Purple Cabbage Slaw
This post may contain affiliate links.
This purple cabbage slaw is the perfect quick and delicious no cook side dish. In just 20 minutes, you can have a healthy summer salad for your next backyard BBQ or dinner.
This purple slaw is one of the classic dishes that makes me remember summers growing up. No matter what the meal, we’d have cabbage slaw on the side.
I still remember scooping a big portion onto my plate, and then eyeing the remaining salad, to see if there would any left to go back for later! Recipes that are nostalgic and memorable are the ones worth making over and over again.
Why This Recipe is a Family Favorite
If you love making recipes in 30 minutes or less, this cabbage and carrot salad needs to be added to your meal planning radar. It’s easy to make on the spot, but it’s also a super-simple make-ahead recipe. The extra time in the fridge helps the flavors really pop.
For anyone who doesn’t care for salad, the slaw is a great way to ensure that everyone gets a hearty serving of veggies.
There’s no cooking involved in this recipe, so all you need are the ingredients, a mandolin, and box grater, or a sharp knife.
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Fresh sides like this one are always a go-to because they’re so easy to make and have the most amazing flavor. But to ensure this one turns out perfect, check out these simple tips:
- Thinly slice or grate the vegetables and make sure to finely dice the jalapeños too! You’ll want to have some of each veggie in every single bite!
- Prepare the slaw ahead of time and then refrigerate for the best flavor. I like to make it the day before I plan to serve it so that all the flavors mesh well.
- Pre-shredded cabbage and matchstick carrots will be the biggest time-savers for this recipe. If you’d like to whip this up with almost no prep work, then look for purple cabbage coleslaw mix at the grocery store.
If you want another easy side salad option, my recipe for Broccoli Bacon Salad is a favorite!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Purple cabbage is the main ingredient needed to make this slaw from scratch. Of course, if you can’t find any that’s fresh, you can substitute green cabbage for purple.
This recipe does call for jalapenos, but if you’re not a fan of spice, you can omit them! You can also use a white onion or yellow onion if you don’t enjoy the strong flavor of red onion.
White wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar are both great substitutes for the apple cider vinegar if needed.
Variations
Feel free to add some extras into the cabbage slaw. Diced fresh apples, sunflower seeds, pickled pineapple, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds are always tasty.
You can also add green onions, a splash of lemon juice, or even fresh herbs. Have fun and change it up to your personal preference!
If you don’t want a mayo-based slaw, try my recipe for Spicy Pineapple and Purple Cabbage Slaw. It has a tangy and delicious vinegar-based dressing.
How to Make Purple Cabbage Slaw
This is a summary of the steps. For the full instructions, see the recipe card! ⬇️
Jump to Recipe
1. Start by prepping the vegetables. You’ll want to thinly slice the cabbage, grate the carrots, and then mince the garlic, onion, jalapeños, and cilantro.
2. Now, add all those veggies and the dressing ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Quick Tip
You can add the homemade dressing ingredients straight into the same bowl if you want, or you can mix it separately and then toss it with the shredded cabbage and other veggies.
3. Toss the salad until everything has a nice coating of dressing. Go ahead and taste the slaw, then add more seasoning if you think it's needed.
4. Cover the bowl and set it in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Then, just give it a quick toss before you serve!
The purple cabbage coleslaw can be eaten immediately, but it tastes the best after it chills for a bit first. The flavors meld together and get better over time!
Serving Suggestions
Cabbage and carrot slaw is great on sandwiches and in wraps, and it's a yummy side with backyard bbq food. I like to serve it with pulled pork, Instant Pot ribs, spicy chicken wings, and burgers. It adds a fantastic crunch to fish tacos, too.
It’s also incredible piled on top of pulled chicken sandwiches — the creamy, tangy slaw is the perfect contrast to smoky BBQ chicken, and it comes together in the Instant Pot in about 30 minutes.
Cabbage Coleslaw Recipe FAQs
Properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, your purple cabbage coleslaw should stay fresh for up to 5 days. If you use homemade mayonnaise in the slaw, don't keep it for longer than 4 days.
Freezing coleslaw isn't recommended. Because mayo separates as it thaws, the consistency and flavor of the dish will be significantly diminished.
After you make it, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it went!
Purple Cabbage Slaw
Equipment
- Mandolin or Sharp Knife
Video
Ingredients
- ½ medium purple cabbage
- 3 medium carrots
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¾ cup mayo or more, to taste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Use a mandolin or sharp knife to thinly slice the ½ medium purple cabbage. Use a box grater to shred the 3 medium carrots. Mince the ¼ red onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeño, and 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro.
- Add all ingredients with 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ¾ cup mayo, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to a large bowl. Toss to combine and mix the slaw well. Season to taste with ½ teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Keep the cabbage slaw covered and refrigerated until you're ready to eat! For best results, let it sit for at least 2 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
2026 Update: This recipe is still a favorite of ours! It's been updated to simplify the cooking instructions and include extra cooking tips. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Absolutely perfect! My whole family loves this slaw.
This recipe is a keeper.
I made portions for 2, and went light on the dressing, adding a bit of olive oil, and garnished with parsley.
It was crunchy, tangy and delicious alongside grilled Cornish hens and sweet potato fries. THANK YOU!!
This recipe is part of my menu rotation. We don’t substitute anything it is delicious the way it is.
Hi Jalese, Thank you so much for the lovely feedback! I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe!! 🙂 -Laura
This is delicious! Thank you for this simple, colorful, yummy recipe. I substituted the mayo with plain Greek yogurt (I don’t have any mayo fans in my house) and it worked perfectly and was so tasty!
Hi Jil! I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed it! I love the substitution you made – we love Greek yogurt in our house, too! Thank you for the lovely review!: ) -Laura
Tried it and loved it. I substituted regular mayo with Sriracha mayo and apple cider vinegar with spoon of pickle juice from pickled jalapeños. Yummy
Hi Sue! I’m so glad you enjoyed the slaw, and I love the adjustments you made. Thanks for the kind words. -Laura
It was the best coleslaw I had ever eaten I will never try another recipe I never rate recipes but I had too with this one
Hi Chris! Thank you so much for this lovely review. I’m thrilled you enjoyed it so much!! 🙂 -Laura
I love your ingredients for the Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
One question, could I substitute the may for greek yogurt?
Thank You
Eileen
Hi Eileen, Thank you for this question! I haven’t tried substituting greek yogurt in this recipe before, but I think it would work nicely! It will change the flavor of the dish a bit. If you try it, I’d love to hear about your experience! -Laura