This lighter creamy coleslaw recipe combines mayo and plain yoghurt for a slightly lighter take on the classic recipe. The essential side dish for BBQ’s, parties and much more!
A good coleslaw recipe is a great thing to have up your sleeve for the Summer months!
This easy light and creamy coleslaw recipe is perfect for picnics, BBQ’s, buffets or a side dish for countless dishes.
It’s creamy without being too rich or claggy, thanks to the addition of plain yoghurt. The dressing is the perfect balance of sharp and sweet, but it can be adjusted to your own taste (we’re all different, after all) by adding a little more vinegar, mustard or maple syrup.
ingredient list for creamy coleslaw
- 1 small white cabbage – you could use a red cabbage.
- 3-4 carrots. I use a box grater to shred the carrots.
- red onion. You can swap this for a white onion if you like.
- FOR THE DRESSING
- full fat or light mayonnaise
- Plain yoghurt
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- cider or white wine vinegar
- dijon or wholegrain mustard
- apricot jam or maple syrup. Apricot jam might sound strange in coleslaw, but it adds a subtle sweetness. I tried it one day when I was out of maple syrup and it worked perfectly. But if the idea appalls you, please feel free to use maple syrup instead!
- If you have no apricot jam or maple syrup, add 1/2-1 teaspoon of white caster sugar when adding the salt and pepper to the shredded cabbage.
how to make creamy coleslaw
Step one – Shred the cabbage as finely as you can.
Step two – Coarsely grate the carrots and chop the red onion into small dice. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and a generous grinding of black pepper.
Step three – Whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Pour over the vegetables.
Step four – toss everything together until the vegetables are completely coated in the dressing. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the bowl with cling film and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
variations
- For a slightly richer coleslaw, swap the natural yoghurt for sour cream.
- Feel free to swap the red onion for spring onions if you prefer. I like to sprinkle the finished coleslaw with chopped spring onions or chives, but it’s not essential.
- For extra crunch, stir in some chopped walnuts or pecans. You could also add some finely diced celery.
- Apple coleslaw – Stir in a chopped apple for a delicious fruity twist.
how long will this homemade creamy coleslaw keep for?
Homemade coleslaw will keep in the fridge for a few days. It might look a little bit watery after storing for a while, but a good stir should fix that.
can you freeze coleslaw?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing coleslaw. Mayo tends to separate after being frozen, so you would end up with a rather unappetising, watery coleslaw.
what to serve with this lighter creamy coleslaw
This creamy coleslaw would be perfect with my Southern fried chicken or piled in a brioche burger bun with my slow cooker pulled pork.
It would also make a great side dish for my crispy air fryer chicken wings, chicken Schnitzel, or this orange marmalade glazed ham.
Of course, you can’t beat freshly made coleslaw piled on a baked potato with grated cheese or in a sandwich with ham or cheese.
Lighter Creamy Coleslaw
Everyone loves classic creamy coleslaw. This recipe has both mayo and yoghurt for a slightly lighter take on the classic recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 small white cabbage, cored and finely shredded
- 4 carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 red onion, peeled and finely diced OR 3-4 spring onions, finely sliced
- Salt and Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 200g mayonnaise
- 100g plain (natural) yoghurt
- 2 tsp white wine or cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp apricot jam OR maple syrup (if you don't have either, add 1/2 tsp caster sugar when you add the salt and pepper)
- 100g chopped walnuts (optional)
- Finely sliced spring onions to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place the shredded cabbage, grated carrots and red onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Whisk together the mayo, yoghurt, vinegar, apricot jam or maple syrup. Pour this over the shredded vegetables and toss coat.
- Season and stir through the chopped walnuts, if using. Top with finely sliced spring onions, if using.
Notes
This coleslaw is best made a few hours ahead of time if possible.
It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For a slightly richer coleslaw, swap the plain yoghurt for sour cream.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 240Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 179mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 3g