Food and Recipes Entertaining Ideas & Tips 21 Coleslaw Recipes That Pair With Any Meal By Southern Living Editors Updated on May 9, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Tart, sweet, creamy, crunchy—there's so much to love when it comes to slaw. You can never go wrong with simple and traditional coleslaw recipes like Mrs. R's Coleslaw, but that's far from the end of slaw's potential. With coleslaw recipes that use a host of fresh, diced veggies, like Tangy Rainbow Slaw with cabbage of all colors and Creamy Broccoli Slaw, plus fruit-filled sides like Apple-Cranberry Coleslaw and Spicy Pineapple Slaw, there's a recipe in here for any type of coleslaw you could be craving. Whether you're preparing a coleslaw recipe to go with your next cookout main course, looking for a crunchy addition for a sandwich, or serving up some delicious seafood, we've covered all the variations imaginable. Most of these coleslaw recipes are quick and easy to make with just a few ingredients. While some of the real showstoppers, like our Permanent Slaw, do take a moment to prepare, we promise the wait is worth it. So go ahead, dig into these delicious, crunchy, and fresh coleslaw recipes. 01 of 21 Spicy Pineapple Slaw Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Kellie Kelley; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke The fresh pineapple, jalapeños, and Fresno chiles give this slaw a sweet and spicy flavor. Pile this flavorful slaw on tacos or scoop it up with a tortilla chip as a snack if you don't want to wait for mealtime. 02 of 21 Creamy Broccoli Slaw Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee The secret ingredient to this slaw mix is the lemon juice which keeps everything vibrant and fresh. Add grilled chicken to this recipe to turn it into a filling main meal. 03 of 21 Apple-Cranberry Coleslaw Southern Living We love the seasonal flavors in this slaw recipe. It's an ideal side for a tailgate, but we also wouldn't blame you if you whipped it up to pair with your favorite sandwich. We used bottled dressing to make the process even faster, but you can also make your own. 04 of 21 Brussels Sprout Slaw With Apples And Pecans Greg DuPree This slaw has everything: salty taste from parmesan cheese and pecans, sweet bitterness from apples, and a delicious crunch from finely chopped Brussels sprouts. Yep, coleslaw dreams do come true. 05 of 21 Quick Pickled Slaw Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Say hello to your new favorite healthy slaw recipe with just the right amount of crunch. Fresh veggies meet a mildly acidic dressing in this 15-minute slaw recipe. 06 of 21 Freezer Coleslaw Hector Manuel Sanchez This coleslaw recipe is definitely not the fastest to prepare, but we promise it's worth the wait—especially when enjoyed as a companion to pulled pork or hot dogs. The veggies stay crunchy longer and the dressing on it is simple but oh-so-delicious. 07 of 21 Permanent Slaw Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan Permanent Slaw gets its name from the time it takes for the apple cider vinegar dressing to soak into the fresh, thinly sliced vegetables. The longer it sits, the better it gets. 08 of 21 Spicy Pepper Jelly Coleslaw Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall You could say we kicked things up a notch with the heat in this coleslaw. Spicy pepper jelly and cayenne pepper are cut by the lime juice for a unique slaw that has everyone asking for seconds. 09 of 21 Creamy Spring Vegetable Slaw Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Torie Cox This slaw is perfect for warm summer cookouts. Rather than typical cabbage-based slaws, this slaw surprises with a base of radishes, cucumbers, carrots, and sliced sugar snap peas. The colorful veggies mix with a unique sour cream-and-dill dressing for a refreshing and healthy summer slaw. 10 of 21 Pickled Watermelon Rind Slaw Southern Living You only need a few ingredients to whip up Pickled Watermelon Rind Slaw. We think it pairs perfectly with anything fried or a salty-sweet meal, but it's also so good that it could be eaten as a snack on its own. 11 of 21 Pineapple-Pepper Slaw Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Fresh pineapple is a great ingredient to incorporate in staple recipes. We love the mixture of sweet pineapple paired with the acidity from the lime juice and the spice of the jalapeño chile in this recipe. 12 of 21 Carrot-And-Cabbage Slaw With Sunflower Seeds Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis You really can eat the rainbow with this slaw recipe. With colorful ingredients that are available year-round like purple cabbage, orange carrots, and green cilantro, you'll want to make this carrot-and-cabbage slaw over and over. 13 of 21 Chick-Fil-A Coleslaw Courtesy chick-fil-a.com Oh, how we miss coleslaw from Chick-fil-a. Luckily, we've cracked the code for a delicious replica. Make sure to chop up your veggies finely for this recipe to really recreate that Chick-fil-a charm. 14 of 21 Kimchi-Sesame Slaw Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen Bring the flavors of Korean Barbecue to your backyard barbecue. Kimchi, ginger, and toasted sesame oil guarantee that this is a coleslaw unlike any you've tasted before, but mayo dressing boosts familiar creaminess. 15 of 21 Mrs. R's Coleslaw Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke If you're on the hunt for a classic coleslaw recipe like the ones you see at seafood joints across the South, Mrs. R's recipe is the one you want. This recipe with bell pepper, onion, celery, and green cabbage, has been a summer cookout headliner since 1972. 16 of 21 South Carolina Slaw Will Dickey Every Carolinian knows that hometown slaw is dressed with vinegar, not mayo. This recipe uses apple cider vinegar and two types of mustard, swapping creaminess for a tangy and sweet coleslaw that goes great with Carolina-style barbecue. 17 of 21 Tangy Rainbow Slaw Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely When it comes to slaw, we're crazy about cabbage and all its colorful, crunchy (not to mention nutritious) potential. Sesame oil, rice vinegar, and roasted peanuts dress this colorful slaw for a side that just might steal the show. 18 of 21 Buttermilk Coleslaw Will Dickey A lot of coleslaws get their tang from vinegar, and while this recipe includes some, it has added zing from cultured buttermilk too. 19 of 21 Classic Coleslaw Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox With a traditional mayonnaise base (Duke's, of course), pieces of cabbage, carrot, and Vidalia onion, and a touch of sugar (plus a good bit of cider vinegar to balance it out), this slaw recipe is as classic as they come. 20 of 21 Sweet Potato-And-Cabbage Slaw Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely If you're bored with your go-to slaw recipe, try this fun twist on the side dish instead. Refreshingly acidic at first thanks to the dressing, this slaw finishes with the nutty richness of the pepitas and a bit of sweetness from the grated sweet potatoes. 21 of 21 Coleslaw Dressing Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Surprise friends at the potluck with this creamy dressing that you can whip together in 5 minutes. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit