Easy Creamy Coleslaw
Every Southerner knows that every barbecue sandwich needs one thing: coleslaw. Especially if you’re from North Carolina, like I am, it’s almost sacrilege to get a pulled pork sammie with no slaw. I won’t lie, I didn’t always love coleslaw. But I’ve learned my ways, and this is now my go-to coleslaw recipe. It’s delicious on its own, but it’s absolute perfection atop a barbecue sandwich.
First and foremost, you won’t be seeing any red slaw or vinegar-based slaw around here. Creamy white slaw or no slaw.
Whether you like it on your sandwich or as a side, coleslaw is a quintessential menu item at any Southern gathering. Especially in the spring and summer, there’s always a spot for coleslaw on the buffet table. Its light creaminess is often a good balance to other popular side items. And if you’re a barbecue person like me, coleslaw adds some next texture contrast to the saucy barbecue.
If you’re not a mayonnaise person, don’t worry. My coleslaw recipe uses a mix of mayo and Greek yogurt; you still get a little bit of the mayo flavor, but it’s balanced with the tang from the yogurt and other dressing ingredients.
Here’s how to make my favorite Creamy Coleslaw recipe.
To make it, you will need:
- Green cabbage
- Purple/red cabbage
- Shredded carrots (optional)
- Green onions (also optional)
- Mayonnaise
- Greek yogurt
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Miso paste or salt
- Black pepper
- Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
First, make the dressing. Add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, mustard, honey, miso (or salt), lemon juice or vinegar, and black pepper to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine until the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then set aside.
Next, prepare your vegetables. Chop roughly 2 cups of green cabbage and 1 cup of purple cabbage into any size you like. I prefer a chunky dice. Next, add in 1 cup of shredded carrots and 1/2 cup green onions. Or if you want to use a pre-cut bagged slaw mix from the grocery store, that’s fine, too.
I don’t always add green onions to my coleslaw, but I had some extra in the fridge that needed to be used. And it tasted pretty good! Honestly, you could also add some shredded broccoli or Brussels sprouts if you wanted.
Mix it all together. Add the chopped veggies to the same bowl with the dressing. Toss carefully to combine, making sure the cabbage is completely, evenly coated in the dressing.
Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate the slaw for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors combine. Serve as a side dish or sandwich topping.
For a quick and easy barbecue sandwich, mix your preferred barbecue meat with 1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce. I usually prefer pulled pork, but I didn’t have any when I made this recipe. So I used some rotisserie chicken, and it was almost as good. Add your barbecue pork/chicken to a toasted bun, drizzle a little extra sauce, and pile on the coleslaw.
For the bun, I wouldn’t recommend a brioche bun. I used brioche here because that’s what I had on hand, and it ended up being too rich and buttery for the barbecue and slaw. Stick with your favorite white or wheat hamburger or sandwich bun.
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Easy Creamy Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 2 cups green cabbage
- 1 cup purple/red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup green onion
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 lemon (juice)
Instructions
- Add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, mustard, honey, miso (or salt), lemon juice or vinegar, and black pepper to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine until the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then set aside.
- Chop the green cabbage and purple cabbage into a chunky dice.
- Next, add in the shredded carrots and green onions. (You can use a pre-cut bagged slaw mix from the grocery store if you prefer.)
- Add the chopped veggies to the same bowl with the dressing. Toss carefully to combine, making sure the cabbage is completely, evenly coated in the dressing.
- Cover and refrigerate the slaw for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors combine. Serve as a side dish or sandwich topping.