This is THE best classic Coleslaw recipe. It’s perfectly flavorful and tangy, with lots of crunch, and easy to throw together thanks to a combination of bagged coleslaw plus some extra fresh ingredients. It’s the perfect side dish for any BBQ as it goes perfectly with smoked and grilled meats, and stuffed onto sandwiches like BBQ Pork or Corned Beef.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Dressing
- Mayonnaise – No Miracle Whip or fat-free mayo. Light is ok, but full fat is best.
- Dijon – Or other whole-grain mustard.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Granulated sugar
- Kosher salt
- Grated onion
- Celery seed – Make sure you’re using celery seed and not celery salt!
Coleslaw
- Bagged shredded cabbage with carrots – This is NOT a mix with a pre-made dressing pack inside. Just the bag of shredded cabbage with carrots. Make sure to not get the extra thin shreds, as those will get soggy in the dressing.
- Green bell pepper
- Carrot
How to Make Memphis-Style Coleslaw
- Empty a bag of shredded cabbage and carrots into a mixing bowl. Add some freshly chopped green pepper and shredded carrots. Set aside.
- Whisk together your dressing: mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, grated onion, mustard, and celery seed.
- Toss the dressing and cabbage mixture well and, for best results, let chill in the fridge for a bit to let all those flavors sink in before serving.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store leftover coleslaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days for best results.
- Cabbage holds up to dressing quite well, but you may want to eat leftovers on the earlier end if you like it more crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can definitely make this coleslaw several hours to a day ahead of time! It will stay good longer than that, but some of the cabbage may start to wilt after a couple of days.
In my opinion it’s just the right amount of sweet! If you prefer less sugar it’s absolutely ok to adjust it according to your taste.
Angel hair shreds are ok if you are going to be eating your coleslaw immediately. If you are making it ahead of time or think your might have leftovers it’s really best to use the thicker shreds as they will hold up to the dressing much better.
Memphis-Style Coleslaw
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon or whole-grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ heaping teaspoon Kosher salt or an even 1/2 teaspoon of table salt
- 1 tablespoons grated onion
- 2-2 ½ teaspoons celery seed NOT celery salt
Coleslaw
- 1 16- ounce bag shredded cabbage with carrots
- ½ minced green bell pepper
- 1 carrot peeled and grated
Instructions
Dressing
- In a small mixing bowl combine mayo, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, onion, and celery seed.
Coleslaw
- In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded cabbage, carrots, and green pepper. Toss with dressing and for best results refrigerate for 2-3 hours before using.
Notes
- Store leftover coleslaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days for best results.
- Cabbage holds up to dressing quite well, but you may want to eat leftovers on the earlier end if you like it more crispy.
- Use thick shredded cabbage for coleslaw that will hold up. Angel hair shredded cabbage will wilt pretty quickly so only use this if you plan to eat it immediately.
Questions & Reviews
Just made this a few hours ago to go on top of my BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches and OH MY it is delicious. Thanks so much my friend! YUM. I wanna eat it plain (and plan to) and lick the bowl (might do that too).
Looks great! I have a BBQ this week-end. maybe I'll try it
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Denissa ♥
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I've been needing a good coleslaw recipe…this looks perfect. Thanks!
Looks great! Just wanted to let you know that I'm doing a post on my blog to brag about how AWESOME your blog is!! I have a link, hope you get a lot of new visitors!
Keep up the amazing recipes, and most importantly thanks for sharing!! 🙂
My husband tells me he doesn't like cabbage and doesn't like mayo but he loves coleslaw. Whatever! I've never found a recipe that I've liked but this one looks just perfect.
I know your pain. I have a grand daughter that doesn’t like nuts or chocolate, but eats Nutella everyday for breakfast. What’s up with that!
This looks like a Coleslaw I could live with! Especially on top of a yummy bbque pork sandwich–served on a crusty roll. Can I eat this for breakfast??
Go figure. Im making coleslaw today for the BBQ. I will be trying your recipe. Thanks