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!
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!
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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.
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!
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!
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📖 Recipe
Classic Creamy Southern Coleslaw
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.
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