Vinegar Coleslaw (No Mayo)

If you’re looking for a low-calorie alternative to traditional creamy coleslaw, this healthy vinegar coleslaw is a must-try.

Made without mayonnaise, it’s light, dairy-free, and full of fiber, making it the perfect feel-good side dish for any meal.

Inspired by the dressing used in our most popular salads (artichoke salad, kale salad, and carrot salad, we mix perfectly shredded veggies and crunchy walnuts for a nourishing and satisfying meal.

The result is a tangy and energizing slaw that’s as flavorful as it is good for you; perfect for picnics, barbecues, or simply as a fresh veggie boost to your weekday meals.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

• Cabbage: Use thinly sliced or shredded red cabbage, green cabbage, or a combination. Substitute with Brussels sprouts, napa cabbage, or massaged kale.

• Carrots: Any colored carrot works. We use regular orange carrots. Substitute with shredded zucchini.

• Green apple adds a pleasant fruity flavor, crunch, and tanginess to the slaw. Swap with pear, jicama or fennel.

• Walnuts pair well with apples, cabbage, and the dressing. Swap with toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, or slivered almonds or pecans.

Mustard dressing:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar: substitute red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Mustard: you can use yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, or grainy mustard.
• Maple syrup: substitute honey, agave syrup, or date syrup.
• Salt and black pepper: we recommend sea salt or kosher salt.

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Prepare the vegetables

Cut the red or green cabbage in half, then in half again to have four pieces.

Thinly slice the cabbage with a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer, or shred it with a food processor with a slicing disk attachment.

Add shredded cabbage to a large bowl.

Cut the apple into four pieces and remove the core and seeds.

Slice the apple into pieces. You can use a knife or a mandoline slicer. Add the pieces to the bowl with the cabbage.

Grate or shred the carrots, chop the walnuts and add them to the bowl.

Note: you can shred the carrots with a box grater, julienne peeler, the fine grating cone attachment of an electric salad shredder (we use that), or a food processor with a shredding disc with small holes.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and black pepper.

Optionally, add the celery seeds to the dressing.

Pour the dressing onto the veggies and mix well until combined. Taste and adjust for salt before serving.

With vegetarian BBQ recipes and grilled protein:

• BBQ tofu
• Grilled tofu
• Baked tofu
• Marinated tofu
• Black bean burger
• Lentil burger
• Chickpea fritters

• With candied walnuts: To add even more crunch and a sweet twist to this delicious no-mayo coleslaw recipe.

Questions

Make ahead: if you plan to bring this vinegar coleslaw recipe to a picnic, you can shred and mix the cabbage and carrot and store them in an airtight container.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and the dressing up to 6 hours before serving. You can make the dressing in advance and store it in a mason jar.

Refrigerator: keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The slaw will lose crunch as it sits in the refrigerator.

Freezer: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.

• Lentil salad
• Lentil tabbouleh
• Chickpea salad
• Orzo salad
• Dill potato salad
• Vegan pasta salad
• Creamy pasta salad

If you tried this vinegar coleslaw or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!