Be Amazing! Try the Pitmaster Club FREE

2,000+ Free Pages

2,000+ Free Pages

YOU ARE HERE >> AmazingRibs » Recipes » Vegetables & Sides

Sweet And Sour Coleslaw, The Perfect BBQ Side

Last Modified On: July 21, 2026

Say goodbye to bland coleslaw thanks to this sweet and sour coleslaw recipe.

In the South there are two kinds of slaw and the rivalry is as savage as Clemson vs. South Carolina: Sweet-sour vs. creamy. Sweet-sour is vinegar and sugar based. Creamy is mayo or sour cream or buttermilk based (or a blend of them). This sweet-sour slaw is so simple and quick that it is sure to become your go-to side dish for your next BBQ and grilling adventure. Proceed to this page if you prefer mayo based creamy coleslaw.

Like what you’re reading? Click here to get Smoke Signals, our free monthly email that tells you about new articles, recipes, product reviews, science, myth-busting, and more. Be Amazing!

Sweet and sour coleslaw recipe

sweet and sour cole slaw

Sweet And Sour Coleslaw Recipe

Author: Meathead
4.41 from 320 votes
Rate this Recipe
Looking to step up your slaw game? Here is a sweet-sour cole slaw recipe that is sure to impress your guests. Plus, the recipe is super easy to make.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 small servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
 
 

Dressing
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
  • ½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon whole celery seeds (not celery salt)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (corn oil or salad oil mix are good choices)
  • ¼ cup distilled white vinegar (not cider vinegar)
Slaw
  • 1 pound green cabbage (about half a medium cabbage)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 1 small white onion
  • ½ bell pepper, any color

Method
 

  1. Prep. For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Don’t skip the mustard. It’s the secret ingredient that gives it life. And make sure all the lumps are whisked out.
  2. Read my article on The Science of Slawsome Slaw. Decide how you want to cut the cabbage, carrots, pepper, and onions: Chopped, grated, or hashed and have at it. I like this recipe best when chopped or grated. Now that you've decided, do it. Add the cabbage, carrots, pepper, and onions to the bowl with the dressing.
  3. Chill. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour if possible to extract the flavors from the celery seeds and the vegetables. They will give up some water, so don't worry if the mix seems a bit dry and strong at first. Mix it up occasionally so the dressing doesn't pool at the bottom. Taste the slaw and add more of the seasonings to your preference.
  4. Serve. When you serve it, mix thoroughly and scoop from the bottom so the veggies have dressing on them.

Notes

About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
Optional additions. Add 3 red radishes for a pinch of heat. Add white radishes if you like a jab of favor. Add a small jalapeño if you like a punch of heat. There are some jalapeño flecks in the picture above because that’s the way I roll.

Approximate Nutrition

Calories: 76kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 308mgPotassium: 166mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1563IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Related Articles & Posts

Comments & Questions
Ask Us Anything
Sign in BBQ joint

Before you can post a comment or question you must sign into our commenting partner, Disqus. This helps make sure everyone hanging around the grill is civil. We do not tolerate nastiness, racism, porn, inappropriate language, or attacks on others. All comments are the property of AmazingRibs.com and we reserve the right to quote them, edit them, delete them, and block people from making future comments.

Please leave comments and questions on the same page that is devoted to that subject so others can see questions and our answers when they are reading about the subject. You must enable JavaScript to use the comments section, and you must accept cookies to post comments. Note: the software that runs Disqus is different from the Pitmaster Club, so members need to sign into the Pitmaster Club separately.

Click to comment or ask a question...

Up Your BBQ IQ By Joining The Pitmaster Club

AmazingRibs.com Pitmaster Club Sign up for a free trial of the AmazingRibs.com Pitmaster Club and experience everything that the world's largest membership-based BBQ and grilling community has to offer! Get a free 30-day trial here.

New Recipes, Reviews, and Science Sent To Your Inbox!

Subscribe to receive our FREE weekly newsletter, Smoke Signals, and never miss a new recipe!

New Recipes

Products We Love
The Slow ‘N Sear, The Single Best Accessory For The Weber Kettle Ever
The Slow ‘N Sear, The Single Best Accessory For The Weber Kettle Ever
For about $90 you can easily convert a standard Weber Kettle into a much better grill as well as a smoker capable of making restaurant quality smoked ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, turkey, salmon, or whatever you want to smoke.
Jump To Top