This creamy vegan coleslaw is a classic tasting coleslaw made with a few simple vegan ingredients. It’s gluten free, egg free and dairy free too, so everyone can enjoy this creamy comfort food. It’s the perfect picnic food that just tastes like summer!
You will LOVE this easy coleslaw recipe because it’s…
- simply delicious and tastes like the real thing you know and love.
- gluten free, dairy- free, and nut-free, so nearly anyone with food allergies can enjoy it too.
- perfect for picnics, sides, or lunches.
I must admit, I never even thought to make coleslaw until I started to make vegan pulled pork and needed a coleslaw to top the sandwiches. I always thought of it as a weird side dish that no one really ate, but my family couldn’t get enough.
My husband devoured the whole thing and then said, “I used to love coleslaw as a kid and this is amazing!” In the 18 years that I have been with him, he never once mentioned the word coleslaw, but it’s nice to find an old favorite that I can create for him!
What you will need to make vegan coleslaw…
- Mayonnaise – any vegan mayo will work. You can buy it at many grocery stores or you can make your own using my vegan mayo recipe.
- Vinegar – to give it flavor and acidity.
- Sugar – to give the dressing a little sweetness and balance the vinegar.
- Celery Seeds – for flavor. You don’t need to add the celery seed, but I love the flavor that it brings to the coleslaw.
- Cabbage – to make it easy you can use a bag of shredded cabbage or you can shred or cut your own small head of cabbage into fine pieces.
How do you make coleslaw vegan?
There is not much that you have to do to veganize coleslaw other than to use vegan mayo instead of regular mayo. For this, I like to use my homemade vegan mayo recipe. You can use any vegan mayo that you choose, but I like the flavor of this one and I make it with olive oil to make it slightly better for you. (But, let’s admit mayo is not health food)!
To make the coleslaw:
- Put the vegan mayo, sugar, salt, vinegar, and celery seed in the bottom of a mixing bowl and stir to make a creamy dressing.
- Add a bag of shredded cabbage and mix well and you are done!
- You can then serve it immediately or let it sit for about 1/2 hour in the fridge to absorb the flavors and get even creamer.
Pro Tips for making perfect coleslaw:
- Use a bag of colorful shredded cabbage with some purple cabbage and carrots to make it quick, easy, and beautiful!
- Make it up about 1/2 hour to 1 hour before you want to eat. This gives it time to soak up the flavors, but not get too soggy.
If you want an oil-free vegan coleslaw, check out this Creamy Vegan Coleslaw recipe from Vegan Huggs where she uses cashew mayo instead.
This coleslaw makes the perfect vegan picnic food for summer! If you want some more easy summer picnic ideas, check out my Citrus Salad with Chickpeas, Vegan Bean Salad – Southwest Style, or my Vegan Greek Salad with Vegan Feta.
Don’t forget to pin the creamy coleslaw recipe for later!
A classic creamy vegan coleslaw
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp celery seed
- 2 tsp vegan sugar or sweetener of choice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 9 oz. bag shredded cabbage or about 3 cups of shredded cabbage
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Place all ingredients except for the shredded cabbage in a large mixing bowl and stir until creamy.
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Add the shredded cabbage and mix well.
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Serve immediately or let it sit in the fridge for about 1/2 hour to get creamier.
- You can buy the bags of pre-shredded cabbage or you can shred your own.
- You can use a mix of red and green cabbage and about 1/2 cup of shredded carrots to add color and make it a prettier salad.
- Omit sugar to make it sugar-free.
