Creamy, tart, and mildly sweet, this simple coleslaw dressing is a great condiment for coleslaws, salads, and tons of other side dishes. We’ve been making it for years now, and it’s always a welcome addition to the dinner table.
We’ve grown to love our classic memphis-style coleslaw so much, we make it frequently. But, what I’ve found over the years is that nothing beats a freshly dressed slaw. Pre-made coleslaw just sits there, getting soggy. So, I’ve taken to making this coleslaw dressing recipe in advance and keeping it in the fridge alongside the rest of our favorite salad dressings. That way, when it’s time to eat, I just shred the cabbage, drizzle the dressing, and toss. Always fresh. Always crisp.
Coleslaw Dressing
I’ve been making dressings from scratch since long before the start of this blog. The convenience of prepping my favorite condiments with ingredients I have at home just can’t be beat. And, making your dressings fresh gives you flavor that is SO much better than bottled!
This one is southern style, through and through. Creamy mayo base, a good hit of apple cider vinegar for tang, a bit of sugar, and celery seeds. Those celery seeds are a must. They bring just the right earthy, peppery bite to contrast the sweet sugar. Try them in this recipe for coleslaw dressing, and you’ll never go back.
Beyond coleslaw, this dressing is versatile enough to bring a coleslaw kick to plenty of other salads. And, I don’t want to brag, but I’ve watched someone come back for thirds of this slaw at a cookout. So there’s that.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Mayo – I always use standard, full-fat mayonnaise. It gives the dressing that thick, creamy base you want. Light mayo will work in a pinch.
Apple Cider Vinegar – You’re going to love the tart flavor that apple cider vinegar lends to this dressing. Regular vinegar ain’t got nothing on us.
Sugar – I use a small amount of sugar to help balance the flavors of the vinegar and celery seeds.
Mustard – Dijon all the way! I prefer the sharper flavor of this mustard. But, you can use standard yellow mustard. Just know that you may need to reduce the vinegar a bit, as that variety of mustard is more vinegar forward.
Celery Seeds – For me, celery seeds are a must in a coleslaw. They bring just the right earthy, peppery bitterness to contrast an otherwise sweet and tangy base.
Onion – Onion powder is my go-to for all dressings, except when I want noticeable chunks of zesty onion, like in thousand island dressing. The powder distributes more fully throughout the dressing, infusing it with flavor without any of the onion bite.
Salt – I always use kosher salt. Always. Well, unless I say otherwise. But, at least 99.44% of the time.
Notes on Equipment
- Mixing bowl – This bowl is a total workhorse! It handles it all with ease, from mixing batters to tossing salads. Steel doesn’t flinch at an extended beating, and the non-slip base keeps it firmly in place.
- Whisk
- Measuring cups – I have a drawer full of various measuring cups, but these are the ones I reach for, every time when making my dressings. They’ve got a nice heft without being heavy, they measure accurately, and they’re dishwasher safe. I’ve had mine for almost 10 years now and they’re still going strong.
- Measuring spoons
- Airtight container or jar for storing
How to Make Coleslaw Dressing
Combining the Ingredients: I add all of the ingredients to a small bowl. That’s mayo, sugar, mustard, vinegar, celery seeds, salt, and onion powder. Nothing fancy. But, if you want, you can add a little velvet rope and make them wait in line. No judgement, here!
Whisking: We have to whisk it all together until smooth and well combined. Then, I give it a taste. This is where you adjust. Does it need more tang? Some sweetness? Does it feel muted in some way? You can tweak it with extra vinegar, sugar, or salt to suit your taste.
Chilling: I transfer the dressing to a jar with a lid and pop it into the refrigerator. Now, you could use it right away. But, I always give it time in the fridge to give the flavors a chance to meet and greet.
Tossing the Slaw: When you’re ready to eat, just drizzle this amazing dressing over shredded cabbage and give it a toss. I like to coat it lightly, because you can always add more later. Crisp coleslaw beats soggy every time.
Expert Tip
One of the best things you can do to when making this coleslaw dressing is to give it the aforementioned time in the fridge. These are some big flavors. We need to give them time to mellow and get to know each other. Waiting let’s everything meld into the fabulous flavors you want. It tastes good right away. But, it tastes even better after a few hours.
Control Consistency – The dressing shouldn’t be runny, but it should be pourable and easy to stir. If it’s too thin, add a spoonful of mayo and whisk it again. Too thick? Another teaspoon of apple cider vinegar will loosen it right up.
Season Twice – Taste the dressing before and after time in the fridge. The flavors might shift a little as they chill. I use the measurements in this recipe as a baseline, but I’ll always do a final taste check before serving and tweak things if needed.
Dress When Serving – Keep the dressing and the shredded cabbage separate until you’re ready to eat. This way you avoid serving sad, watery coleslaw to your guests.
Serving Suggestions
This coleslaw dressing means that slaw becomes pretty much the easiest side ever. We like to eat our slaw on top of a barbecue sundae. It starts with a base of sweet and tangy pulled pork. Then, you top that with the best slow cooker baked beans, and finish it with a scoop of creamy cold coleslaw. It’s an incredible mix of flavors, and so worth the effort.
But, if you’re looking for something a little simpler? You can’t go wrong with a build your own hot dog bar. Just add the coleslaw to the lineup and watch it disappear.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: Yes! This dressing can (and honestly should) be made in advance. I usually prep a batch to use for salads and sides later in the week. Just give it a good shake each time before use.
How to Store: You can store this dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. Give it a stir or shake before serving, if it’s been sitting for a few days.
More Coleslaw Recipes
That’s a solid NO. Celery salt isn’t a good substitute because it’s mostly salt with a small amount of ground celery seed mixed in. You’d have to add a great deal of celery salt to get the same amount of flavor and that amount of added salt would ruin the dressing. Celery seeds, on the other hand, give you pure flavor without altering the salt level.
My friend, you can make this dressing however you want. You can skip the mustard. But, it will take away a pretty distinctive note in this dressing. I would make a tiny batch, if altering the recipe that much, to see if you actually like the result, first.
Again, you can make it how you want. I’m not the boss of you. But, I wrote the recipe to balance each of the flavor facets between the tang, sweetness, richness, kick, etc. Depending on what you might choose to substitute, the taste and consistency of the dressing may be entirely different.
This keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. Admittedly, I’m pretty frugal, so I’ve even used it after that. But, I don’t recommend rolling the dice with food safety.
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In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, mustard, vinegar, celery seeds, salt, and onion powder.
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Whisk until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
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Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate the dressing until ready to use. Stir or shake before using.
Calories: 106 kcal | Carbohydrates: 2 g | Protein: 0.3 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g | Trans Fat: 0.03 g | Cholesterol: 6 mg | Sodium: 255 mg | Potassium: 12 mg | Fiber: 0.1 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 11 IU | Vitamin C: 0.1 mg | Calcium: 7 mg | Iron: 0.2 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
