There are countless variations of this popular side dish; my recipe is inspired by my mom’s, which includes apples and raisins. I use a cashew-based dressing instead of oily vegan mayo, but you can easily forego the cashews for a lighter dressing.
Creamy Coleslaw
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 (makes about 8 cups salad, 1 cup dressing)
Ingredients
- For the salad:
- 3 cups chopped green cabbage
- 1¾ cups grated carrots (1 to 2 medium)
- 1½ cups diced apple (1 to 2 medium), peeled or unpeeled
- 1 cup chopped red cabbage
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- For the dressing:
- ½ cup water
- 2 ounces raw, unsalted cashews (about ½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons mustard (I like Dijon or stone ground)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (I like apple cider)
- 1 medium clove garlic, sliced
Instructions
- Place all of the dressing ingredients (water, cashews, mustard, vinegar, and garlic) into a blender, and set aside for at least 15 minutes (so the cashews can soften).
- Place all of the salad ingredients (green cabbage, carrots, apple, red cabbage, raisins, and onion) into a large bowl.
- Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
Notes
For a little variation, add ¼ cup of thinly sliced radish, celery, or fresh fennel, or ½ cup of chopped bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, or pineapple.
For a lower-fat dressing, substitute ¾ to 1 cup of cooked white beans for the cashews.
For a lower-fat dressing, substitute ¾ to 1 cup of cooked white beans for the cashews.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ⅙ recipe, 1.3 cups Calories: 141 Fat: 4.6g Saturated fat: 0.8g Carbohydrates: 24.7g Sugar: 14.9g Sodium: 95mg Fiber: 4.1g Protein: 3.6g Cholesterol: 0
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please share a comment below or on my Facebook page. If you’d like to print this recipe, use the green “Print” button near the top-right of the recipe. Learn more about the Straight Up Food Cookbook here. Thank you!
Just made this and it is FANTASTIC! I think my fiancee may eat the whole batch before we make it to dinner time and he’s not even vegan…and he doesn’t like traditional cole slaw. Added celery seed and squeezed some lemon juice into the dressing as suggested in the notes. Also used currents instead of raisins, which I do quite often anyway. Super, super GOOD STUFF! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Hi James, Yay! Thank you for the feedback. You’re my first comment, and I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! 😉 Cathy
Love that you offered a suggestion with the cashews! I don’t use many nuts in my cooking. So having the option already spelled out was super helpful. 🙂 I made a batch this afternoon to have tonight. Cheers!!
Hi Heidi! Did you use White beans instead of cashews?? How it was??
This looks fantastic. I have all the ingredients – gonna make it tomorrow! Thanks!
This is amazing. I’ve been salivating since I first read it, but tonite it was my main dinner…let’s see 3 bowls? That dressing is to die for, as the saying goes. Great job, Cathy, and thanks so much for sharing. It’s my next potluck meal.
Woo hoo! Thanks Joanie! 😉
This is really delicious, and a great food bargain!
I bought all of the ingredients on my way home from work (except for the cashews, which I already had), and spent less than $5.00. For that I ended up with a large amount of really great tasting, healthy food. This is so amazing and good! Thank you for this recipe.
Great to hear, thanks Lynn! 😉
I am at a party and they served this and I ate 4 bowls. Is that too much?
Ha! 🙂 No way! xo
Absolutely delicious, Cathy!! Thank you!
Cathy, this is fabulous! I made this for a plant-strong potluck that I am going to tonight. I couldn’t stop taste testing! I hope I have leftovers to bring home. If not, I will have to make again tomorrow!
Thanks for the comment Kathy! 🙂 Yay!
It is delicious! Question: About how many calories in a cup? I’m entering my daily meals on MyFitnessPal.
Hi Frances, I don’t calculate calories with the recipes, but you can at Cron-o-meter by entering the recipe ingredients/amounts. http://cronometer.com/ 🙂
Your cashew dressing is just FANTASTIC!!! However I want to share a tip for people who are rushed and forgetful like me..I don’t put all the ingredients in the blender with the cashews..I make the cashews soften in just enough water to cover them..then I start the blender and only once they are creamy do I add the rest of the ingredients..I did this the first time ‘cos I was late for dinner and had forgotten to set the cashews aside..and it worked!!
Great tip, thanks! 😉
Love the dressing. I’m a big slaw fan and the cashew dressing sounds amazing!
I’ve made this recipe three times now. Love it!
Bless you!! We did the 10 day McDougall program in June and have missed our old favorite cole slaw recipe that Himself would make 2x a week- with Miracle Whip of course… Yea Team!!! Cathy to the rescue… I can’t wait to make this up with celery seed and from the reviews I know it will be pure bliss!!!
Hi Hope, thanks for the comment! 🙂 Yes, that one is very popular. Let me know how you and your husband like it.
I am taking the Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from Cornell and while I have been plant based for some time, cooking without oil is fairly new to me. So I was glad when I stumbled onto your site with recipes that don’t use WHEAT or other concentrated sugars like a lot of the WFPB recipe books do! I’m just curious, do you avoid wheat because of intolerance to it or for other health reasons (effects of gluten, gliadin protein)? Looking forward to trying out the recipes.
Hi Debbie, thanks for your comment. I avoid wheat because I work at TrueNorth Health Center (this is where I mostly teach my classes) and so wanted to keep my recipes along their guidelines, including no wheat. They don’t use it because so many people are sensitive to it. I don’t seem to have a sensitivity to it, but I don’t miss it at all in my recipes or in my diet. Cathy 🙂
I love good coleslaw and this is the best I ever had! Thank you!
Oh thank you so much for this one! I made it yesterday and it was so delightful, everyone gobbled it up like dessert. It was such a hit I’m making it for an Easter potluck at work in a couple of weeks.. Creamy coleslaw for everyone!
I made it this past weekend, and my husband and I couldn’t get enough. As noted, it was even better the next day. We will be having this on a weekly basis. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I use the bottom half of baby bok choy to make coleslaw. It gives it a nice sweetness.
Cathy – I have a son with nut allergies. Have you ever tried this with a seed (or other non-nut) substitute?
Hi Heather, no but I’m sure it would work fine. I use sesame seeds in this similar dressing. 🙂
Thank you so much for this and all the other great recipes on this site! My husband gave this one 4 stars when we had it at lunch yesterday. I’ve shared this site with other WFPB friends and they love it too! One even said “I spent a long time looking at that new website last night. She is really good!” I agree!
Thank you for your comment, Pam! 😉 Aww, so nice. Glad your husband liked this one–4 stars, wow!
We have an over abundance of chayote squash growing right now, so tried this recipe and replaced the cabbage with chayote and it was great!! thanks!!
Had it for breakfast this morning and added a diced papaya from the backyard. Amazing flavors.
My husband has nut allergies, but can eat almonds so I blanched some and used them instead of the cashews (I have used seeds in other recipes calling for cashews, but not this tone – yet). He claims to not like coleslaw (well actually he claim not to like any vegetables), but ate a fairly substantial portion of this coleslaw an said it was pretty good! I loved it – thank you.
Love to hear that! 🙂 Thanks Lynn!
Hi Cathy, I was searching for a cole slaw dressing and came across this one. Thank you!
😉
I just made this tonight. I decided to taste a small bowl, just to see how I’d like it. It is now half gone. Thank you so much for sharing! This one is a keeper.
Hi Cathy,
Please if I’m skipping the cashews do I still add 1/2 cup of water or I’d reduce it to (?)
Thanks so much for your recipes! 🙂
Still use the water as written. 🙂
Hi, Cathy – I’m excited to make this recipe since I love coleslaw, however, I absolutely can’t stand mustard. Any suggestions for a mustard replacement for this dish? thank you in advance!
I’d just leave it out. 🙂
I love coleslaw and have tried a number of healthy recipes but this is best one I have found. I made it with the cashews but will try the beans next time to see the difference. I can finally stop searching. Thanks
Yay! 🙂 Or you can use the beans and throw in a couple cashews for a little richness. 🙂
Do you think lemon juice would work in place of the vinegar?
Sure 🙂
Great coleslaw! I added the pineapple you suggested and it was awesome. I’m trying to keep a few of your salad recipes in the refrigerator for a quick meal and this one is a keeper. Thanks Cathy.
Thanks Kevin! I never tried the pineapple, but sensed it would be great; thanks for confirming! 😉
A quick tale that proves the value of good pictures in cookbooks:
I was perusing the salad section of your cookbook, and Hubby happen to glance over at the book as I flipped past page page 65.
He: Hey, go back! What was that?
Me (turning back the page): A coleslaw recipe.
He: That looks really good. Would you make it?
Me: Really? You don’t like coleslaw. I don’t like coleslaw!
He: I know, but it looks REALLY good…it doesn’t look like coleslaw. Please make it anyway.
…trip to store, blending, slicing, shredding, mixing, chilling…I served it with Black Bean chili…
He: Is that the coleslaw? It looks just like the picture.
Me: Yup. Try some.
He (munching): I really like this coleslaw! I don’t like any other coleslaw, but I really like this coleslaw! You can make it again any time.
Me: I like it a lot, too. I think it is the raisins and apple. I will make it again.
😊👍
The leftovers were really good the next day, too. I’m going to try the pineapple variation, too. Another winner!
Thank you, Cathy!
Hi Pam! Love it! Thanks for the play by play, that was great! I may share that on my FB page (w/o name). 🙂
Just made the creamy coleslaw. It is delicious!!😋