Memphis-Style Coleslaw

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.

coleslaw recipe

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

  1. Empty a bag of shredded cabbage and carrots into a mixing bowl. Add some freshly chopped green pepper and shredded carrots. Set aside.
  2. Whisk together your dressing: mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, grated onion, mustard, and celery seed.
  3. 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.
coleslaw recipe

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

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.

Is this a sweet coleslaw?

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.

Can I use angel hair cabbage shreds?

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.

The perfect coleslaw in a bowl

Memphis-Style Coleslaw

5 from 22 votes
This classic coleslaw is the perfect side dish for a barbecue, alongside fried chicken, or on top of a classic pulled pork sandwich.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings6

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. 

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 508mg, Potassium: 211mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1838IU, Vitamin C: 37mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dishes
Cuisine: BBQ
Keyword: bbq, cabbage salad, coleslaw
Calories: 302kcal
Author: Our Best Bites
Cost: $5
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
woman in denim shirt holding a salad bowl
Meet The Author

Sara Wells

Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite RecipesSavoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara’s work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting MagazineBetter Homes & GardensFine CookingThe Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.

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Questions & Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    I made the Memphis-style coleslaw for a family gathering last month & everyone LOVED it!???? Now, I’m in charge of the coleslaw for EVERY family gathering!! Thank you for sharing… it WAS delicious, if I do say so myself (jk)!!????????

  2. 5 stars
    Just finished making a double batch!
    Found this a couple weeks ago and tried it with pulled pork. My husband started out leary, but on our last trip to Sam’s club he grabbed a big bag of coleslaw and came home from work today and asked me to make it again!
    This is very much like the coleslaw I grew up with and couldn’t replicate from my mother. It will be what I take to my next get together with the girls pot luck!
    Thank you very much for this post!!!

  3. Need to revisit this recipe again. I’ve been making this one for almost a DECADE! It is absolutely my favorite. If I’m in the right mood, I can sit with a bowl of this instead of a bowl of ice cream.

    The only correction is I call it “slaw” (southeast US) and it goes on my BBQ (which is pulled pork).

  4. 5 stars
    Ladies – Hosted a n’hood party tonight and served this slaw; generously piled high in pulled pork sandwiches w/pickles. Thanks to you, I am a hero in my kitchen, but you ladies deserve all the credit. Bravo to you – keep up the great work!!

  5. 5 stars
    Ditto,
    We’ve made this several times now. I have been halving 1/2 the recipe, since the first time made so much. Like others, I am not a big cabbage fan and didn’t grow up eating slaw. My grandmother made me eat hers once, but haven’t got the recipe.

    We have this one added to our book. And again today we made another batch.

    Thumbs up!!!

    P.S. Nothing was altered

  6. 5 stars
    I made this tonight exactly and followed the recipe exactly. We ate it with pulled pork sandwiches. My family and I agreed it was the BEST coleslaw we have had! Delicious, and I too… could not stop eating it out of the bowl! Thanks for sharing!

  7. 5 stars
    My new go-to slaw dressing!! Tweaked it a bit, probably added a bit more Dijon, 1 1/2 tbs sugar, 1/2 tbs celery seed, no bell pepper, but, wow! Sure was yummy. This is a keeper! Thanks for sharing!

  8. 5 stars
    This is seriously the BEST coleslaw recipe – EVER! And I’m not a huge coleslaw fan. 😉 I made it today to go with some BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, and I could not stop eating it right out of the bowl! I thought the celery seed amount was absolutely perfect (for my tastes anyway). This one is DEFINITELY going into my “The Best…” recipe file!!!

  9. Go ahead and consume the regular mayo without remorse. I heard someone say this last week “low fat products are a chemical s*** storm!” Truth. I wouldn’t repeat it, except that I totally agree!

  10. 5 stars
    I had some cabbage to use up and decided to make coleslaw for dinner. Found this wonderful recipe on Pinterest! It’s a savory, thicker dressing, not a sweet nor thin one, and it’s delicious! I’m so glad I found you!

  11. 5 stars
    Tried this recipe when I realized I did not have any white vinegar (my “regular” recipe). This is now my favorite. Made it 4 times so far. Always great.

  12. 5 stars
    Best coleslaw…I always gets TONS of compliments on it. Even my husband, who is not a “creamy salad” kind of guy, loves it!

  13. celery seed is not the same as celery salt. Opps, a bit too salty . . . wish I would have noticed that before I put in the 1/2tsp of table salt.

  14. Beats me why people think this is so good.
    I had to make coleslaw for a family picnic and tried this the day before.
    It is the yuckiest coleslaw that I have ever tasted. Even refrigerated it overnight thinking that it might taste better the next day. Nope. Ran to the grocery store at the last minute and bought their coleslaw which was 10 times better than this.
    Really disappointed.

  15. 5 stars
    OMG. I made this for tomorrow. I just tried it after the flavors had time to mingle. It was SOOO good. I shouldn’t be surprised, I’ve never tried a recipe of yours that I didn’t like.