Sweet Coleslaw is a favorite Southern BBQ side. Creamy slaw with an easy mayo-based dressing with vinegar, celery seed, and sugar in minutes.
If you love this Easy Coleslaw recipe, but wish it was little more classic Southern style, aka with a lil’ more sugary sweetness, you’ll love this new summer Side Recipe. Southern Sweet Slaw is sure to be your new favorite cookout dish!
Coleslaw is one of those side dishes that can be really good or… well let’s just say a lot of people think they don’t like coleslaw based on a few bad bites. If you are a coleslaw skeptic, this is the slaw recipe you’ve been waiting for. Forget the soggy, soupy coleslaws of the past and get ready for crunchy, sweet, tangy goodness that’s the perfect side dish or condiment for any BBQ!
This Sweet Coleslaw has a creamy dressing that is just the right amount to lightly coat the shredded cabbage and carrots. With just 5 simple ingredients and less than 5 minutes, you get a delicious sweet slaw sauce. A bag of coleslaw mix makes this recipe even easier but if you want to shred your own veggies, we have the amounts you will need in the FAQ.
Celery salt is the secret ingredient to make this Sweet Coleslaw recipe stand out. A small amount adds so much earthy, slightly bitter celery flavor that balances all the seasonings so each bite hits every taste bud. With the addition of the celery salt you’ll use poppy seeds to add the distinct look you get with Sweet Coleslaw.
If you prefer to skip the poppy seeds, you can use celery seed instead of celery salt in your recipe. Celery seeds will add a texture similar to poppy seeds. Make sure to use whole celery seed to make this substitution.
This Sweet Coleslaw is great for making ahead. Since your veggies aren’t swimming in dressing, they will stay nice and crunchy for a few days. Double this coleslaw recipe to feed a crowd or for leftovers to top sandwiches, hot dogs, or just as a cool, creamy summer afternoon snack.
Easy Summer Recipes to Serve with Sweet Coleslaw
Easy Pulled Pork
BBQ Pulled Chicken
Oven Fried Chicken (Super Crispy!)
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
Make it ahead of time!
If you are making Sweet Coleslaw in advance, simply prepare and cover tightly with plastic wrap in your serving container. Toss the coleslaw right before serving and enjoy! You should not freeze coleslaw since the sauce will separate during freezing and won’t come back together right when thawed. This is such a quick recipe, you should just make it the morning of your party without having to worry about thawing and a broken dressing.
Sweet Coleslaw is perfect as a cookout side dish or for topping Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches. Try this sweet slaw on top of some chili dogs (or Chili Dog Casserole) for a Southern ballpark inspired meal!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Instead of store bought coleslaw mix, make your own with shredded 4 cups green cabbage, 1 cup red cabbage and 1 cup shredded carrots.
Broccoli slaw mix, finely sliced red onions or yellow onions, diced green onion, and shredded zucchini can be used in coleslaw.
Yes! Sweet pickle relish and dill pickle relish can be added to your coleslaw for more tangy sweetness. Use 2 tablespoon of each relish for perfect balance.
Use grated onion, onion powder, caraway seeds, poppy seeds, or mustard to add flavor to this creamy sweet slaw.
For a lighter coleslaw recipe, swap ½ cup mayonnaise with sour cream or plain greek yogurt. If you want a no-mayo based dressing, use all sour cream or greek yogurt. Keep in mind it won’t be as creamy and much tangier.
More Summer Cookout Side Dishes
Baked Mac and Cheese
Southern Baked Beans
KFC Coleslaw (Copycat)
Easy Macaroni Salad
How to Store Sweet Coleslaw
- Serve: This Sweet Cole Slaw gets better with time. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving and only keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Store: Store your Sweet Cole Slaw in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. As it breaks down, add more coleslaw mix to keep it fresh longer.
- Freeze: You don’t want to freeze leftover prepared coleslaw. When the dressing thaws the texture will be off and separated.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 16 ounces coleslaw mix
Instructions
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, celery salt, and poppy seeds in a large bowl.
- Toss well with coleslaw mix.
- Chill at least 4 hours to let the cabbage soften and the flavors combine, but the longer it chills the better.
Video
Nutrition
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I used 3/4 c of mayo (I like it creamy) and I used celery seeds instead of poppies and celery salt. It turned out great
I just made this for lunch for my husband but did it dump style, leaving out the poppyseeds since we didn’t have any on hand, and mixing it all at once. I left it sit on the counter while I cooked up some stadium style brats with onions and a little bacon fat.
My husbands response when I asked how it was, “ Wow babe, this is @&$?!&$ awesome! Best coleslaw I have ever had!” I made sure to ask if that comment contained sarcasm to which he insured me it did not.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Love this!Thank you!
Tablespoon of poppy seeds seems like a typo as that’s quite a lot! They started with half a tablespoon but that was way to much for us. I’ve cut it down to 1/2 a teaspoon and that seems to be the right amount.
The best!
I do not have any celery salt, is there a subtitution I can use instead?
Take the fckn video off the part I’m supposed to read.
Can the sugar be replaced with Monk fruit or erythritol ?
Awesome!!!
My new favorite recipe for our slow cooker barbecue chicken sandwiches.
The very BEST coleslaw!!! I added raisins and changed the apple cider vinegar to white wine vinegar. It’s milder to me and my nose can’t let me get past the smell so white wine vinegar is a good substitute. Your recipe is so good I sent a group message on messenger to ALL my family and friends telling them how great it is and that they MUST try it! I’ve made it a lot of times since discovering it! Even in winter! I can’t thank you enough!!
Very easy to put together. So easy you can’t believe that it can be that easy to make something that easy that tastes great!
Fast, easy and delish! Fam loved it. Thanks.
Thanks for the 5 stars, Jacqueline.
I have a silly question. By coleslaw mix, are you referring to something like Marzetti slaw dressing?
No, it’s just a prepackaged mix of shredded cabbage (sometimes with carrot) which allows to get make coleslaw a lot easier and quicker. Enjoy!
Instead of sugar I use 2 tablespoons of condensed milk. Thanks for this recipe
Thanks for the suggestion.
There are times when only a sweet slaw will do. This one is IT! Celery Salt is a ‘secret ingredient’ in many of my recipes. Whenever I use it, I omit adding any regular salt. It really ramps up the flavor, especially in cold side-dish salads. Well, I guess I just let the cat out of my bag, didn’t I? (LOL)
Haha, the secret is safe with me.
I made this two nights ago and it’s so good! I’ll be making another batch this weekend.
I’m so glad you love it so much!
how long can the dressing stay in the fridge, i live alone so i don’t want to mix a whole batch of coleslaw and have to eat it every day, bit just when i want some.
It’ll last up to about a week in the refrigerator. You can always use the slider tool on the recipe card to adjust the serving size and make a smaller batch if you’d like. Enjoy!
Sabrina
What is the coleslaw mix?
Thanks
I’m from Brazil and se don’t have it
Coleslaw mix is a prepackaged mix of shredded cabbage (and sometimes carrot) which just allows this dish to come together much quicker.
My cabbage usually have a bitter taste and a particular smell after awhile in the refrigerator. What are my not doing right?
When cabbage is cut it releases enzymes that can cause a bitter taste and pungent aroma. Try soaking the shredded cabbage in cold water for a half an hour. Hope this helps for next time.
Thank you for this lil secret tip.
I am happy for this question and answer! Learn something new every day!