Is coleslaw healthy for a diet?

Yes, coleslaw is healthy as it is a vegetable laden salad. However, you do need to pay attention to the salad dressing and ensure it's not high in saturated fats.

How to make coleslaw healthy?

Making your own homemade coleslaw is a lot healthier than buying store bought coleslaw. Coleslaw is made by mixing crunchy shredded vegetables and fresh herbs, which are healthy and full of fiber, minerals and vitamins. The trick is then to dress it in a oil and vinegar based dressing, without adding any extra fats like mayonnaise to the mix.

Healthy Coleslaw

This Healthy Coleslaw is my go-to coleslaw recipe. I make this slaw at least every other week, especially over the warm summer months.

It’s a versatile recipe, so feel free to add in any other crunchy veggies that you and your family enjoy eating.

The dressing on this Coleslaw is light and super simple.

I make this healthy coleslaw recipe without mayo, instead my dressing combines white vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and honey, with dill seed and celery seed. I love a vinegar based slaw!

This slaw also holds up well as leftovers so I like to make a big batch for quick lunches or to add as a topping to mid week meals like sandwiches, tacos or burgers.

I love serving coleslaw with a meal, this easy salad is full of crunch and texture. Here are some of my other easy slaw recipes, my Classic Coleslaw, Jalapeno Coleslaw, Easy Mango Cabbage Coleslaw, Caribbean Coleslaw, and this Mexican Coleslaw.

Why You’ll Love this Healthy Coleslaw Recipe

Easy Preparation: This easy coleslaw recipe is quick to prepare, ready to enjoy in just 15 minutes.
Light: This coleslaw uses a red wine vinegar dressing instead of a creamy dressing. This makes it extra light and is great for those who want a dairy-free slaw or a lower calorie option without sacrificing flavor.
Versatile Side Dish: You can use this slaw in a lot of ways. You can eat it as a side dish or you can add it to rice bowls, hummus bowls, to top your seafood, add to wraps, salads or sandwiches.

Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need

Coleslaw Ingredients

Cabbage: I use around half a large head of white or green cabbage.
Carrots: I used 2 medium carrots and shredded them, or you could use 1 cup of ready prepared matchstick carrots.
Radishes: I use around 4 radishes in this slaw. Radish adds just a bit of sharpness to the other veggies.
Fresh Herbs: add some chopped parsley for a burst of fresh herb flavor.

Dressing Ingredients

Vinegar: I use white vinegar to add acidity to the dressing.
Oil: when it comes to salad dressing extra virgin olive oil is always my go-to as it has a great nutty flavor.
Honey: some runny honey adds sweetness to the dressing, you could also use sugar, or maple syrup.
Seasoning: I flavor the dressing with dill seeds, celery seeds, sea salt and black pepper.

For exact ingredient amounts and instructions, see the full recipe card below.

Recipe Variations

This recipe is versatile and easy to adapt to suit your tastes:

Cabbage: I’ve used white cabbage in this recipe, but you could use green or red cabbage too.
Vegetables: Addition vegetables add a nice colorful, nutritional element to the slaw. Try mixing in zucchini noodles, fresh corn, red onion, bell pepper, sliced cucumber, green onions, pickled vegetables or pickled red onions.
Fresh Herbs: In addition to the parsley, try adding in some extra fresh herbs, like basil, cilantro, mint or dill.
Vinegar: This recipe uses white vinegar. Try swapping for apple cider vinegar, red or white wine vinegar, rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
Seeds and Nuts: I love adding nuts and seeds to add crunch and texture. Try toasted sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped pistachios, sliced almonds, walnuts or pecans.
Fruit: Fruit can add a sweetness to the slaw. Try fruits like pineapple, mango, or apples for a sweet and fruity twist.
Citrus: Grate citrus zest like lemon zest or lime zest into the slaw for a zesty kick. Citrus juice like lemon juice or fresh lime juice can also add brightness to the overall flavor.

How to Make Healthy Coleslaw

Step 1: Combine the Vegetables

In a large bowl combine the cabbage, carrots and radishes.

Step 2: Make the Dressing

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the white vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, dill seeds and celery seeds.

Healthy Coleslaw dressing going in salad

Step 3: Dress & Serve the Slaw

Pour the dressing over the cabbage and stir until the dressing coats the coleslaw. Sprinkle the parsley on the salad.

Serve as a side salad or topping for sandwiches, like BBQ Pork Sandwiches.

Expert Tips for Perfect Coleslaw

If you have a food processor this coleslaw is super easy to make, use it to shred each vegetable in a matter of seconds
If you want to take an easy short-cut you can buy a bag of coleslaw mix or you can buy a bag of shredded cabbage and a bag of matchstick carrots.
Take time to taste the salad dressing and the coleslaw once it’s dressed. Proper seasoning makes a big difference to the flavor of the finished slaw.
Sometimes I will make a double batch of the dressing because the salad soaks up the dressing if you are making it before a get together. It is nice to have more dressing on hand to add in when you are ready to serve.