Vinegar-Based Coleslaw Recipe
Published June 14, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Try this amazingly delicious and easy-to-make side dish for a Vinegar Based Coleslaw recipe at your next barbecue or backyard get-together. You will love how delicious and refreshing this coleslaw is.
If you’re looking for a ridiculously easy recipe for slaw, look no further than this one. Vinegar coleslaw has been all the craze in the BBQ world in the last few years. This tangy vegetable slaw is perfect when eaten or served by itself or alongside my Grilled BBQ Chicken.
Vinegar Coleslaw
Vinegar coleslaw is a simple recipe consisting of a sweet and tangy vinegar-based dressing tossed with shredded cabbage and other vegetables served as a side dish or on top of Barbecue-style sandwiches.
This is an excellent option if you want to eliminate any additional fats since this recipe does not use any mayonnaise as a creamy coleslaw recipe would. The pre-made store-bought version is loaded up with sugar and fat. However, this sweet and tangy homemade version is dairy-free and packed with fresh hand-cut vegetables that are low in calories.
What Kind of Vegetables Can I Use?
In a standard slaw, the most common vegetables are green cabbage and onions. Here is what I like to put into my recipe as it will add more flavor:
- Green Cabbage
- Red Cabbage
- Red Onion
- Carrots
- Green Onions
- Cilantro
However, you could add these ingredients:
- Sliced red, green, yellow, or orange bell peppers
- Sliced spicy peppers, like jalapeños
- Thinly sliced kale or jicama.
Slicing the Vegetables
There are few ingredients in this recipe, along with the sweet and tangy vinegar-based dressing, and it all starts with slicing the vegetables.
If you do not have a mandolin, it’s OK to slice things using a chef’s knife. My rule of thumb for using a mandolin is when you start to get nervous, you might cut yourself; stop.
Slice the green cabbage in half and remove the core. Slice in half again and then thinly slice it on a mandolin, or use a sharp chef knife.
Next, Slice the red cabbage in half and remove the core using a knife. Slice in half again and then thinly slice it on a mandolin, or use a sharp chef knife.
Next, peel the carrots and thinly slice them on a mandolin using the shredded blade attachment.
Vinegar Coleslaw Dressing
Making the coleslaw dressing recipe is very easy. A traditional vinaigrette is three parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Well, to maximize flavor, we have to bring down that oil count to 2 or even equal to 1 to the vinegar, which will make the coleslaw much more flavorful.
- Add the vinegar, mustard, and sugar to a bowl.
- Whisk while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until emulsified, and then finish with celery seed, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Vinegar Coleslaw
- Add the vegetables to a large bowl.
- Season with celery seed, salt, and pepper.
- Pour in the dressing.
- Toss using some tongs and serve.
Making-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: If you make this vinegar coleslaw ahead of time and slice the vegetables super thin, it may not be perfect when you go to serve it several hours later or the next day. If you plan on making it ahead of time, I recommend combining the vegetables and keeping the dressing separate until you are ready to serve.
How to Store: It is best to store this vinegar coleslaw recipe undressed and unseasoned, covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It can stay in the refrigerator undressed and unseasoned for up to 5 days. When ready to serve, pour the vinaigrette over top, season with salt and pepper, toss and serve.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Also, if you want to make it ahead of time, don’t plan on seasoning it to the end because if you salt the vegetable, it will wilt super quickly.
- Now know that when you shave vegetables super thin like I did in this recipe and apply an acid to them, like vinegar, it’s going to break down faster and become wilted or, to put it simply, soggy.
- You can substitute honey or agave for sugar in this recipe.
- To save some time, If you don’t want to slice the cabbages and carrots yourself, I suggest buying the pre-made coleslaw mix. It will work just as well.
Serve It with These BBQ Recipes
- Smoked Pulled Pork Shoulder
- Smoked Chicken BBQ
- Vinegar BBQ Sauce
- Potato Salad
- Salmon Burgers
- Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs
Video
Vinegar Based Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 thinly sliced head of green cabbage
- 1 cup of thinly sliced red cabbage
- 2 whole shredded carrots
- 3 thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of grainy mustard
- 1 tablespoon of honey or 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of celery seed
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, mustard, honey, and olive oil and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together cabbages, carrots, green onions, and celery seeds.
- Next, pour a small amount of the dressing onto the cabbage mixture and mix until combined and until the desired amount of dressing is achieved.
- Season with salt and pepper, and chill before serving.
Wonderful light delicious! A perfect summer side!
awesome!
This was a fantastic quick throw together this evening! Light and summery! Definitely a keeper of a recipe!
It was exactly what I wanted. Instead of celery seeds I used hemp hearts, cause that’s what I had on hand. And I only used red cabbage. Having a mandolin would have made my life easier but it tasted good and that’s all that matters!
Excellent recipe, added a few red pepper flakes and delicious. Kept slaw separate from dressing before serving and we ate it for several days. A real keeper
Very good and very colourful. I added roasted salted sunflower seeds just before serving. Hosting a wedding BBQ for 30. Your wonderful recipe will definitely be on the menu.
YUM!! So glad it worked out for you!
So yummy! I did cheat and used the bagged prechopped coleslaw (red and green cabbage and carrots) I used two bags and doubled the rest of the ingredients by following the recipe SOOOOO GOOD! My daughter who is allergic to dairy and my daughter who doesn’t eat eggs were both so happy to have a delicious coleslaw they didn’t have to worry about. Thank you.
LOVE this! Thanks for trying.
Loved it! Now it is a staple for all of my bbq’s going forward!!
We are having a party for about 80 people and will be serving pulled pork sandwiches. This looks like the perfect coleslaw recipe (no mayonnaise to spoil!). How far in advance can you make this and how long will it keep? Thanks!
you can make it a day in advance but do not toss it in the dressing or season it with salt and pepper until 20-30 minutes before serving it.
Great recipe–was looking for one with less sugar than the one I used to make and this one is a keeper. WIll try adding some minced bell pepper and maybe sub vidalia onion next time for added sweetness, but love it as written too.
Now I just need my husband to pull the pork butt off the smoker and dinner will be ready!
This was absolutely perfect!! And I love cooking and trying out new recipes. This was most definitely by far the best oil and vinegar slaw I have ever tasted. I only subbed one ingredient-stevia instead of honey and I don’t think I missed a thing, delicious!!
Exactly what I was looking for! Having a BBQ where half coming eat meat and the other half are vegetarians/vegans. This will go great with the pork BBQ sandwiches and the other sides that are for everyone. Thank you!