Homemade Coleslaw Dressing

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Making creamy Coleslaw Dressing at home is easier than you think! Use ingredients you probably already have to make the coleslaw of your dreams! The tangy vinegar and sweet sugar in the dressing mellow out the onion, while still getting a light oniony flavor that is just divine served on its own as a side dish, or with some grilled steak kabobs, on pulled pork sandwiches or fish tacos.

Why You’ll Love This Coleslaw Dressing

Coleslaw is one of those summer salads either you love or hate. Store-bought, pre-made coleslaw is awful, but homemade coleslaw is delicious, and that is because of this homemade coleslaw dressing! I think people like to buy coleslaw dressing from the store because they simply just don’t know how to make it at home.

If this describes you, don’t worry! I assure you this the best homemade coleslaw dressing and it’s easier than you think and one million times more delicious! And the best part is you probably already have the required ingredients in your pantry already.

Click over to my classic coleslaw recipe to get my full coleslaw recipe (cabbage, onions, carrots, etc.), though if you’ve just bought a bag of coleslaw mix from the grocery store, that might not be necessary. BUT I will say, this dressing paired with the pre-shredded cabbage and shredded carrots plus a little diced onion is magical! This is my go-to creamy coleslaw dressing, soon to be your go-to coleslaw dressing because of how divine it really is.

Ingredients Needed for Homemade Coleslaw Dressing

Here is what you need to make my favorite easy coleslaw dressing recipe, all very basic ingredients:

• real mayonnaise
• white distilled vinegar
• granulated sugar
• salt & black pepper

Variations

There are numerous variations of traditional coleslaw recipes as well as the dressing you can try. Some of the most popular salad dressing variations include:

• Dijon mustard or dry mustard
• apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
• lemon juice
• celery seed or celery salt
• sour cream
• plain greek yogurt
• honey or maple syrup

As you can see, you have lots of room for experimentation and trying out different combinations to find your absolute favorite one. This way, you can create the best coleslaw dressing, make it sweeter or saltier, creamy, or light and low-calorie.

How to Make Coleslaw Dressing

For full recipe details, including ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is step by step what you to expect when making this coleslaw dressing:

Combine Ingredients in a Bowl

In a small bowl, add real mayonnaise. To that, add white vinegar. Just the plain, white, distilled kind.

Lastly, add in sugar with a little salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to reduce the sugar, though I would recommend making the recipe as is first because you shouldn’t knock it till you try it!

Toss with Coleslaw Veggies

Once your dressing is made, toss it together in a large bowl with your shredded vegetables (green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots and green onions, etc.) and either serve right away or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. I like it best after sitting in the fridge for an hour or two.

When Should I Dress my Coleslaw?

Well, if you intend to serve it on the same day, you can add the homemade dressing as soon as it’s ready. It’s preferred to let the cabbage and the dressing exchange the flavors for a couple of hours in the refrigerator, but if you want your salad to be very crunchy, dress the salad at the most, half an hour before serving.

Storage + Make Ahead Directions

If you want to store coleslaw for more than a day, it’s better to wait with the dressing until the day you’re going to serve the salad. Especially if you’re thinking about freezing the cabbage, it’s much better to hold off on adding the dressing (because its a mayo-based dressing) to avoid the watery consistency of the dressing in the salad.

Dressed coleslaw will stay fresh in your fridge for 3-5 days if stored in an airtight container. For best results, I would eat it sooner rather than later, though, because after a couple of days, the texture of the cabbage and carrots get less crunchy and softer.

More Summer Salads to Try!

• Seafood Pasta Salad
• Macaroni Salad
• Broccoli Salad with Bacon
• Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad
• Cucumber Salad
• Creamy Potato Salad (no eggs!)

My easy homemade coleslaw dressing will make you fall in love with this salad and bring it to all of your potlucks. Grab the printable recipe below or bookmark/pin for later! This is a great recipe you will come to love. Have a great day, friends!

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.