The Easiest No-Mayo Coleslaw

When I was growing up, my grandfather worked at KFC — and even at 7 years old I loved those styrofoam containers of sweet and creamy coleslaw. I still have a soft spot for that chopped salad of sorts, but I love any variety of the stuff. Vinegar slaw, in particular, is a delicious summertime side. It’s cold and refreshing, and a lovely way to break up the richness from barbecued meats, mayo-based potato salads, and sweet and savory baked beans.

Coleslaw tends to fall into two camps: Creamy and mayonnaise-based or tangy and vinegar-based. This coleslaw is mayo-free, with classic flavors coming from zippy apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil, whole grain mustard, and celery salt.

You can definitely use pre-shredded cabbage and carrots for coleslaw. Most bagged slaw and grated carrots tend to be much thicker than what you can achieve at home, but you’ll save some time.

A mandoline allows you to shave whisper-thin slivers of cabbage and red onion in almost no time at all. You can tackle it with a sharp knife as well, but the results won’t be quite as thin or even. 

Dressed coleslaw will last up to two days in the fridge. It will wilt and release additional liquid, but will still retain some crunch.