Creamy Vegan Coleslaw Recipe

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This creamy vegan coleslaw is a guilt-free twist on a classic favorite! Full of crunchy vegetables mixed with a flavorful dairy free dressing.

Tastes better than the traditional version! Easy to make and uses whole food ingredients so super healthy.

Black bowl filled with coleslaw on a blue napkin.

This post was originally published on March 8, 2021.

I love easy side dishes and this vegan coleslaw recipe is the perfect thing to make for picnics, barbecues or as a dinner side. If you prefer the non creamy version try vinegar coleslaw or Mexican coleslaw!

Ingredients

This creamy vegan coleslaw is easy enough to make up to go alongside vegan burgers like my chickpea burgers, or sandwiches like my Vegan BLT. It's even great with pasta dishes like Healthy Vegan Chili Mac! It's also a great dish to bring along to a Summer potluck, no one will know it's dairy free!

Just a handful of whole food ingredients are needed to create this crisp and flavorful dairy free coleslaw:

Shredded cabbage
Shredded carrots
Red onion
Vegan mayo
Vinegar
Seasonings

Bowls with ingredients needed to make coleslaw.

How To Make Vegan Coleslaw

Easy recipes are the best recipes! Once the dressing is blended and veggies are shredded, here's what to do:

Mix cabbage, veggies, and vegan coleslaw dressing together well in a bowl.
Let rest in the refrigerator then serve!

Glass bowl with forks mixing coleslaw inside.

Two forks getting creamy coleslaw out of a black bowl.

What to Serve With Coleslaw

Whether it's a picnic lunch, Summer Potluck, or weeknight dinner, this vegan coleslaw recipe goes well with so many dishes! Try it with any of these:

Flavor tips

In order to achieve the best flavors, make sure to follow these suggestions:

I like to use a mix of green and red cabbage, but any cabbage or combination will do.
The base of the vegan coleslaw dressing is mayonnaise, but you can sub it out (or some of it) with sour cream or even plain yogurt.
- However, if you do this you will need more salt and a bit more vinegar to get the right flavor combo. Taste as you go to find the perfect balance.
My homemade vegan mayo is what I used and it’s perfect and made with whole foods.
Distilled white wine vinegar is the best for this recipe. If you want to use another vinegar you can, however the end result won’t have that same tang.
This coleslaw will taste best after it has a chance for the flavors to come together. I recommend chilling in the fridge for a minimum of 5-10 minutes.

Preparation tips

Here are a few hints that should help you when preparing this vegan coleslaw recipe:

To save time, you can shred the cabbage ahead of time. Or, buy a package of pre shredded cabbage.
Shred the carrots by using a thick cheese grater, or a grating attachment on a food processor. You can do this ahead of time, just keep them in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use.
Some packaged mixes have the carrots in them. You can make this easy and use those. Just make sure the total amount of cups is the same.
I make the dressing by putting everything in a blender and blending until smooth. If you don't have a blender you can whisk everything together instead, just make sure it's mixed thoroughly.

Meal Prep and Storage Tips

Shred the veggies ahead of time and keep them in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
The dressing can also be made up to 5 days in advance to save on time.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Common Questions

Is coleslaw vegan?

Creamy coleslaw is usually not vegan because the dressing uses egg based mayonnaise, or dairy filled sour cream or yogurt. This recipe avoids all of those to keep it vegan friendly.

What is coleslaw dressing made of?

Generally, coleslaw dressing is made from mayonnaise, a sweetener like sugar, an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar, and seasonings. This version uses a vegan mayo, distilled white vinegar, celery seed, mustard seed, salt, and pepper.

Does coleslaw contain mayonnaise?

More often than not, yes. However, there are versions of coleslaw that use a vinegar based dressing. This recipe uses vegan mayonnaise.

Is coleslaw bad for you?

Everyone's version of what is healthy is different. Traditional coleslaw can be considered bad for you since it contains mayonnaise and sugar. I think we can all agree too much sugar isn't the healthiest thing in the world. Additionally, mayo contains high amounts of fat, and depending on your fat needs too much mayo can be unhealthy. This recipe omits any sugar, and my vegan mayo is made from all whole food ingredients for a healthier approach.

More Vegan Side Dishes

Main dishes always get all the attention, but so many times the side dishes are really where it's at! We love high flavor sides to compliment our favorite meals, here's some great plant based go tos: