Best Healthy Vegan Coleslaw

This Vegan Coleslaw makes a perfect side dish option for cookouts and potlucks and can be ready in less than 15-minutes. The healthy oil-free dressing is what really sets this recipe apart.

My husband is a huge coleslaw fan, and this is the recipe I have been making for 30 years, only now it’s much healthier and made without any oil or dairy products.

We love this vegan coleslaw because it’s…

• Creamy
• Crunchy
• Perfectly sweet
• Simple to make
• Packed full of wholesome ingredients
• Great for picnics
• Delicious

Southern coleslaw

We live in the Carolinas where slaw is basically a staple. It is always served at picnics, barbecues, and family gatherings.

The problem came when we switched to a healthier plant-based lifestyle because traditional slaw is made with mayonnaise–the kind loaded with cholesterol and saturated.

Regular mayonnaise is made with eggs. Did you know that a medium-sized egg has 213 mg of cholesterol? A Burger King Whopper has 65 mg of cholesterol, and if you add cheese that goes up to 85 mg. Seriously eye-opening!

Thankfully, there’s a much better mayo option for this healthy coleslaw recipe.

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

Low-fat vegan mayonnaise

Since that was no longer an option for us, I had to come up with a healthy solution, and it wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined. We now love Easy Eggless Low-Fat Mayo, and it’s so simple to make with only 5 ingredients–tofu, red wine vinegar, sweetener, salt, and Dijon mustard– and a blender.

How to make vegan coleslaw

This coleslaw is so simple to make with the traditional ingredients that you will find in most any coleslaw salad recipe.

Homemade coleslaw ingredients

• cabbage
• carrots
• onion
• vinegar
• relish
• sweetener (optional but recommended)
• vegan low-fat mayo
• salt, and pepper

I like to use pre-shredded slaw to make this recipe to save time. These prepackaged bags can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. Just be sure to purchase the one that is veggies only. Some come with a premade dressing that isn’t a healthy option, and you won’t need it for this coleslaw salad recipe.

You’ll also want to dice a red onion or another onion variety of your choice. I like the red or purple onion because it makes this an even more beautifully colorful side dish.

The healthy oil-free coleslaw dressing

The dressing for this coleslaw begins with my delicious and healthy Eggless Low-Fat Mayo. Simply combine the 5-ingredients and process in a blender for about 1-minute until nice and creamy.

Combine 3/4 cup of the freshly made vegan mayo with the other dressing ingredients–vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper–in a medium bowl and whisk together well.

Combining the coleslaw ingredients

Pour coleslaw dressing mixture into chopped veggies (cabbage mixture, diced onion, relish, sweetener, and salt & pepper and combine to coat thoroughly.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Colorful, crunchy, creamy. No one will ever realize it’s actually healthy!

What to serve with vegan coleslaw

• vegan bbq sandwiches
• baked beans
• corn on the cob
• sloppy joes
• bbq tempeh
• sandwiches
• carrot dogs
• black bean burgers 
• and so much more…

Tips for making vegan coleslaw

• Use pre-shredded coleslaw mix in a bag to cut down on the time needed to prepare this recipe.
• The vegan mayo recipe will make a little more than needed for this dish, and I suggest saving the rest to try on sandwiches and wraps.
• Though any variety of onions can be used, I like to use red onion to make this dish even more like a rainbow of color.
• Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

*Original publish date January 31, 2015

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!

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Vegan Coleslaw

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This is a delicious classic! But with no dairy, and a fraction of the fat. Colorful, crunchy, creamy. No one will ever realize it's actually healthy!

Print

Ingredients

Coleslaw

• 8 ounces pre-shredded coleslaw mixture 
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/4 cup sweet pickel relish
• 3/4 cup low-fat mayo
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2-3 tablespoons sugar, (I used unrefined sugar, sucanat)
• 1 teaspoon salt, (add more to taste)
• black pepper

Low-fat Vegan Mayo

• 1 package of silken firm tofu (12-15 oz)
• 1 tablespoon healthy sweetener as above
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijion mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Begin by making the homemade vegan mayonnaise above that is as simple as combining the 5 ingredients in a blender.
2. Place approximately 8 oz of the pre-shredded slaw mixture in a large bowl.
3. Dice the onion and add it to the bowl along with the relish.
4. Combine 3/4 cup of the freshly made vegan mayo with the other dressing ingredients–vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper–in a medium bowl and whisk together well.
5. Pour coleslaw dressing mixture into coleslaw veggies (cabbage mixture, diced onion, relish, sweetener, and salt & pepper and combine to coat thoroughly.
6. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

Notes

Tips for making vegan coleslaw

• Use pre-shredded coleslaw mix in a bag to cut down on the time needed to prepare this recipe.
• The vegan mayo recipe will make a little more than needed for this dish, and I suggest saving the rest to try on sandwiches and wraps.
• Though any variety of onions can be used, I like to use red onion to make this dish even more like a rainbow of color.
• Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Mori-Nu Tofu, Silken Style, Extra Firm, 12.3-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 3)
• 
  Cuisinart CTG-00-SMB Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Lids, Set of 3

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 76Total Fat: 1.5gCarbohydrates: 2.5gFiber: 2.3gProtein: 3.6g

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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