The Best Basic Creamy Southern Coleslaw Ever

Just say no to bland store bought coleslaw and hello to this delicious homemade creamy southern coleslaw recipe.

Coleslaw is one of the most underrated BBQ and grilling side dishes, most likely because it is often store bought, poorly made, or is simply lacking in personality. 

Here’s a mayonnaise based creamy cole slaw that’s not too sweet and a few little tweaks to make it really special. Hash it and heap it on top of a pulled pork sandwich as they do in Memphis or the Carolinas. It would be a great choice for a West Virginia Slawdog (shown with the recipe). Prepare this simple, yet classic, homemade coleslaw for your next cookout and your guests will certainly notice the difference.

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Creamy southern coleslaw recipe

Simple Creamy Southern Coleslaw Recipe

4.34 from 280 votes

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Just say no to bland store bought coleslaw and hello to this delicious homemade recipe. This classic simple creamy coleslaw recipe is not only the perfect side dish for your next BBQ and grilling cookout but is also amazing on a Memphis and South Carolina style pulled pork sandwich or on a West Virginia style hot dog.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Chilling Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: American, Southern

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients Method Approximate Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x?

Slaw

• 1 pound green cabbage (about half a medium cabbage)
• 1 large carrot, peeled
• ½ small white onion
• 2 tablespoons Morton Coarse Kosher Salt

Dressing

• 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon celery seeds (not celery salt)

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Method

 

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1. Prep. First, read my article on The Science of Slawsome Slaw. Then decide how you want to cut the cabbage, carrot, and onion: Chopped, grated, or hashed and have at it. I prefer this recipe shredded or chopped.
2. Salt. In a large strainer or colander, mix the cabbage, carrot, and onion with the salt and put it in the sink or over a bowl for an hour. The salt will draw out a lot of water that will otherwise dilute the dressing. Then rinse the mix with cold water to get rid of excess salt and pat dry. You can now hold it in the fridge for a day if you want.
3. Dress. Whisk together the dressing in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, carrot, and onion mix. Taste, adjust seasonings, cover and chill for at least 1 hour if possible before serving.

Notes

About the vinegar. Switch to cider vinegar at your own risk. I think plain white distilled works better.

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. 

My favorite add-in. I first tasted this in Charleston South Carolina, and I loved it. Add 1 tablespoon of sweet pickle relish or chipped sweet pickles.

Optional. Add 1/2 red or green bell pepper, sliced thin or hashed.

Optional. Add 3 radishes, red or white, hot if you like, sliced thin or hashed.

Optional. Add 1 small minced jalapeño if you like it hot. Chipotle powder is another way to amp it up. Horseradish, just a tablespoon in the background, is a surprising addition.

Approximate Nutrition

Calories: 122kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 178mgPotassium: 136mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1339IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg

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