Healthy Coleslaw (No Mayo!)
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This secretly Healthy Coleslaw is light, delicious & quick to make with NO mayo! A Vinegar Based Coleslaw you can serve with almost anything!
This healthy coleslaw recipe is a fantastic topping to slow cooker pulled pork and sandwiches made with crockpot bbq chicken, or an easy side with your weeknight dinner!
It comes together in minutes and couldn’t be easier to make. Whisk together a few pantry staples and toss it with a bag of coleslaw mix, it’s that simple and a delicious way to get in more veggies!
Whether you prefer your coleslaw creamy or vinegar based, we’ve got you covered with options for both – no mayo required! Personally, I’m not a fan of mayo (the texture gives me the ick!), so this recipe is perfect if you’re anything like me. While we like our healthy creamy coleslaw, the vinegar based version is lighter and just as flavorful!
Enjoy this fresh, healthy side dish at your next summer barbeque or potluck!
Tyler’s Tips for the best Healthy Coleslaw:
- Make this vinegar slaw a few hours in advance and refrigerate in a covered container before serving. This will give the slaw time to marinade and enhance flavor!
- Make sure to mix your dressing well and evenly distribute it so that all of the coleslaw is covered!
Ingredients
Substitutions
Honey: If you like a little bit of spice, try hot honey. You can also use maple syrup instead of honey.
Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. You’ll need 1-2 lemons.
White Wine Vinegar: You can substitute distilled white vinegar (will have a more vinegar-y taste!) or apple cider vinegar interchangeably.
Olive Oil: You can substitute with avocado oil. This helps to give the coleslaw a bit of richness.
Dijon Mustard: You can swap dijon mustard with regular yellow mustard or whole grain mustard.
Coleslaw mix: If you’re feeling ambitious, you can cut up your own vegetables for coleslaw (red cabbage, carrots, shredded cabbage) using a sharp knife or mandolin.. but that’s not something I’ve ever done. This is one of those things where I take the easy way out, skip the mess – and buy a bag of the precut kind! 🙂
How to Make Healthy Coleslaw
- In a large bowl, combine all of your wet ingredients and whisk together until combined. Add your dry seasonings and whisk again until combined.
- Add your coleslaw mix to the bowl.
- Mix until evenly coated.
- Refrigerate in a covered container for a few hours before serving.
how to make a creamy healthy coleslaw with no mayo
If you like a creamier coleslaw – we’ve got you covered. Simply add ¼ cup non fat or full fat Greek yogurt to your dressing.
serving suggestions
This vinegar coleslaw pairs well with so many dishes, especially grilled proteins and on sandwiches for a fresh crunch. Here are some of our favorite pairings:
- Pair with our Crockpot Ribs or Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Top crockpot chicken tacos or healthy turkey burgers
- Put on your pulled chicken sandwich (as seen below) and serve with a Greek Orzo Salad
Storage
Storing: This will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. As the coleslaw sits it will get soggier. I saw a really great tip on Instagram to store coleslaw in a metal strainer inside of a bowl so the excess liquid can drain off and prevent the coleslaw from getting too soggy, but we normally just eat this within a day or two!
Freezing: You can’t freeze coleslaw – it’s best eaten fresh.
Healthy Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons honey you can use hot honey or maple syrup as well
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice about 1-2 large lemons, juiced
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar can sub apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard yellow mustard or whole grain mustard also work
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 12 oz coleslaw mix
Instructions
- In a large bowl (you need to be able to add your coleslaw to it!) combine all of your wet ingredients (honey, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, mustard) and whisk together until combined.
- Once you have a nice smooth texture, add your dry seasonings and whisk again until combined.
- Optional: If you prefer to have a creamy coleslaw, you can easily add the optional ¼ cup of greek yogurt to the mixture now!
- Add your coleslaw mix to the bowl and mix together with a pair of tongs or forks until evenly coated in the dressing.
- You can eat this coleslaw immediately but we recommend setting this aside in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving. Letting this ‘marinate’ for a few hours will really enhance the flavor.
I added the 1/4 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt to the recipe. I thought it needed more to make it creamier. I liked the added spice of paprika. It’s a great vinegar based alternative to the one I make with avocado mayo. It was eaten atop pulled pork sliders.
Absolutely delicious! Made this for Coney Island’s grandkids even loved it!! I did add a bit of celery seed to this, other than that it was spot on!
We love this recipe so much. I make it often. YUM
I made this to eat with pulled pork and it came out amazing! I really appreciate how this has no mayo – I do like mayo coleslaw but sometimes omitting it is refreshing. Also super easy to prep.
I make this to go with the shredded bbq chicken and I usually just eat it all together or I will put it on a wrap. I like to add in the Greek yogurt to make it a little creamier and to add extra protein. So good!
A great break from the mayo based slaws. The honey and Dijon takes it to another level.
So glad you liked it, Steff!
This was such a great tangy, non-mayo coleslaw recipe! It was easy and delicious and I will be adding this to my permanent recipe files!
So glad you enjoyed it!