Dairy Free Coleslaw with Mayo Dressing (no sugar!)

This dairy free coleslaw is made with fresh and crunchy cabbage, carrots, herbs, and a creamy, tangy mayo based dressing. All the flavors you love in a traditional coleslaw recipe without any sugar or dairy, and ready in just 20 minutes. It’s the best classic side dish for your next BBQ, potluck, or family dinner! And no sugar in the dressing means this recipe is Whole30 compatible and lower in carbs for a keto friendly option.

The best dairy free coleslaw

What makes the best coleslaw?

As a midwest native (where we take our coleslaw recipes VERY seriously), this is what it is to me:

A tangle of thinly shaved cabbage (red or green!), thinly sliced red onion, fresh herbs, and a tangy mayo based dressing that is so good it will make you SING.

It is simple, easy to throw together, and absolutely packed with fresh flavors.

In our book it’s the side dish that should be at every BBQ and picnic!

Recipe testing notes

Should you buy pre-cut cabbage and carrots or cut it yourself?

When you cut your veggies at home (in this case cabbage and carrots) they will undoubtedly have better texture and more flavor.

If you have a large cutting board, a sharp knife, and know how to approach prepping your cabbage it’s really not that difficult to do!

Here are my tips:

• Cut the cabbage into manageable pieces. Before you begin you’ll want to cut your head of cabbage into smaller pieces, or wedges. Start by cutting it in half through the core, then carefully use a knife to cut out the tough stem / core in a triangle shape. Next cut through each half one more time to create four wedges before laying flat on the cutting board to thinly slice.
• Use a sharp knife. If cutting your cabbage by hand the best knife for the job is a large, sharp chefs knife.
• Put your food processor to work! If you have a slicing blade for your food processor it can make super fast work of shredding a bunch of cabbage! Cut and core the cabbage as described above and then cut the wedges into pieces small enough to fit through the feeding tube.

For the carrots, they can either be julienned or grated using a box grater or your food processor grating blade.

All that said, if you’re short on time or just don’t have the patience to prep the veggies yourself you can buy it pre-cut or even buy a coleslaw mix to make this recipe using the dressing outlined in the recipe card below.

Prepackaged coleslaw mix is typically made of shredded cabbage and carrots, though Trader Joe’s has some other fun takes on slaw mixes that would be yummy as well.

Just be sure to grab the right amount so that the ratios match the measurements in the recipe.

Why you should use coconut aminos in the dressing

Because this recipe is made without any added sugar, the coconut aminos add a little bit of sweetness to the dressing.

Even though they are often used instead of soy sauce, their umami rich and slightly sweet flavor profile perfectly compliment the other flavors in the dressing.

They could be left out if you don’t have any on hand (or don’t want to purchase a bottle just for this recipe), but without them the dressing will be slightly more vinegar forward.

If you’re not concerned about omitting sugar in the recipe you can substitute them with 1 tablespoon of your sweetener of choice.

Why you’ll love this coleslaw recipe

It is:

• Bright and fresh
• Creamy
• Perfectly tangy
• Made without sugar
• Tossed in the best homemade coleslaw dressing
• The ideal summer slaw
• Perfect for a crowd
• Easy to make
• Versatile and customizable
• Fresh and light
• SO delicious!

Ingredients and substitutions

One of the things that I love the most about slaws in general is how dang versatile they are.

You can thinly slice and chop just about any fresh ingredient and throw it in a big ol’ bowl with a perfectly creamy dressing and you’ve got a delightful slaw to serve alongside lunch or dinner.

Today we’re chatting about how to make a traditional coleslaw from scratch with classic ingredients, dairy free style.

There are a few substitutions you might want to make in the recipe that I’ll share below.

Here’s what you need

• Cabbage – Both red and green cabbage work beautifully for this slaw. I like to use an equal mix of both! You can even use savoy or napa cabbage instead.
• Carrots – Optional (you can totally make it without!), but shredded carrots really give that classic coleslaw vibe. And they add extra flavor!
• Red onions – I love thinly sliced red onions in my coleslaw, but they can easily be left out if someone you’re serving isn’t a fan. You can also substitute with a small amount of chopped shallot or thinly sliced green onions (scallions).
• Parsley – Fresh parsley isn’t really a traditional ingredient, but I love the pop of color and flavor that it adds. Feel free to leave it out or substitute with another tender herb like cilantro, basil, or dill if you like.
• Coleslaw dressing ingredients – The dairy free coleslaw dressing is made with mayonnaise, coconut aminos (for a bit of sweetness), apple cider vinegar (for that irresistible tang), garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Recipe variations

If you do want to switch out some of the ingredients in this coleslaw salad or add a few extra things there’s so many different directions you could go!

Here’s some ideas:

• Thinly sliced apple
• Shaved fennel
• Collard greens or kale
• Shredded beets (keep in mind they will bleed and tint your slaw purple!)
• Any variety of fresh herbs
• Toasted seeds or nuts
• Corn
• Sugar snap peas
• Chopped jalapeño

How to make this coleslaw vegan

To make a vegan version of this coleslaw you’ll need to swap out the mayonnaise for a plant based mayo alternative.

How to make dairy free coleslaw

Here’s the step-by-step

• Make the coleslaw dressing. Add mayo, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, kosher salt, and black pepper to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add the slaw ingredients. Add cabbage, carrots, red onion, and parsley and toss together using kitchen tongs until veggies are thoroughly coated in the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Chill and serve. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Toss it together again and enjoy!

Can you make coleslaw in advance?

Yep! It can totally be prepped ahead of time.

If you’re serving it just a bit later in the day you can prepare it as the recipe is written and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Just give is a good toss to make sure everything is evenly coated with the dressing before setting it out.

If you want to prep it a day or so in advance I would recommend making the dressing and prepping the fresh ingredients but storing them separately in the refrigerator until 30-60 minutes before serving.

What to serve with coleslaw

This easy and wholesome coleslaw recipe is the perfect side dish to so many types of meals!

Obviously it’s a delicious addition to any BBQ spread, but it can also be served with tacos, salads, sandwiches, or bowls of any kind.

We especially love it with these oven roasted BBQ chicken thighs!

Love this coleslaw recipe? Try these other BBQ friendly recipes!

• Spicy Watermelon Salad with Cilantro and Lime
• No-Mayo Gluten Free Italian Pasta Salad
• Watermelon Arugula Salad with Mint
• Garlic Marinated Grilled Shrimp Skewers
• BBQ Chicken Thighs in the Oven
• Quinoa and Fresh Beet Salad
• Kale Apple Pomegranate Salad
• Quinoa and Fresh Beet Salad
• Dairy Free Dill Pickle Dip
• Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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