Southern coleslaw is slightly tangy, sweet, and creamy.
It is used as a barbecue side dish or on top of pulled pork, hamburgers, or hot dogs.
This creamy coleslaw recipe is easy to put together and will be a favorite addition to all of your back yard cookouts.
Try this recipe on pulled pork with my homemade Carolina barbecue sauce or my Carolina mustard barbecue sauce. It will be PERFECTION!
Or if you want a "Carolina" hamburger or hot dog, make my homemade hotdog chili recipe.
Top your juicy burger or tasty hotdog with ketchup, mustard, and then add the homemade chili and Southern slaw! YUM!
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Southern coleslaw ingredients
To make this Southern coleslaw recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Cabbage-You can used pre-shredded bagged cabbage to save time. However, shredding it yourself is cheaper and more flavorful.
- Mayonnaise- Use real mayonnaise, not Miracle Whip.
- Sugar
- Mustard- Use plain yellow mustard for this recipe.
- Celery Salt- You can substitute with ¼ teaspoon of celery seed if you cannot find celery salt.
- Relish- I use sweet pickle relish rather than dill relish for this recipe. However, it is good also with dill relish for a different twist in flavor.
Note: To make your own homemade celery salt, try this recipe. It is so much better than the store bought stuff!
What to use to shred cabbage?
Southern cabbage is usually finely shredded.
You can buy the pre-shredded cabbage in the grocery store. I don't like using it because it is dry and doesn't absorb the dressing as well.
If you are in an absolute time crunch, you can buy the bagged cabbage.
However, I suggest you use a food processor with the grater attachment. It shreds down the cabbage into perfect small pieces. It is also quick and easy to do.
Or use a box grater. It is a little more time consuming. However, it will finely shred your cabbage to the right consistency.
How to make coleslaw from scratch?
Follow these easy steps to make homemade creamy coleslaw.
- Core cabbage, then shred with a food processor or box grater.
- In a mixing bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar, relish, mustard, and celery salt.
- Mix dressing with the shredded cabbage. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate 2 or more hours before serving. Stir one more time before serving.
Note: When the dressing is first mixed with the coleslaw, the sugar will be gritty and the slaw will not be very creamy. When resting in the refrigerator, the sugar and salt will draw out some of the moisture from the cabbage creating the desired creamy rich texture.
How long will it last?
Homemade coleslaw will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
It is best to eat within 3 days, because the longer it stays in the refrigerator, the more watery it will become.
Mustard vs Vinegar
Some Southerners use vinegar with the mayonnaise. Others use mustard. There are some that use neither.
I have found the vinegar makes the slaw too watery after sitting in the refrigerator.
The little bit of mustard acts as a thickening agent when mixed in the dressing. It also gives a little acid flavor to cut out some of that mayonnaise flavor for a more well rounded finish.
If you want it really tangy, add 2 tbs of mustard.
Carrots?
Out of laziness, I don't use carrots in my recipe. I find it adds a pretty color, but doesn't do much for flavor.
Therefore, out of laziness, and not having to add an additional ingredient, I do not add carrots.
However, if you want to add carrots, shred 2 carrots and mix in with your slaw.
Please leave me a comment below if you make this slaw recipe and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your coleslaw on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
Southern Coleslaw- Creamy Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds cabbage head medium sized cabbage
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Core 1 medium sized cabbage head, then shred with a food processor or box grater. (about 3 lbs)
- In a mixing bowl, mix 1 cup mayonnaise, ⅓ cup sugar, 2 tbs sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon mustard, and ½ teaspoon celery salt.
- Mix dressing with the shredded cabbage. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate 2 or more hours before serving. Mix one more time before serving.
Kristina Tipps
My family loved this recipe! My husband is from Tennessee and is used to this kind of coleslaw, he was really missing it!
Michelle
An absolute summer staple! We'll be making this for grilling all season long!
Jo
This is the best southern coleslaw I ever tried! perfectly creamy and tasty!
Michelle
Loved this coleslaw! Couldn't find celery salt, so I subbed celery seed -- so good!
Biana
Yum! I love trying different cole slaw recipes, and will be giving this one a try.
Kate
My coleslaw turned out delicious! I paired it up with some grilled lamb chops and it was just the best! I can't wait to have it again!
Marie
I'm a huge fan of coleslaw, my family and I always have it with roasted chicken. I have to admit I often buy it ready-made but your recipe looked so much like my favorite one from the deli that I had to give it a try! It hits that perfect balance between sweet and tangy and better yet, it's easy to make! I'll be making this coleslaw again and again.
Sylvia
Loved it!
Marta
My favorite coleslaw was from KFC and this tastes 10 times better than theirs. This will definitely be a repeat recipe for me.
Kate
I like that you can make this with only a few ingredients. I also never thought of the pre-shredded cabbage being dry but that makes total sense. I'm going to shred my own cabbage next time and see how it goes!
Amy Casey
This cole slaw was delicious! I served it with pork tenderloin sliders and everyone loved it. The celery salt is a nice touch too.
Natalie
I used it as a side dish with our hot dogs for dinner. It's one of the best coleslaw I ever had, thanks!
Bernice
We had a family barbecue this last weekend and everyone loved your coleslaw! I've never thought about adding relish but it really adds a nice flavour to the salad.
Sean
YES! This is perfect for my Memorial Day barbeque. I was looking for a great coleslaw recipe and this is it!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
I looooove coleslaw and this sounds amazing with the added relish! I really enjoy trying recipes that have a regional spin to them!
Veronika
This coleslaw was delicious and really easy to make. It's definitely going to become one of our staple sides for BBQs this summer. I can't believe I've never made coleslaw at home until now!
Veronika
This is one of the best coleslaw I've tried! It's perfectly creamy, has lots of flavors, and was very easy to prep! Going to make it again for our Summer cookout party.
jessica
Welp, I definitely won't be purchasing coleslaw again. This recipe was so simple and turned out better than anything I could ever pick up at the store. It reminded me so much of my grandma's coleslaw which is my favorite. The sweetness paired so well with the spicy bbq sauce I slathered on my pulled pork sandwich. Yum!