Quick Purple Cabbage Slaw (for Pulled Pork + More!)

This creamy purple cabbage slaw is made with thinly sliced red and green cabbage, and carrots; all tossed with a creamy homemade dressing. It comes together in 15 minutes, without sugar, making it the perfect topping for pulled pork and more.

A Creamy Purple Cabbage Slaw Recipe for Everyday

This is one of those side dishes that’s so simple it hardly needs an actual recipe. I make it so often, though, and it’s such a go-to in our house that I knew I had to share it with you here so you can make it too! This easy red cabbage slaw is a great vegetable side to have in your weeknight arsenal and an effortless way to add more veggies into your day. 

The colorful mix of green and red cabbage, together with shredded carrots and the creamy homemade dressing create the most delightful, crunchy coleslaw that you’ll wanna add to everything. Whether it’s a topping for pulled pork tacos tacos, slow cooked pulled pork & anything grilled (like this brown sugar pork tenderloin) – trust me, this slaw instantly elevates any dish!

This recipe requires no cooking at all & truly couldn’t be simpler to throw together. It’s really just a matter of thinly slicing some cabbage, and maybe a carrot or two, if you like. Then a quick whisking together of some mayo (or Greek yogurt if you’re not a may fan), a squeeze of lime juice, a little sprinkling of salt – finally toss everything together and you’re good to go! As an added bonus, the slaw gets better as it sits, so it’s the perfect make-ahead option for potlucks or backyard barbecues.

A Few Tips for Thinly Slicing Cabbage and Carrots At Home

The crunchy texture of this is everything, so slicing the ingredients very thin makes a BIG difference! If you also like a finely shredded slaw – it’s easy enough to shred your own cabbage and carrots at home. For the cabbage, I like to use a sharp chef’s knife to cut it into quarters, then cut out & discard the core, and thinly slice each quarter by hand into thin ribbons. For really uniform slices, you could also use a mandoline or use the shredding attachment with your food processor. For carrots, I find a grater or using a food processor with the grating attachment to be the quickest method, but a julienne peeler works too.

Key Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions

• Cabbage: I used a combination of green and purple cabbage for this recipe but you can use all green cabbage or all purple cabbage, either way comes out great! You can use store bought coleslaw mix if you like, otherwise try to slice the cabbage as thin as you can for the best texture.
• Carrots: These grated carrots are optional but they’re a delicious addition if you’ve got them! They add some natural sweetness, extra crunch and another hit of color to the finished dish!
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice adds acidity, fresh flavor and brightness to this creamy slaw. You could also use white balsamic or white wine vinegar in place of the lime juice.
• Honey: The honey adds a little bit of sweetness that balances the other flavors in the purple cabbage slaw. I find most traditional slaw recipes use way too much sugar, but a little sweetness does help balance everything out.
• Mayonnaise: You can make this cole slaw with any kind of mayo you like – including traditional, avocado mayonnaise, or vegan mayo for an egg-free option. Or make it with Greek yogurt for an easy no mayo cabbage slaw option.
• Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a subtler flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.

This Recipe Is…

Dairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreePaleoVegetarian

4.86 stars (7 ratings)

Quick Purple Cabbage Slaw (for Pulled Pork + More!)

by Robyn Conley Downs

Servings: 6 cups

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 0 minutes mins

Total: 15 minutes mins

This quick creamy purple cabbage slaw is made with thinly sliced red and green cabbage, carrots, and a creamy homemade dressing. It comes together in 15 minutes, making it the perfect for pulled pork or as a colorful veggie side!

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1-2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, or Greek yogurt
• 6 cups very thinly sliced cabbage (purple, green or a combination of the two)
• 2 large carrots, grated (optional)

Equipment

• Chef's Knife
• Cutting Board

Instructions 

• In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, honey, salt and mayonnaise or yogurt, stirring until well combined.
• Add the cabbage and carrots if using, stirring until the cabbage is well coated.
• Let sit at least 5 minutes for the flavors to combine. Toss again and serve.

Notes

• This recipe makes about 6 cups of cabbage slaw.
• If you have time, allow the slaw to sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes for the flavors to combine and the cabbage to soften a bit.
• For vegan, be sure to use vegan mayo and skip the honey and swap with sugar. For egg-free, be sure to use vegan mayo or Greek yogurt.
• For more ingredients & modifications, see the blog post above.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 62kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 153mg, Potassium: 191mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 3471IU, Vitamin C: 28mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition disclaimer

Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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