Coleslaw Dressing
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Make the best creamy Coleslaw Dressing with this easy homemade recipe that’s so much better than the store-bought stuff! Mix it up with pantry staples in just 5 minutes to make flavorful coleslaw, broccoli salad, and so much more.
Table of contents
Coleslaw is a classic American salad that’s typically served as a side dish at backyard bbq’s, picnics, and with grilled meats. So what’s the key to making the best coleslaw? Starting with the best coleslaw dressing!
A coleslaw dressing should be tangy and creamy, with a hint of sweetness. And this recipe is just that! It makes amazing coleslaw, but is also delicious tossed with this broccoli salad, or even served as a dipping sauce for raw or grilled vegetables.
This dressing recipe is easy to mix up in just 5 minutes and will make enough dressing for two large coleslaw salads. Store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, and use it to amp up the flavor of your favorite summer salads!
Ingredients
For the ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Mayonnaise – to make a perfectly creamy coleslaw dressing, I do recommend starting with a base of mayo. If you want to switch things up, you can use whole milk, plain Greek yogurt, but the taste and texture will be slightly different.
- Maple syrup – I love the flavor and texture that maple syrup gives this salad dressing. It adds the perfect sweetness to balance out the rich and tangy flavors in the dressing. Always use 100% pure maple syrup, as imitation syrup will not have the same flavor. If you’d like, you can also use honey instead of the syrup.
- Apple cider vinegar – every good coleslaw dressing contains vinegar. This is what gives it the tangy flavor we all know and love! I enjoy the additional fruity flavor of apple cider vinegar in this dressing. But you could also use white wine vinegar in it’s place for a lighter, more delicate flavor.
- Dijon mustard – for another layer of sharp, tangy flavors, dijon mustard is added to the dressing.
- Celery seeds – this is a key ingredient in coleslaw dressing. These seeds have the same aromatic taste of raw celery, with additional savory, earthy flavors. If you don’t like the little seeds in the dressing, you can blend the dressing together in a blender and the seeds will blend right in.
- Salt + black pepper – to season the dressing.
All of the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten free. To make this easy coleslaw dressing recipe dairy free, use a vegan mayonnaise substitute.
Instructions
- Add mayonnaise, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, celery seeds, salt and pepper to a bowl.
- Stir to combine all of the ingredients.
Another option is to add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend for 15-20 seconds to puree the celery seeds into the dressing.
Store the dressing in the fridge, in an airtight container with a lid, for up to 2 weeks. I do not recommend freezing the dressing, as the texture of mayonnaise is different after freezing and defrosting.
How to make coleslaw
To make a traditional coleslaw recipe with the dressing, combine 3 cups shredded green cabbage, 2 cups shredded red cabbage and 1 cup shredded carrots in a large bowl.
Pour ⅔ cup coleslaw dressing over the shredded veggies, then toss until they’re completely coated in the salad dressing. Place the slaw in the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together before serving it.
For a 10 ounce bag of coleslaw mix from the grocery store, use ½ cup coleslaw dressing. For a 14 ounce bag of coleslaw mix, use ⅔ cup coleslaw dressing.
This recipe makes approximately 1 ⅓ cups coleslaw dressing, perfect for making two large coleslaw salads, or four smaller salads.
Serve the coleslaw as a side dish, or on top of pulled pork sandwiches.
Other ways to use the dressing
In addition to traditional coleslaw, try using this homemade coleslaw dressing in these other ways.
- Broccoli salad – click the link for my easy 10 minute recipe that uses this coleslaw dressing.
- As a veggie dip – serve the dressing in a bowl, alongside a plate of raw carrots, celery sticks, cauliflower and bell peppers for dipping. This is a great summer snack for a pool party or picnic!
- Drizzle it over grilled or roasted vegetables – it’s great with this grilled zucchini or roasted broccolini.
- Make pasta salad – toss cooked pasta with diced celery, diced red onion, diced bell peppers and this coleslaw dressing. Feel free to toss in any other pasta salad favorites, like diced tomatoes or crumbled, cooked bacon.
- Make chicken salad – toss cooked, chopped chicken with the coleslaw dressing, and your choice of additions, like minced red onion or green onions, diced dried apricots or cherries, diced celery, sliced almonds, salt and pepper.
- Use it as a spread on sandwiches or wraps – replace traditional mayo with this tangy coleslaw dressing on your favorite sandwich, or drizzled in a tasty wrap.
More salad dressings and sauces
Make more delicious homemade dressings and sauces, to add flavor to all of your meals, using these easy recipes!
Coleslaw Dressing
Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup maple syrup, or honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. You can also add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend for 15-20 seconds to puree the celery seeds into the dressing.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- To make a traditional coleslaw recipe with the dressing, combine 3 cups shredded green cabbage, 2 cups shredded red cabbage and 1 cup shredded carrots in a large bowl. Pour ⅔ cup coleslaw dressing over the shredded veggies, then toss until they’re completely coated in the salad dressing. Place the slaw in the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together before serving it.
- This recipe makes approximately 1 ⅓ cups coleslaw dressing, perfect for making two large coleslaw salads, or four smaller salads.
- All of the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten free. To make this easy coleslaw recipe dairy free, use a vegan mayonnaise substitute.
Nutrition Facts
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