Favorite Healthy Coleslaw

This vinegar-based coleslaw recipe is our favorite healthy coleslaw recipe! It's simple and has texture and crunch in all the right places. Tossed in a smooth and balanced slaw vinaigrette, all the slaw veggies are evenly coated for a delicious, cohesive salad. Plus, it looks like a freaking rainbow.

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This simple, vinegar-based coleslaw recipe is our absolute favorite healthy coleslaw! It includes classic coleslaw ingredients, like cabbage and carrots, plus some green onion and fresh parsley for more flavor. For extra saltiness and crunch, we toss in sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Then we toss everything in a simple and healthy coleslaw vinaigrette that has the perfect balance of olive oil, rice vinegar, and agave.

What we love about this slaw is that it's all-purpose. It can be used as an easy side dish, a main salad base, for topping tacos or barbecue pulled pork sandwiches, or even for topping other types of sandwiches, burgers, and wraps.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions & Variations
• Storage
• Healthy Coleslaw FAQs
• Favorite Healthy Coleslaw

Ingredients

This healthy coleslaw has a wide array colorful veggies and packs a TON of nutrients in one delicious, crunchy dish.

• Red cabbage - Cabbage is the primary ingredients in this healthy coleslaw recipe, and purple cabbage adds a beautiful hue.
• Green cabbage - For cabbage number two, we'll use green for slightly different flavor of cabbage, plus more color.
• Green onions - We love onions for flavor and opted for milder one in this recipe.
• Parsley - Fresh parsley brings an incredibly fresh flavor to this coleslaw.
• Carrots - We'll shred these up and add them for flavor, plus they add a nice pop of orange.
• Sunflower seeds - For saltiness, flavor, and crunch.
• Sesame seeds - For even more crunch and texture (never enough!).
• Extra virgin olive oil - Our favorite salad dressing staple.
• Rice vinegar - We love rice vinegar because it's mild and mellow.
• Agave - Or maple syrup or honey (agave and maple syrup keep this coleslaw vegan).
• Salt - A simple but important ingredient that makes flavors pop.

Instructions

First, vigorously shake together the extra virgin olive oil, rice vinegar, agave syrup, and salt in a tightly sealed mason jar. Then, pour it into a large bowl and add the green onions. Allow the onions to macerate in the vinaigrette for a few minutes (macerating means soaking in vinegar or acid to help soften and mellow the flavor).

Next, starting adding in the carrots and cabbage, tossing gently to make sure all veggies are coated in the vinaigrette.

Finally, add in the sunflower seeds and sesame seeds, and gently use two spoons to toss or one spoon to stir, so that all ingredients are evenly distributed.

And that's it! You've got yourself an incredible-tasting, simple, and healthy coleslaw recipe.

Substitutions & Variations

The following substitutions & variations can be made to adjust this recipe to your preferences or pantry inventory!

• Vinegar - I love rice vinegar in this recipe, but you can easily substitute other vinegars! I recommend a vinegar that's light in color such as sherry vinegar (aged for sweeter flavor), apple cider vinegar, or champagne vinegar. Right now, I can't get enough of O Olive Oil vinegars!
• Spicy - For a spicier version of this coleslaw, sprinkle a touch of red pepper flakes, cayenne, or red chili paste into the vinaigrette before shaking everything together.
• Sesame vinaigrette - You can also take a number from this Asian slaw with ramen and make a vinaigrette with ¼ cup toasted sesame oil + ¼ cup tamari + ¼ cup rice vinegar + 2 tablespoons maple syrup + juice of a fresh orange.

Storage

You can store this healthy coleslaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. We don't recommend freezing, as these fresh ingredients won't maintain their texture once frozen.

Healthy Coleslaw FAQs

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