Classic Coleslaw

Easy Homemade Coleslaw

Our easy, classic coleslaw recipe features crisp and crunchy cabbage and carrots, tossed in a totally traditional creamy coleslaw dressing. It only takes a few simple ingredients to make the most essential summer side dish (and Hot Dog topper) ever. From early summer cookouts, to your Labor Day BBQ, serve this alongside all your favorites (we especially love it with Huli Huli Chicken and some Macaroni Salad). Cabbage is super healthy, too, and the creamy dressing doesn’t (totally) undo that. Get good-quality mayo—Hellmann’s the classic coleslaw mayo choice—and veggies that look fresh. Beyond that, a little slicing and a little stirring and the best coleslaw recipe is done!

Classic Coleslaw Ingredients

• Shredded green cabbage

• Shredded carrots

• Green onions

For the creamy coleslaw dressing:

• Mayonnaise

• Sugar

• Apple cider vinegar

• Lemon juice

• Onion powder

• Granulated garlic

• Celery salt

• Sea salt

• Black pepper

How To Make Coleslaw

1. Shred the cabbage and carrots. You could buy pre-shredded cabbage, but we think it tastes best if you shred it yourself. To shred the cabbage, sharpen your favorite knife and chop the cabbage leaves as finely as you can and discard the core. For the carrots, you can use a box grater or the grating attachment on your Cuisinart.

2. Make the creamy dressing. Whisk together all of the creamy dressing ingredients in the bowl you want to serve the coleslaw in.

3. Dump the shredded carrots and cabbage into the bowl, and toss them with the coleslaw dressing.

4. Chill! Chill the coleslaw for at least an hour in the fridge, or up to 24.

How To Store + Tips

• Homemade coleslaw is the perfect summer make ahead side dish recipe! Coleslaw actually needs at least an hour to sit in the fridge, and can benefit from up to a 24-hours in the fridge before serving. The flavors meld and the dressing makes the cabbage a bit more tender, which is a good thing. In other words, this is the ideal summer side dish or picnic food idea, because it’s made for making ahead!

• Safety first! Creamy recipes like this classic coleslaw are our favorite Summer Side Dishes, but they are also notorious for needing to be kept cold, which can be a challenge on a hot summer day. Summer Salad Recipes like this can be left out at room temperature for a maximum of two hours on a normal summer day, and one hour on a very hot day. If you’re partying, or BBQ-ing or poolside-ing for longer than that, you may want to simply walk by the side dish table after an hour or two and toss out (or compost) any mayo-based salads.

Cookouts, Here We Come

For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper. Happy cooking!