Coleslaw Dressing

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Apr 16, 2024

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A homemade coleslaw dressing doesn’t get any better than this — tangy, slightly sweet, and perfectly creamy. Just whisk together six simple pantry ingredients and toss with shredded cabbage and carrots for the best coleslaw ever.

A container of coleslaw dressing. — Photo: Gayle McLeod

Why You’ll Love This Coleslaw Dressing

Given how many people love my coleslaw salad recipe, I think it’s safe to say that you can ditch the packaged coleslaw dressings such as Kraft or Marie’s. Here’s why my homemade version will taste far better:

The ingredient list is light and fresh. Some creamy coleslaw dressings are loaded with sugar and made with dairy (buttermilk), which I don’t think is necessary. Instead, this recipe uses my homemade mayonnaise as the base, with a touch of honey. It’s lower in sugar and calories, yet still deliciously creamy!
It can be tweaked to your liking. The beauty of homemade dressings is that you can swap ingredients when needed! I have a few notes below on substitutions, including a way to make a vinegar-based coleslaw.

Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients

Mayonnaise: I’m a big proponent of making your own mayonnaise rather than buying it in the store. It tastes fresher and is super easy to make with a stick blender.
Sweetener: I always default to honey, but maple syrup is another great alternative. Plus, either option is better than the processed white sugar, which is what you’ll find in most traditional coleslaw recipes.
Apple Cider Vinegar: A little vinegar will give your dressing that fresh and tangy flavor.
Celery Seeds: These little seeds add an earthy, aromatic flavor to the dressing. Trust me, it’s an ingredient you won’t want to skip.

Ingredient Substitutions

If you don’t have celery seeds: You could dry dill seeds or celery salt as an alternative.
Use a different sugar: Honey is my go-to, but you could also use maple syrup or stevia for a keto option.
Tweak the mayonnaise: Some readers have said they’ve used partial yogurt with the mayonnaise and it worked out great. If you’re not dairy-free, go for it!
Make this an apple cider vinegar-based dressing. You can follow my vinegar coleslaw recipe that swaps mayo for vinegar, with a touch of olive oil and Dijon mustard.

How To Make Coleslaw Dressing

Whisk everything together: Combine the mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and celery seeds in a small bowl and whisk together. For a sweeter dressing, add another tablespoon of honey.
To store for the week: You can store this in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Enjoy this tossed with a classic cabbage slaw that tastes amazing on its own, especially with pulled pork. But take a peek at the next section for other ways to use it!

Ways To Use Coleslaw Dressing

Use it as a salad dressing. Similar to a Caesar dressing, this coleslaw dressing can also be used to toss with salads for a creamy, tangy touch.
Turn this into a dip. This is a great dip for french fries, sweet potato fries, or baked zucchini fries.
Spread in sandwiches. For a more flavorful mayo-based spread, this coleslaw dressing is perfect!

More Dressing Recipes

Greek Salad Dressing: The best way to make a Greek salad!
Avocado Dressing: This is a delicious dressing for hearty salads like my grilled chicken salad.
Lemon Tahini Dressing: My favorite to drizzle on roasted vegetables.
Maple Mustard Tahini Dressing: Another fan favorite for t ahini lovers.

I can’t wait for you to try this coleslaw dressing recipe! If you make it, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.

A container with coleslaw dressing and a spoon.

Coleslaw Dressing (So Easy!)

4.94 from 46 votes

Prep: 5

Total: 5

Servings: 12 servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

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Description

An easy homemade coleslaw dressing doesn’t get any better than this — tangy, slightly sweet, and perfectly creamy. Watch the video below to whip up the right creamy texture!

Video

Equipment

OXO Whisk My favorite whisk I've had forever!

Ingredients

Dressing

▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
▢ 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, (or more if desired)
▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
▢ 1 teaspoon celery seeds
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Mix the dressing. Combine mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and celery seeds in a small bowl and whisk together. If you want the dressing to be sweeter, add another tablespoon of honey.
Serve or store away. You can toss some of the dressing and store the rest away in the fridge for later use.

Lisa’s Tips

To store for the week: You can store this coleslaw dressing for up to a week in a storage container in the fridge.

Nutrition

Course: dressing

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Best Coleslaw Dressing, Coleslaw Dressing, Coleslaw Dressing Recipe, Creamy Coleslaw Dressing Recipe

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Originally posted May 2019, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit.

About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.