Vinegar Coleslaw (no mayonnaise)

Isn’t this a beautiful colorful salad? I love the purple, green, and orange explosion of color. It’s like fireworks in a bowl! The flavors of vinegar coleslaw explode in your mouth, as well. Maybe I’m carrying the “explosion” theme too far, but really, I can’t say enough about this colorful and flavorful coleslaw.

Coleslaw has been around for eons, back to Roman times. Since mayonnaise is relatively new on the scene, the first coleslaw recipes probably were similar to this vinegar-based one. The ingredients are simple and it keeps well. The Romans probably kept it in stone jugs or something.

Coleslaw with Vinegar Dressing

Easy to make. Whether you use a couple bags of coleslaw mix, or shred your own cabbage, this is an easy salad to make. I use my food processor to shred both red and green cabbage for a really colorful salad. My seven year old son is so impressed by how the food processor annihilates the cabbage. It makes quick work of the carrots, too. Watching his amusement reminds me to enjoy the small things in life.

No fat recipe. While I love creamy coleslaw or yogurt-based healthy coleslaw, there’s definitely a place in my heart for vinegar coleslaw. Lower in calories and fat, with loads of nutrition (all that cabbage and carrots!), it’s a win-win.

A make ahead recipe. This coleslaw actually tastes better if it spends some time chilling in the fridge, at least an hour but up to a week. It’s almost like a quick cabbage pickle. If you haven’t tried quick pickles yet, make sure you don’t miss pickled red onions or refrigerator dill pickles. Pickled asparagus is really tasty, too, and makes an elegant addition to your charcuterie plate.

Perfect for picnics and potlucks. Since vinegar coleslaw isn’t mayo based, you don’t have to worry as much about it spoiling on a warm day. 

Ingredient Notes

• Green Cabbage and Red Cabbage (why is it called “red” when it clearly is purple?) You can use a combination or just one kind of cabbage. You can also buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage.
• Carrots: Shred your own or buy convenient pre-shredded carrots.
• Green Onions (or scallions, whichever name you give them). If you like, add other veggies like bell peppers, onions, pea pods, or celery.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: White vinegar or rice vinegar work fine, although you may need to add a bit more sweetener to balance out the more acidic vinegars.
• Oil: I like grapeseed but any mild tasting oil will do.
• Something sweet: To take the edge off the tangy vinegar, I like to add a bit of honey, agave, or sugar.
• Dijon Mustard: Creamy Dijon works best for this recipe, rather than grainy or coarse ground Dijon.
• Dried Celery Seed: Be sure to buy celery seed, not celery salt. The seeds have an intense celery flavor; celery salt isn’t nearly as flavorful and has lots of added salt.
• Salt and Pepper

How to make vinegar coleslaw

Mix the dressing up in a measuring cup and add it to a big bowl with the cabbage mixture. Stir well, and refrigerate. Isn’t that so easy?

Taste the coleslaw before you serve it. Adjust the seasonings, adding extra salt or pepper if you feel it’s necessary. If you feel that your coleslaw tastes too much like vinegar, or is too acidic or tart, try adding a bit more sugar or salt.

Serve vinegar coleslaw as a side dish with pretty much anything. The tangy flavor and crunchy texture go well with grilled entrees, such as salmon, chicken, or steak. It’s great with burgers and hotdogs, too, and makes a delicious fish taco. Try a spoonful right on your burger, hotdog, or pulled pork sandwich.

Recipe Variations

• Go green: If you’re not a fan of red cabbage, replace it with extra green cabbage, or try a different variety of cabbage.
• Add more veggies. Try red or green bell peppers or chopped onion. 
• Substitute a different kind of vinegar: plain white vinegar, rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, whatever you like. Each type of vinegar will impart a different flavor. If you use plain white vinegar which is more acidic, you may need to add a little more sweetener to balance it.
• Add herbs. Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro would be good choices. 
• Boiling the dressing: My mom always boiled the vinegar dressing before adding it to the cabbage. The coleslaw will keep longer in the fridge. 
• Make a creamy coleslaw. Try my homemade coleslaw dressing with yogurt.
• Looking for something different? Try my Asian salad, another vinegar coleslaw with an Asian influence and lots of crunchy add-ins like ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Another favorite is this cabbage salad with mandarin oranges and honey lime dressing. Lately, we’ve been loving this shredded carrot salad.
• Don’t let the rest of the cabbage go to waste. Try easy sautéed cabbage (green) or German red cabbage (sweet & sour).

Storage tips

Refrigerate: Store leftover coleslaw, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to a week. If you notice a bad or strong smell, see mold or cloudiness, or if it tastes different, discard the coleslaw. It’s never worth taking a chance.

Tip: Red cabbage tends to bleed color after a day or too, turning the salad kind of pink. This doesn’t affect the flavor at all and if you have a young daughter, it could be a selling point. If you would rather not experience this, simply make the salad using all green cabbage. Red cabbage does contain 30% more vitamin C than green cabbage.

Freeze: I’ve heard that you can successfully freeze vinegar coleslaws but I haven’t tried it. If you want to give it a try, package it in freezer-safe bags or containers.