This refreshing, delicious no mayo coleslaw comes with a simple 5-ingredient vinaigrette which makes this classic salad a truly healthy dish perfect for entertaining as well as an everyday family friendly recipe.

Coleslaw, which is essentially a salad made with raw cabbage, has the potential of being super nutritious but the lashings of mayonnaise it often contains turn it into a high calorie, fast food kind of dish.

This no mayo coleslaw isn't like that! This coleslaw goes back to its origins, which can be traced as far as the 18th century (as Wikipedia tells us) when the Dutch served strips of cabbage with melted butter, vinegar and oil calling it 'koolsla'. Other countries make coleslaw type salads which don't involve mayonnaise either. In Poland, for example, shredded raw vegetable salads called 'surowka' (with or without cabbage) are very popular and are usually made with an oil based dressing. An example is sauerkraut salad with carrot and apple.

What ingredients go into coleslaw

These days coleslaw recipes tend to include not just cabbage but other vegetables as well, such as carrots and onions, which I also chose to use in this recipe. A coleslaw might also include radishes, raw fennel or savoy cabbage (this ingredient will contribute bright green colour and make your salad even prettier). So you can mix and match and use your favourite seasonal ingredients.

Some coleslaw recipes also include herbs, most frequently cilantro/fresh coriander but sometimes also dill (this would apply mostly to the East European variety). You can also make your coleslaw spicy by adding jalapenos.

No mayo coleslaw ingredients

My easy vegan dressing contains vegetable oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, mustard and a little maple syrup to offset the sharpness of the other ingredients. I have also added the zest of 1 lemon into the slaw for a more citrussy finish.

I used a combination of white as well as red cabbage, carrot and red onion. This produced a colourful dish that's nutritious as well as super tasty.

How to prepare the vegetables

This is very easy to do and essentially involves slicing the vegetables thinly so all you need is a sharp knife, cutting board and a large bowl with spoon. The only tricky bit is getting the thickness right. The vegetables should be sliced as thinly as possible, otherwise you'll end up with a coleslaw that's chewy rather than crispy.

You can use a food processor with a shredding blade but make sure it does a better job than an ordinary box grater (mine didn't!), which shreds the vegetables in a way that makes them stick to one another. This kind of salad will get soggy very quickly.

So if you want a truly crispy (and great looking) no mayo coleslaw use a sharp knife!

Assembling the recipe

1.Slice/shred your vegetables, place in a large bowl and add the lemon zest.

2. Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and stirring until smooth.

3. Pour the dressing into the salad, give a good stir and adjust the seasoning as needed. Chill for 30 minutes before serving if possible.

How long does this salad last

In my opinion this is largely down to personal preference. I like my coleslaw crispy and fresh tasting so I chill it for 30 minutes and eat within 2 hours. I find that salads containing raw onion don't keep very well as the onion loses its crispiness quite quickly and the flavour is affected too (not in the best way).

On the other hand the vinaigrette along with the seasoning produce a pickling effect so after several hours your coleslaw will still be tasty if no longer as crispy. If you are planning to keep your coleslaw refrigerated for a while I recommend adding the onion just before serving.

Top tips and FAQs

Use both white and red cabbage or just one type.
For a super crispy coleslaw use a sharp knife and slice the ingredients as thinly as you can, or a food processor that produces thin crispy strands (not all do).
I do not recommend using the middle bit of the cabbage (it's too tough), only the leaves.
Adjust the amount of vinegar and lemon juice according to your preference.
Zest the lemon before juicing it.
You can prepare the vegetables up to 3 hours in advance and refrigerate, covered, until you are ready to serve the coleslaw (add the dressing just before serving). Alternatively make the coleslaw and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Chill for 30 minutes before serving if possible.
Not suitable for freezing.

Serving suggestions

Coleslaw is a classic accompaniment to burgers, hot dogs and fries (try it with potato wedges) but it's delicious with a huge number of dishes including beet quinoa burgers, healthy pulled chicken or yogurt marinated grilled chicken.

Keep in touch!

If you make this dairy free coleslaw I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you add different vegetables into the mix? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

Crispy No Mayo Coleslaw (Dairy Free)