbage and carrots right before serving for a fresh, crispy coleslaw.

    leftover coleslaw can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

    What to Serve with Coleslaw

    Coleslaw is one of the most popular side dishes served with barbecue in the south. It goes great with barbecued chicken, pork, and beef and many would say you can't have a pulled pork sandwich without a little creamy coleslaw piled on top!

    Coleslaw is also a popular side to fried fish in the south. If you're ever a guest at a southern fish fry, you will probably see fried fish served with coleslaw and hushpuppies. And if the fish fry you're attending is hosted by a Black family, we also throw in a little spaghetti and meat sauce as a side! Yep, you read that right!

    Be sure and serve this coleslaw with our Southern Sweet Onion Hush Puppies at your next fish fry!

    Creamy southern coleslaw in a blue bowl.

    Recommended Tools for This Recipe

    Mixing bowls

    Wire whisk

    Silicone-tipped kitchen tongs

    More Southern Recipes You Will Love!

    • The Best Mississippi Comeback Sauce
    • Crispy Maple Barbecue Glazed Wings
    • Easy Southern Baked Spaghetti
    • Banana Pudding Icebox Pie
    • Sweet and Spicy Turnip Greens

    📖 Recipe

    Creamy southern coleslaw in a blue bowl with an orange linen underneath.

    Classic Creamy Southern Coleslaw

    Ashley
    This creamy coleslaw is a classic southern recipe made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and a sweet creamy dressing. Serve this coleslaw up with some delicious barbecue or fried fish for an authentic southern meal!
    4.63 from 16 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 117 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1, 10- ounce bag of shredded cabbage such as Dole Angel Hair Coleslaw
    • ½ cup shredded carrots
    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • Cracked black pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until everything is combined.
    • Add the shredded cabbage and carrots to a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the cabbage. Toss everything together with a wooden spoon or silicone-tipped tongs so that all of the cabbage is coated with the dressing. Serve coleslaw immediately.

    Notes

    Leftover coleslaw can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 0.5gFat: 6.6gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 352mgPotassium: 64mgFiber: 0.7gSugar: 10.6gCalcium: 13mg
    Keyword coleslaw, slaw, southern coleslaw, southern recipes, southern side dishes
    Tried this recipe?Tag @thepinkowlkitchen on Instagram! And don't forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and review!

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    Hi! I'm Ashley.

    I am a new mom, wife, and creator of all you see here at Pink Owl Kitchen. All of our recipes are influenced by my southern upbringing and are made with fresh, seasonal ingredients to encourage families to come together around the dinner table more!

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