Mom’s Best Coleslaw Recipe

Mom’s Best Coleslaw Recipe uses vinegar and mayonnaise for a classic homemade side dish or sandwich topper that’s easy, creamy and delicious — just like Mom used to make! Once you make coleslaw from scratch, you’ll never go back to storebought again!

This easy coleslaw recipe is just like my mom and grandma used to make. It’s super simple and takes just minutes to make. Plus, it’s creamy, crunchy and so dang good!

You can serve this cabbage slaw as a quick summer side dish. Or, you can use it to top pulled pork sandwiches or BBQ chicken sandwiches all year long. Personally, we think it’s the BEST coleslaw recipe out there!

Only 4 Ingredients

Even though Mom’s coleslaw recipe is simple, I’ve made it even easier by using a bag of coleslaw mix from the store. So, you only need 4 main ingredients to make this coleslaw:

• Coleslaw mix — Look for one with purple cabbage and carrots for color
• Mayonnaise — or Miracle Whip if you prefer
• Vinegar — regular white or rice vinegar
• Milk
• Salt and pepper to taste, if needed

How to Make Coleslaw from Scratch

This is seriously one of the easiest recipes on the planet. If you’re ever asked to bring a side dish to a potluck, make coleslaw!

First, dump the bag of coleslaw mix into a medium or large mixing bowl. Then, spoon in your mayo, vinegar and milk.

Next, mix everything together until it’s nice and creamy. You may think it’s a little dry at first, but don’t add more mayo yet. It gets even creamier as it sits.

Taste the mixture first. Then, add salt and a little black pepper, to taste. I’ve been making this so long, so I just eyeball it and add more seasoning later, if needed.

Cover the coleslaw, and refrigerate until ready to serve. The flavors get stronger the longer this sits. If you feel it needs more mayo, add some right before serving.

Make Ahead and Storage

Can you make coleslaw recipe ahead of time? Yes you can prepare the coleslaw a day in advance. It does tend to get watery the longer it sits, so I don’t recommend making it too far in advance.

If it seems too watery, you can drain out the liquid and add a little more mayo to thicken it up. Store leftover coleslaw in a tightly covered container. It keeps for about 2 days – if you have any leftover!

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5 from 8 votes

Mom’s Best Coleslaw Recipe

By: Dee

Mom's Best Coleslaw Recipe uses vinegar and mayonnaise for a classic homemade side dish or sandwich topper that's easy, creamy and delicious — just like Mom used to make! Once you make coleslaw from scratch, you'll never go back to storebought again!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 bag coleslaw mix
• ▢ ½ cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 tablespoon milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon white vinegar or rice vinegar
• ▢ salt and pepper, to taste if needed

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Instructions 

• Empty bag of coleslaw mix into a medium mixing bowl
• Stir in mayo, milk and vinegar until well blended
• Add salt and pepper, to taste
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add more mayo if needed

Notes

Coleslaw might seem dry at first, but it gets creamier the longer it sits. Add more mayo before serving, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 100mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 66IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

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