Vinegar Coleslaw (No Mayo)

This vinegar coleslaw recipe (without mayo) is sweet, tangy, and seasoned with caraway and celery seeds for the best vinegar coleslaw recipe.

Opposites do attract. It’s why anything that’s both sweet and tangy always tastes so good. And when you try this vinegar coleslaw recipe made with apple cider vinegar and sweetened with just a bit of sugar, you’ll believe it with each and every forked bite. I’m a fan of any crunchy slaw that comes together fast and balances out a meal, and this recipe is right up there with my best creamy coleslaw recipe. But sometimes I’m more in the mood for a lighter zesty bite than a creamy one. This vinegar coleslaw’s tangy dressing lightens bbq sauced slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches and is the crunchy compliment to classic potluck salads like my mom’s recipe for the best potato salad or the classic macaroni salad. You’re going to want to add this to your roster of favorite side dishes because it really is the best vinegar coleslaw recipe.

Why You’ll Love It

• This old-fashioned coleslaw with vinegar (and no mayo) is tangy, crunchy, and never gloopy or soggy
• It’s full of vibrant color, fresh flavor, and crisp texture
• Most cooks will use a coleslaw mix straight from the bag, which is totally fine. But adding a few more freshly shredded veggies to the mix for color and even more healthy crunch makes it so much better.

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe Ingredients List

for the cabbage mixture:

• Shredded coleslaw mix—rather than buying a whole head of cabbage and carrots in need of peeling, I took the shortcut and bought a bag of pre-packaged coleslaw mix. You might find it in your veggie aisle bagged with a combination of red and green cabbage, or green only. Either or all will work.
• Shredded carrot—I know most pre-shredded coleslaw mixes already have carrots, but I like longer strips of carrot, so I add extra
• Shredded purple cabbage—I like the color this adds, but feel free to omit this if your shredded coleslaw mix already has purple cabbage
• Thinly slivered red onion—for color, savory flavor, and even more crunch

Vinegar Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients

I’ve replaced the classic mayo-based coleslaw dressing with a simple and somewhat sweet vinegar-based dressing to give this salad its signature tang.

Here’s what you’ll need for this vinegar coleslaw dressing:

• Canola oil—or another neutral-flavored oil, such as grapeseed oil or avocado oil
• Apple cider vinegar—for the perfect balance of sweet, tangy flavor
• Sugar—for just a little sweetness (you can use honey if you prefer)
• Caraway seeds—I love their flavor and they add just a little more complexity to the coleslaw
• Celery seed—the celery seeds will soften slightly in the dressing, adding flavor as they do
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—always, for flavor

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make This Vinegar Coleslaw

At first glance, this will seem like a large amount of cabbage and veg, but because cabbage shrinks in the dressing as it sits, 10 cups compact to about 6 cups within an hour.

Here’s how to make this vinegar coleslaw recipe:

• Combine the veggies. In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix with the red onion, shredded red cabbage, and carrot.
• Make the tangy vinegar dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, caraway seeds, celery seed, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
• Toss and chill. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour for flavors to properly meld.

Tip: Gently crush the celery and caraway seeds between your fingers before adding to the dressing to release the oils and bring out the flavor.

FAQ  and Recipe Tips

• Is apple cider vinegar better than white vinegar for coleslaw? Of the many varieties of vinegar, I use apple cider vinegar in this recipe for its more pronounced tang. White vinegar, champagne vinegar, or lemon juice can be substituted for apple cider vinegar but won’t carry quite the same tangy pucker.
• If you choose to shred cabbage and carrots on your own, shred them a bit thicker, similar to those in a pre-packaged coleslaw mix. If the cabbage is too thick, it will wilt after sitting in the dressing for a few hours.
• Gently crushing the celery and caraway seeds between your fingers before adding them to the dressing helps to release the oils and bring out their flavor.

Storage Tips

This vinegar coleslaw will keep stored in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days. I do not recommend freezing coleslaw.

Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

• I like my veggies in coleslaw crunchy and finely sliced so they meld together and have an equal presence in each bite.
• Use a super sharp chef’s knife like this one to thinly shave the red onion and red cabbage. Or, use one of my favorite kitchen gadgets, this handheld mandoline with an adjustable blade to cut and shred both consistently whisper thin without any effort.
• I use this set of 3 vegetable peelers to peel and then julienne the carrot into long strips easily.
• I also used this vegetable peeler/shredder I bought at a market in Vietnam. It’s the same one all of the women making fresh Vietnamese noodle salads used, so of course I had to have it. Word to the wise, however, it is NOT dishwasher safe.

What to Serve with Vinegar Coleslaw

• Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Crunchy Slaw
• How to Make the Best Grilled Salmon
• Baby Back Ribs In the Instant Pot
• Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
• Slow Cooker Smoky Pulled Pork Tacos

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

4.38 from 121 votes

Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe (No Mayo)

This vinegar coleslaw recipe (without mayo) is sweet, tangy, and seasoned with caraway and celery seeds for the best vinegar coleslaw recipe.

Print SaveSaved!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword coleslaw

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Refrigerate 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 86kcal

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Crunchy Coleslaw

• 10 cups shredded coleslaw mix , (or one 16-ounce bag)
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 carrot , thinly slivered
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix with the red onion, shredded red cabbage, and carrot. In a small bowl, whisk the canola oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, caraway seeds, celery seed, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour for flavors to blend.

Nutrition

Serving: 3oz | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 990IU | Vitamin C: 26.9mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.5mg

More Salads With Crunch to Make Too

• How to Make the Best Creamy Coleslaw
• Asian Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
• How to Make the Best Broccoli Salad
• Easy Mexican Coleslaw Recipe
• Chopped Mexican Kale Salad
• Kale and Cabbage Coleslaw with Marcona Almonds
• Fresh and Easy Vietnamese Noodle Salad

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