Creamy, colorful, crunchy and packed with vitamin C, this vegan coleslaw is an ideal easy vegan summer salad for your next BBQ, potluck or taco night. Your taste buds will thank you while you crunch down on refreshingly delicious cabbage mixed with a luscious vegan mayo dressing.

I don’t know about you, but the heat of the summer can really hamper my desire to cook. It’s just too dang hot sometimes. I mostly make salads, trying to incorporate as much seasonal produce as I can: for example, Mexican chopped salad, grilled peach salad, vegan couscous salad or watermelon feta salad.

Luckily, purple cabbage slaw is super easy to make, requires no cooking, and is packed full of nutrients.

What I love about this creamy coleslaw recipe is that it can be paired up easily with a multitude of dishes, or quickly whipped up as a fresh and simple addition to leftovers thus creating a whole new meal.

It’s also a healthier alternative to traditional coleslaw as it is made with my absolute favorite Vegan Cashew Mayo.

Vegan mayo and purple cabbage salad combined have the heavenly characteristics of both creamy and crunchy in one mouthful. In other words, utter satisfaction.

What is This Coleslaw Made of?

Beginning with the bright and colorful base of purple cabbage and carrots, this vegan coleslaw is an absolute delight to the eyes. Color has an interesting role regarding our taste.

When a food has a particular color, it signals to our brain how we think it should taste. For example, the color red tends to signal to our brains that the taste should be sweet. So in a way, we also taste with our eyes.

Purple cabbage

Purple cabbage is not only beautiful but incredibly nutritious. It’s an excellent source of vitamin K, packed with vitamin C, contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation, and finally it’s high in fiber which is great at assisting digestion.

Carrots

Carrots are the second basic ingredient. We all know that carrots are great for eye health.

But did you know they can also help lower blood cholesterol, help in weight loss, and even reduce the risk of cancer because of the carotenoids that are found in them? Yes, I too am learning new things every day!

Vegan Cashew Mayo

The veggies are mixed together with the above mentioned Vegan Cashew Mayo which is easy to make and can even be used all by itself as a dip, drizzle, or spread. Feel free to double the batch!

Tip: If you enjoy this vegan dressing, then you will love my Creamy Buddha Bowl dressing.

How Do You Soften Raw Cabbage?

I have a secret to share with you. Because of it’s potential to be a bit tough, raw cabbage may not be the first thought that comes to your mind when thinking about making salad. But don’t give up on cabbage yet! Here’s the secret: To make a perfectly crunchy yet tender red cabbage salad just use salt.

It’s as simple as that. Salt works wonders on cabbage. After salting the shredded leaves, they become tender, and the flavor is amplified.

How Do You Get Moisture Out of Cabbage?

Sick of soggy coleslaw? Toss your shredded cabbage with a bit of salt and let it sit in a colander for about an hour. Then simply squeeze out any excess moisture. This will keep that delectable crisp bite for a lot longer.

If you don’t have time, just scrunch it after you add salt until juices start to come out.

What is a Good Cabbage to Carrot Ratio in Coleslaw?

You may be wondering what the best cabbage to carrot ratio is?

Having a 2:1 cabbage carrot ratio is important for purple cabbage slaw because if there are too many carrots and not enough cabbage it’s no longer coleslaw!

Besides you’ll want to have the crunchy, sweet and tender flavor of the cabbage to be your highlight.

How to Make Vegan Coleslaw

This recipe is so quick and easy to prepare, all you need is:

7 ounces of shredded red cabbage
5 ounces of shredded carrots
2/3 cup of vegan cashew mayo
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine the shredded cabbage, carrots, parsley and cashew mayo. Simply stir to combine, season with salt and pepper to taste, and voila you’re done!

What Goes with This Summer Coleslaw?

The fantastic thing about this recipe is that you can use it not only as a side for a variety of dishes, but also as a filling or a topping.

If you’re not sure what to partner this creamy coleslaw recipe with, it makes a phenomenal side to my Perfect Vegan Sloppy Joes.

Try pairing it with tacos! You probably haven’t considered it, but Taco Tuesday will never be the same again because you can even use this red cabbage slaw for tacos. It’s crunchy – creaminess can liven up your taco in no time.

Other pairing ideas for this purple cabbage slaw are:

Vegan chili
Baked or roasted potato
Corn on the cob
Zucchini corn fritters
Sandwiches (try this vegan pulled jackfruit sandwich!)
With vegan pulled pork
With vegan buffalo wings
Use it as a filling in your favorite wrap.

Why This Recipe Works

It has minimal ingredients.
This recipe is incredibly easy to make.
It’s full of health and life.
You can easily bring it with you to a BBQ or a picnic.
It’s completely refreshing to eat on a hot day.

Cook’s Tips

To soften the cabbage and to get the excess moisture out of it, toss it with a bit of salt and let it sit in a colander for about an hour before squeezing out any excess moisture. Alternatively, just scrunch it with your hands after you add salt until juices start to come out.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge separately from the dressing for up to 3 days. If the cabbage releases liquid, drain it before putting in the salad.
Pair this salad with tacos, sloppy joes, chili, corn on the cob, sandwiches (best vegan pulled jackfruit sandwich), zucchini corn fritters, baked potatoes, vegan pulled pork or as a filling in wraps. Enjoy it as an easy and delicious side dish perfect for potlucks and summer BBQ.

Recipe Variations

You can use white cabbage instead of purple.
Try this buddha bowl dressing as an alternative to cashew vegan mayo.
You can omit parsley if you want to.

5 from 1 vote