Coleslaw Dressing

This homemade coleslaw dressing recipe will take any coleslaw to a whole new level! Made with just 5 ingredients, it's creamy, tangy, and delicious.

Coleslaw Dressing Recipe

Once you learn how to make coleslaw dressing at home, you’ll never buy it at the store again! Here’s why:

  1. It’s super easy. This creamy coleslaw dressing recipe calls for 5 basic ingredients, and it only takes a few minutes to whisk together.
  2. It’s made with good-quality whole foods ingredients. When you make homemade coleslaw dressing, you know exactly what’s in it. There aren’t any additives or stabilizers here, and it’s sweetened naturally with maple syrup instead of processed sugar.
  3. And last but not least, it’s delicious! This creamy, tangy dressing makes fantastic coleslaw, but it’s darn good on other salads too. Toss it with lettuce, baby greens, or kale, or use it to make broccoli salad. Once you have it on hand, you’ll find all sorts of ways to use it.

If you like coleslaw, you’ll love this easy dressing recipe. Let’s cook!

Carrots and cabbage in a mixing bowl

Coleslaw Dressing Recipe Ingredients

You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this homemade coleslaw dressing:

  • Mayo – For the best flavor, use really good mayonnaise in this recipe. If I’m using store bought mayo, my first pick is Sir Kensington’s. My homemade vegan mayo is great here too!
  • Apple cider vinegar – It makes the dressing nice and tangy.
  • Dijon mustard – It adds extra tang and a mild peppery flavor.
  • Maple syrup – It balances the assertive vinegar and mustard.
  • Celery seed – If you’ve made my egg salad, deviled eggs, or creamy potato salad, you know that celery seed, mayo, and mustard taste fantastic together. These little guys add a delicious savory flavor that takes this dressing over the top.

Whisk these ingredients together, and season to taste with salt and pepper!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Homemade slaw with coleslaw dressing

How to Use Homemade Coleslaw Dressing

I most often use this coleslaw dressing in my homemade coleslaw recipe, but it works well with pre-shredded coleslaw mix too. Whether you shred the veggies yourself or use a mix, aim to have about 8 cups of shredded cabbage and carrot. That way, you’ll have enough dressing to lightly coat all the vegetables.

Once you toss the the dressing with the slaw mix, it’s time to eat! I love to serve my homemade coleslaw as a side dish with these classic cookout recipes:

Round out the meal with fruit salad, grilled vegetables, or corn on the cob, and don’t forget the brownies for dessert!

If you have leftover dressing, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. It tastes great with any type of greens, but I especially love it in my kale salad recipe!

Homemade Coleslaw

More Favorite Sauces and Dressings

If you love this coleslaw dressing recipe, try one of these delicious dressings next:

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Coleslaw Dressing

rate this recipe:
5 from 270 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
This homemade coleslaw dressing is creamy, tangy, and so darn easy to make. Use it in my creamy coleslaw recipe, or toss it with 8 cups of pre-shredded slaw mix.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, celery seeds, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper.
  • Serve with about 8 cups cabbage coleslaw mix.

131 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Roslin
    03.15.2024

    I love this dressing! Just noticed, now that I’m making it for a large family gathering, that the amount of mayo in the recipe doesn’t change when you increase the number of servings. That doesn’t seem correct.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      03.15.2024

      Hi Roslin, Our recipe card doesn’t include a feature to change the number of servings, so the recipe always calls for 3/4 cup mayo.

      • Roslin
        03.15.2024

        5 stars
        It happened once I chose the print recipe option.

        • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
          03.21.2024

          Hi Roslin, oh yes, I see! The mayo quantity isn’t changing because we have “scant” in front of the 3/4 cup measurement. It prevents the recipe card from picking up that the number should be scaled up. Sorry about that!

  2. Marie Claire Tampo
    02.15.2024

    5 stars
    Yummy!
    Perfect for my “the day”party gate away
    💕

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.16.2024

      So glad you enjoyed it!

  3. Sherry Gonzalez
    02.11.2024

    5 stars
    Just made this recipe to go with super bowl Sunday grilled burgers ! It is perfect! I’ve been searching for a good recipe for a long time. Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.13.2024

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  4. Lisa
    01.25.2024

    This recipe has more ACV than others I’ve tried, and it makes it so much better! Delish. Our kids (who don’t like coleslaw) absolutely love it.
    I thinly slice about 3 cups of chinese cabbage, one granny smith apple and one carrot. Throw this sparky dressing over it, et voila – HEAVEN.

  5. Kim
    11.28.2023

    5 stars
    That dressing is really good! My Dijon mustard had honey in it, however, I add a lil agave for a lil more sweetness. Would definitely use this recipe again. 10/10 delicious 😋

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.28.2023

      Hi Kim, I’m so glad you loved it!

  6. Cynthia
    11.22.2023

    5 stars
    Yum! Had a bag of slaw in the fridge that was about to go off. Since it didn’t taste as fresh, I thought of whipping up a dressing. This recipe did not disappoint! So glad I came across it. It’s delicious!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.23.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  7. Pat
    11.19.2023

    5 stars
    This is so delicious. My search for a perfect coleslaw dressing is now over!
    Thankyou☺️

  8. Amanda
    11.15.2023

    5 stars
    Perfect , I’ve tried so many recipes to make dairy free and this is the best . I will be sticking with this . Thanks for sharing !

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.16.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  9. Cole
    11.06.2023

    5 stars
    Simple and just right. I made this to go on our pulled pork sandwiches. Everyone loved it. I wouldn’t change a thing. I used bags of precut slaw from the grocery store. Easy peasy!

  10. Phillis Simon
    10.18.2023

    5 stars
    Perfect dressing and so easy to make. We love coleslaw and this is the best dressing and easiest I have ever made. It will be permanently in my recipe files. thank you.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      10.20.2023

      Hi Phillis, I’m so glad you loved it!

  11. Pepi
    09.18.2023

    5 stars
    Delicious! I don’t know if you have control over this but when printing the recipe all of the ingredients change according to the number of servings except the mayo which stays at a scant 3/4 cup.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.20.2023

      Hi Pepi, thanks for pointing that out!

  12. Trista
    08.06.2023

    5 stars
    made this with broccoli slaw and it was SO good I will be making it again for sure.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.07.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  13. Christine
    08.03.2023

    5 stars
    So glad I found this easy coleslaw recipe. I’ve now made it a ton of times. It’s so easy, I just use what I already have in the pantry & fridge. Simple and delicious.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      08.04.2023

      Hi Christine, I’m so glad you love the recipe!

  14. Autumn
    07.19.2023

    5 stars
    Literally the best slaw dressing I’ve ever made.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.20.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  15. Hope B
    07.14.2023

    Have you ever tried this with avocado mayo? We try to avoid regular mayonnaise, but wondering if the taste would be changed at all.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.15.2023

      yep – it’s wonderful with avocado mayo!

  16. Lin
    07.11.2023

    Can I use honey instead of the maple syrup

  17. Jen
    06.14.2023

    5 stars
    This recipe is super easy and delicious. I followed the directions exactly the first time and it was wonderful. I added a teaspoon of fresh ginger, finely chopped, the second time and it added a nice little boost.

    Thanks for this!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.19.2023

      Hi Jen, that sounds delicious with the ginger, thanks for the idea!

  18. Jodie
    06.13.2023

    5 stars
    Light, creamy, and incredibly good! Everyone LOOOOOVED it. Thank you

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.14.2023

      Hi Jodie, I’m so glad it was a hit!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.