12 Crunchy Coleslaw Recipes

This collection of slaws spans from creamy and spicy to vinegar-based and more.

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Updated July 30, 2024

Vinegar coleslaw served inside a small bowl — Serious Eats / Qi Ai

Nothing says summer quite like cookouts, outdoor dining, and refreshing dishes. Whether you're bringing a side to your neighbor's get-together or looking for a side salad to serve on a weeknight, this collection of coleslaw recipes, ranging from a Tex-Mex-inspired jalapeño option to a classic recipe from Kenji, is sure to come in handy. If you're planning on smoking a pork shoulder, we have outstanding recipes for vinegar slaw and red slaw, both of which are suitable sides for barbecue in the Carolinas. Of course, they're just as welcome served alongside grilled sausages, baby back ribs, and other rich grilled foods. What better way to kick of the summer?

Classic Coleslaw
Serious Eats / Liz Clayman
Kenji's trick to making the perfect coleslaw: briefly salt and then rinse the cabbage, carrot, and red onion. The salt draws out moisture that would otherwise dilute the dressing, thus keeping the veggies crisp and the dressing thick and creamy.
Classic Coleslaw
Vinegar Coleslaw
Serious Eats / Qi Ai
This sweet and tangy vinegar coleslaw makes a great accompaniment to rich barbecue.
Vinegar Coleslaw
Super-Simple Tangy Buttermilk Coleslaw
Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt
This back-to-basics slaw uses a combination of buttermilk and mayonnaise, which gives the dressing a fresh tang and enough thickness to coat the vegetables.
Super-Simple Tangy Buttermilk Coleslaw
Coleslaw With Creamy Chile Vinaigrette
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
This unique slaw from Michael Harlan Turkell is dressed with an apple cider vinaigrette seasoned with a puréed Fresno chile and enriched with cream. The result is a spicy slaw that's light and creamy.
Coleslaw With Creamy Chile Vinaigrette
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Tangy Apple Coleslaw
Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel
Granny Smith apples add a tart, fruity twist to this classic side. In fact, this slaw has three types of tang: acetic acid from the cider vinegar, lactic acid from sour cream, and citric acid from the grated green apple... perfect for cutting through the richness of barbecued meats, but lightly sweet and creamy to boot.
Tangy Apple Coleslaw
Spicy Cabbage Slaw
Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt
This spicy cabbage slaw—somewhere between what you'd get at a Mexican taqueria and a Haitian-style pikliz—is flavored with habanero and a hint of allspice. It's essentially a quick-pickle recipe that comes together in minutes, but goes a long way to adding crunch, freshness, and heat to sandwiches, tacos, or burgers.
Spicy Cabbage Slaw
Lexington-Style Red Coleslaw
Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel
Ketchup and hot sauce combine for a tasty (and red) slaw that's perfect with pulled pork.
Lexington-Style Red Coleslaw
Mustardy Coleslaw
Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel
Yellow mustard adds flavor and balance to this coleslaw recipe, making it a perfect side or sandwich topper.
Mustardy Coleslaw
Continue to 9 of 12 below
Jalapeño Coleslaw
Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel
Lime, chile, cilantro, and cumin give this creamy coleslaw a Tex-Mex kick—a perfect accompaniment to smoked brisket or short ribs.
Jalapeño Coleslaw
Quick Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)
Serious Eats / Lauren Rothman
This vinegary slaw brings crunch and a hit of acid to a host of rich, long-cooked dishes that call out for brightness and texture.
Quick Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)
Coleslaw in Chinese-style Dressing
Serious Eats / Chichi Wang
In this recipe, a simple slaw of red cabbage, carrot, and scallions is dressed with soy sauce, sugar, chile oil, sesame oil, Chinkiang vinegar, and minced cilantro.
Coleslaw in Chinese-style Dressing
Asian Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing
Serious Eats / Jennifer Segal
Packed with unusual slaw ingredients like red bell pepper and shelled edamame, this colorful slaw is perfect for changing things up at your next cookout.
Asian Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing

12 Crunchy Coleslaw Recipes

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