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This vegan coleslaw recipe has become a staple dish at Hansard Farm. As easy as it may be to run to the deli and grab a pre-made something, I know pre-made isn’t the best choice. It’s usually made with refined oils, gums, and other ingredients I can’t even recognize. And the truth is: I never feel great after eating anything with mayonnaise.
Because of those feels, it was time to bring in a new dish to these BBQs and actually feel good about going for seconds! Moreover – this vegan coleslaw works great as a topping for tacos and veggie bowls. #summerstaple
How to Make Homemade Vegan Coleslaw
Making coleslaw traditionally involves mayonnaise. As a result, it’s typically highly processed and made with eggs. If you’re looking for a plant based option, then you can easily swap in my homemade cashew cream for the mayo.
It’s simple, versatile and can be used as a base for all sorts of sauces. You begin this coleslaw by soaking the cashews to create a creamy dressing. Bonus! Those cashews will net you extra protein for your daily total!
Then you’ll combine that smooth and tasty cashew cream base with a variety of seasonings and fresh vegetables to create a crunchy zesty side dish that everyone will love.
Benefits of Cabbage + Carrot
Gone are the days when cabbage was simply a garnish on your plate! Cabbage comes in tons of colors, like red, purple or even white. However, it’s not just there to look cute or for the crunch. Most importantly, cabbage contains large amounts of Vitamins K and C, which make it great for your immune system and helping the body’s blood clotting factors.
Carrots are rich in Vitamins C and A, which therefore makes them power houses for your immune system. They too come in a wide variety of colors, including purple, orange, yellow and white. Meanwhile, I’ll let you start imagining the fun you could have mixing and matching the different colors of cabbage and carrots for your next batch of vegan coleslaw!
Where’d Coleslaw Come From?
Although in the United States we always think of coleslaw as that perfect side dish for our BBQs, picnics and holiday celebrations, it’s didn’t get started here. Did you know that the dish we know as coleslaw actually originated in the Netherlands? Coleslaw came from the Dutch ‘koosla’, which means cabbage salad. So cool to know, right?
To clarify – this updated, Americanized vegan coleslaw recipe is from my book, Simple Green Meals, available now in our Rawkstar Shop. Making it will yield a protein-packed, nutrient-dense side dish without any of the artificial ingredients or refined oils we see in the store bought versions.
What to Serve with Coleslaw
This Vegan Coleslaw Recipe is the perfect healthy BBQ side, a topping for your next batch of Sweet Potato Noodles or making ahead and eating for lunches a quick snack during the week. And if you sneak a spoonful out of the fridge when no one is looking, I certainly won’t tell. Here are some of my fav things to pair with coleslaw:
- Vegan Tacos with Chickpeas
- Sweet Potato Zoodles
- Portobello Mushroom Burgers
- Teriyaki Veggie Bowl Recipe
- Coconut Bacon Vegan BLT
- Black Bean Burgers
FAQs
Traditional coleslaw contains mayo as the dressing, which is usually made with eggs. To make it vegan, you’ll need to rawk the perfect egg free dressing to toss your cabbage and carrots with. Our recipe below is a top-notch solution!
Leave that store-bought coleslaw out of your next get together! Homemade vegan coleslaw is as easy as chopping cabbage + carrots, plus adding some seasonings and a simple vegan dressing.
With this healthy, whole food recipe – absolutely not! My version of vegan coleslaw contains simple ingredients, and replaces white refined sugar with better-for-you coconut sugar. Lastly, to make it even healthier, opt for organic versions of the ingredients as your location and budget allow. Delicious and nutritious!
Crunchy Vegan Coleslaw
Ingredients
Cashew-Garlic Aioli Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 5 tbsp lemon juice, divided
- ¼ tsp sea salt to taste
- 3 garlic cloves
Vegan Coleslaw
- ½ head napa cabbage cored and shredded
- ¼ cup carrot shredded
- ½ cup Cashew-Garlic Aioli Sauce
- 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar or more to taste
- 2 tsp coconut sugar
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Cashew-Garlic Aioli Sauce
- Place the cashews in a medium bowl and pour 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice over the top. Add enough water to cover by a few inches. Let soak for 2 hours, then drain and rinse well.
- In a blender, combine the cashews, garlic, mustard, salt, and the remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Pulse a few times, then blend on low. If needed, add a few tablespoons water. The mixture should be thick and creamy, sorta like mayonnaise (as much as I struggle with that visual). Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as desired.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. This keeps well up to 1 week in the fridge or up to several months in the freezer.
Vegan Coleslaw
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cabbage and carrots.
- Add the Garlic Aioli, vinegar, coconut sugar, and salt.
- Toss until well combined.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- GLUTEN FREE, NUT FREE (replace the aioli with 1⁄2 cup vegan mayo), VEGAN, DAIRY FREE
Don’t like mustard. Will skipping it affect the sauce much?
Is there a reason the recipe calls for Napa cabbage?
Just made this with cabbage from the garden to go with our air fryer chicken and it was delicious! We doubled the recipe so that it would make a more substantial side. Delish!
Fresh cabbage from your own garden?! Nothing can top that!!
This is the best coleslaw recipe! My family asks for it every time we have a bbq. 🙂
Way to rawk plants with the fam, Kim! 🙂
thanks for the recipe for coleslaw and the dressing. coleslaw usually contains onions, I think. Is there a reason you left the ontions out of the recipe? thanks and best wishes, Caroline
Hey Caroline. I haven’t heard of onions in coleslaw but there are obviously many different recipes and ways to make it. If you want to add onions to this recipe, definitely go for it. I think that would taste good. 🙂
It was too thick. Why?
Maybe your cashew-garlic aioli was a little on the thick side. Next time, add a bit more water to thin it out a little before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
Love this recipe!! Everything I’ve made so far out of this book is AMAZING!
Hi Shoshanna,
Yay!! I am doing a happy dance after you comment. I am so happy to hear that you have loved EVERY recipe so far.
I hope you continue to love them all!!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I love the other vegan coleslaw recipe you paired with BBQ lentil sweet potatoes.
I’m pretty excited about this version of coleslaw. I love coleslaw, but this garlic aioli sounds amazing!
We are excited about it too, and even more excited for you to try it!! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! I never thought about doing a mayo freee version, but I am totally going to give it a whirl!
Let us know how you like it! This version is so delicious!!!
This was delicious! I made it to go in a Crispy Tofu Po Boy sandwich and my entire family loved it:)
This looks easy to make, tasty and best of all, doesn’t have mayo in it! Looking forward to trying this and adding it to my regular recipes!
This is sooo yummy!! And such a healthier alternative to traditional mayo coke slaw!!!
I have never been a coleslaw fan because I can’t stand mayonnaise. I cannot wait to try this recipe!
I agree with you! Mayonnaise is so icky so this makes the perfect substitute 🙂
Rawkstars, this is a winner! Super easy to make using all fresh, healthy ingredients. You have to try it!
Where has this been my whole life?! I’ve always loved cabbage and “wanted to love coleslaw” yet I could never get over the mayonnaise. It’s never been my thing. You might have just changed my life AND got me more excited for my next summer bbq! I know exactly what I’m bringing. Thanks Jen!
Life changing!!!
That is what we strive for! I am so excited that this meal speaks so well to you and has helped you to love coleslaw when you couldn’t before. Can’t wait for you to give it a try!