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Creamy Vegan Coleslaw – Connoisseurus Veg

May 20, 2022

23 3 minutes read

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Creamy, crunchy, tangy coleslaw that you’d never guess was dairy free! This vegan coleslaw is super easy to make, naturally gluten-free, and perfect for summer gatherings.

White wooden surface set with napkin and bowl of Vegan Coleslaw with spoon.

Summer is on the way, and which means it’s time for me to get in gear and start sharing some summer barbecue recipes!

Coleslaw is a big part of summer cookouts in my family, and I’ve even shared a few recipes where I suggest coleslaw as an accompaniment (my barbecue chickpea burgers, for example. So it’s about time I posted a vegan coleslaw recipe!

Coleslaw was a big part of family cookouts when I was growing up, but my family never really had a coleslaw recipe. Whoever was in charge of coleslaw at a particular gathering (usually my grandmother — hers was the best), would throw a bunch of ingredients into a bowl and keep adding until it tasted good.

I took my family’s basic coleslaw ingredients and method, distilled it into a recipe, and veganized it. And it was delicious! My grandmother would totally approve, and probably never know that this version was vegan.

Jump to:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Cabbage. Red or green cabbage will work for this recipe. The only real difference is the look. I like to use a mix of both varieties.
Carrots.
Vegan mayonnaise. This is available at most supermarkets, usually near the regular mayo, or in the natural foods section. Look for brands such as Vegenaise or Hellman’s Vegan.
Red wine vinegar. This is my favorite vinegar for coleslaw, but white vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work if you don’t have any on hand.
Dijon mustard. I’m a big fan of whole grain Dijon mustard in my coleslaw dressing, but you can use smooth Dijon mustard if you prefer.
Sugar. Use organic sugar to keep the recipe vegan.
Celery salt.
Fresh parsley.
Salt & pepper.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Start by shredding your cabbage and and carrots. To shred cabbage, cut a chunk off of your cabbage head and use a large, sharp knife or mandoline slicer to carefully cut the chunk into thin slices. Due to the layering of the cabbage leaves it will naturally separate into thin shreds.
Your carrots can be shredded using a box grater.

Tip: I prefer to do my shredding by hand, but you could absolutely use a food processor fitted with a shredding disc.

Partially shredded chunk of cabbage on a cutting board with knife.

Place your cabbage and carrots into a large bowl, along with the mayo, vinegar, mustard, sugar and celery salt. Stir everything up!

Hand stirring Vegan Coleslaw ingredients together in a glass bowl.

Taste-test your vegan coleslaw and season it with some salt and pepper to taste. Adjust any other seasonings to your liking as well.
Serve immediately or chill for later.

Tip: While you can serve your vegan coleslaw immediately, it’s best if it’s been chilled for a couple of hours. Make it early in the day if you have time!

Bowl of Vegan Coleslaw with napkin and bunch of parsley in the background.

Leftovers & Storage

Vegan coleslaw is best served on the day it’s made, as the dressing will become runny over time. If you do have leftovers they’ll keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

More Cool Vegan Summer Sides

Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!