This Southern coleslaw recipe is bright, colorful, and packed with flavor. It has a tart, sweet, and tangy dressing that pairs well with the crunchy, fresh vegetables that make up this quick and easy side dish.
You only need a few ingredients to make this Southern-style coleslaw, which is a perfect addition to shrimp tacos and fried chicken sandwiches. It’s a must-have dish for summer barbecues because you can prep it ahead of time.
My family asks me to make this Southern slaw every time we have a cookout, so you know it has to be good!
After trying this easy coleslaw recipe, you will never buy store-bought again. Best of all, there is no need to since it comes together so quickly.
How to make this Southern coleslaw recipe
This easy summer coleslaw recipe uses fresh and seasonal vegetables from the garden. You’ll need 5 ingredients to make the base of this slaw salad.
- Red cabbage, finely chopped
- Green cabbage, finely chopped
- Shredded carrot sticks
- Fresh parsley, diced
- Vidalia onion, chopped
You can either finely chop the vegetables listed above, or run them through a food processor. The method you choose is up to you!
I prefer a coarse slaw with a nice bite to it, so I chopped my vegetables by hand. Using the food processor is quicker, but might lead to mushier vegetables, if over-processed.
Making this Southern coleslaw dressing
Coleslaw dressings are traditionally either either vinegar or mayonnaise-based. This Southern style coleslaw dressing has both!
Gather these ingredients:
- Good-quality mayonnaise (I used Duke’s Light Mayo)
- Sour cream
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Fresh parsley to garnish (Make sure to use fresh instead of dried parsley; using fresh herbs gives the dish more flavor.)
The creamy vinegar dressing is easy to make. Put all the ingredients into a bowl, give it a good whisk, and then pour over the chopped vegetables.
I like to make the Southern slaw dressing ahead of time and then add it to the vegetables when it is time to serve the salad. If you add it too early, your veggies will become soggy, and you’ll lose that wonderful, crisp texture.
This old-fashioned Southern coleslaw recipe is so tasty and easy to make! What could be better?
Calories in homemade coleslaw
Since this recipe is mayonnaise-based, most of the calories come from the dressing. The vegetables themselves have very few calories.
I used a light mayonnaise for my dressing to lighten up the dish. This easy Southern coleslaw recipe makes about 10 cups of slaw with 80 calories in each cup. Not bad at all for a mayo-based salad dressing!
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Southern Style Coleslaw Recipe

This Southern style coleslaw is sure to be the hit of your next summer bbq.
It's full of fresh vegetables and home grown parsley with a dressing you'll want to eat by the spoonful.
Everyone will be asking you for the recipe! They won't be able to believe how quick and easy it is to make.
You can even prep this Southern style coleslaw recipe ahead of time. Just wait until you're ready to serve, to add the dressing.
Ingredients
- 1/2 small head red cabbage, finely chopped
- 1/2 small head green cabbage, finely chopped
- 3 cups of shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, diced
- 1/2 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
Dressing
- 3/4 cup Duke's Light Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Cut each cabbage half into two pieces and remove the core.
- Finely chop the cabbage.
- Place the cabbage in a large bowl.
- Add the shredded carrot, chopped Vidalia onion, and diced fresh parsley.
- Toss the vegetable mixture to combine well.
- To make the dressing, put the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sour cream, sea salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Keep the dressing in the fridge, in a separate container, until it is time to serve the Southern style coleslaw.
- When it is time to serve, pour the dressing over the chopped vegetables and mix well.
Notes
The Southern coleslaw mixture can be kept for about 3-5 days in an air-tight container in the fridge. Dress it right before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 370mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.