How to Make Vegan Cole Slaw

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: March 20, 2020

If you're going to a picnic or potluck, you might want to bring a classic dish like cole slaw. Instead of using a cole slaw that uses a lot of mayonnaise or sour cream, make vegan versions that rely on flavorful ingredients like vinegar, tahini, peppers, or mustard. You can easily toss together a creamy vegan cole slaw that uses cashews for richness, a tangy vegan cole slaw that uses vinegar and agave, or a spicy tahini cole slaw that's made with tahini and spicy peppers. You could also make a traditional cole slaw vegan by using vegan mayonnaise and vegan sour cream. No one will ever be able to taste the difference!

Ingredients

Traditional Vegan Cole Slaw

Makes 3 to 4 servings

For the mix:

1 small green cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 of a small red cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons of vegan sour cream
2/3 cup (154 g) of vegan mayonnaise
1 to 2 tablespoons of white vinegar (to taste)
1 tablespoon of grated onion
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons of dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon of celery seed (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Creamy Vegan Cole Slaw

Makes 10 servings

For the mix:

6 cups (600 g) of green or red cabbage, diced
2 cups (100 g) of carrots, grated
2 cups (235 g) of granny smith apples, grated
½ cup (60 g) of chopped walnuts
¼ cup (35 g) of sunflower seeds

For the dressing:

½ cup (75 g) of cashews, soaked overnight
¾ cup (180 ml) of white vinegar
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
½ cup (120 ml) of water
2 tablespoons of agave nectar
Salt and pepper to taste

Tangy Vegan Cole Slaw

Makes 2 to 4 servings For the mix:

1 head of green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cups (75 g) of carrots, julienned
4 scallions (green onions), sliced
1/2 of a red onion, sliced thinly

For the dressing:

¼ cup (60 ml) of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of sugar or agave nectar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Spicy Tahini Vegan Cole Slaw

Makes 2 to 4 servings

For the mix:

1 head of green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cups (75 g) of carrots, julienned
4 scallions (green onions), sliced
12 pepperoncini or banana peppers, julienned or diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sesame seeds, to serve

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons of tahini
3 tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of pure cane syrup or pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or the juice of 1/2 lemon
1 pinch of freshly cracked pepper

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:
Making Traditional Vegan Cole Slaw

1
Stir together the cole slaw mix. Get out a large serving bowl. Wash and finely shred 1 small green cabbage and half of 1 small red cabbage. Place these in the bowl. Wash and peel 2 large carrots. Finely shred the carrots and add them to the serving bowl. Mix the vegetables together until they're combined.^{[1]
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- You can use a box grater to shred the vegetables or a grater attachment on a mandolin.
- You can also use purchased cole slaw mix in a bag, if you prefer.
2
Whisk together the dressing. Measure out and place the dressing ingredients into a small mixing bowl. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients so that the spices are incorporated. You'll need:^{[2]
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- 2 tablespoons of vegan sour cream
- 2/3 cup (154 g) of vegan mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of white vinegar (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon of grated onion
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
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3
Combine and chill the traditional vegan cole slaw. Pour the dressing into the serving bowl with the cole slaw mix. Use salad tongs or a couple of large forks to toss the cole slaw until it's completely coated in the dressing. Let the cole slaw sit for 30 minutes before you serve it. This gives the flavors a chance to develop.^{[3]
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- Taste the cole slaw and add more salt and pepper as needed.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:
Making Creamy Vegan Cole Slaw

1
Toss together the cole slaw mix. Wash and dice 6 cups (600 g) of green or red cabbage and place it into a large mixing bowl. You'll also need to wash carrots and granny smith apples. Grate the carrots so you get 2 cups (100 g) and grate the apples so you end up with 2 cups (235 g). Add these to the bowl and mix all of the ingredients together along with:^{[4]
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- ½ cup (60 g) of chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup (35 g) of sunflower seeds
2
Blend the dressing. Measure out the creamy vegan dressing ingredients and put them in a high-speed blender. Put the lid on the blender and blitz the dressing ingredients for 3 to 5 minutes. The dressing should be smooth and thick. You'll need to blend together:^{[5]
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- ½ cup (75 g) of cashews, soaked overnight
- ¾ cup (180 ml) of white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup (120 ml) of water
- 2 tablespoons of agave nectar
- Salt and pepper to taste
3
Combine the coleslaw. Pour the creamy dressing over the cole slaw mix and toss them together with salad forks or tongs. You can serve the coleslaw immediately or you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Ensure that you transfer it to an airtight container if you want to store it for several days.^{[6]
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- Keep in mind that the cole slaw might lose its crunch after a few days.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:
Making Tangy Vegan Cole Slaw

1
Stir together the cole slaw mix. Wash your produce and shred 1 head of green cabbage. Transfer the shredded cabbage into a large serving bowl along with 1 1/2 cups (75 g) of julienned carrots, 4 scallions (green onions) that have been sliced and 1/2 of a thinly sliced red onion. Toss the cole slaw mix until the vegetables are combined.^{[7]
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- To julienne the carrots, use a knife to slice the carrots into very thin strips. You could also use a julienne attachment on a mandolin.
2
Whisk together the tangy dressing. Measure out and pour ¼ cup (60 ml) of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of sugar or agave nectar in a small mixing bowl. Use a small whisk or fork to combine the tangy dressing ingredients.^{[8]
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- Taste the dressing and add salt and pepper according to your taste.
3
Mix the tangy vegan cole slaw. Immediately pour the tangy dressing over the cole slaw mix and use salad forks or tongs to combine the coleslaw. If you wait to pour the dressing over the mix, the oil may separate. You can serve the tangy cole slaw right away or let the flavors develop for at least 30 minutes before you serve it.^{[9]
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- This tangy vegan cole slaw is a great choice for picnics or outdoor events where you won't have access to a refrigerator.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:
Making Spicy Tahini Vegan Cole Slaw

1
Combine the spicy tahini dressing. Measure all of the dressing ingredients out and put them into a small mixing bowl. Use a whisk or fork to quickly mix the ingredients. Let the dressing sit for five minutes and then taste it. You can adjust the flavors best once they've had a little time to develop. You'll need to combine:^{[10]
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- 3 tablespoons of tahini
- 3 tablespoons of water
- 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons of pure cane syrup or pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or the juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 pinch of freshly cracked pepper
2
Toss together the cole slaw mix. Get out a large serving bowl. Wash and shred 1 head of green cabbage. Transfer this to the bowl and add 1 1/2 cups (75 g) of [Julienne|[julienned]] carrots, 4 scallions (green onions) that you've sliced, and 12 pepperoncini (or banana peppers) that you've diced or julienned. Stir the cole slaw mix together.^{[11]
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- You don't have to use all of the peppers, if you prefer a milder cole slaw.
3
Combine the spicy tahini cole slaw. Pour the spicy tahini dressing over the cole slaw mix and stir it together well. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the cole slaw and stir it again. If you want a tangier cole slaw, just drizzle a little extra vinegar on it. Sprinkle the cole slaw with sesame seeds before you serve it.^{[12]
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- You can serve the cole slaw immediately or chill it. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, if you'd like to make it ahead.
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