Quick Mexican Slaw (for Tacos & More!)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Aug 7, 2023 (last updated Oct 28, 2025) 
Ready in 15 minutes and ultra easy to prep, this zesty and fresh Mexican slaw is the perfect topping for tacos, as a side for enchiladas, and more. It’s a versatile coleslaw made without mayo, featuring crunchy cabbage, grated carrots, and a smokey-sweet dressing that’s fast and easy.
5 star review
“This salad is so nutritious with a fresh, delicious crunchy and great for lunch or dinner. Simple to make. I give this coleslaw recipe a 5 out of 5. The best!”
– Jacqueline
This Quick No-Mayo Cabbage Slaw Will Elevate Tacos + More
If you’re looking for a simple side dish for enchiladas and chili, or even a Mexican slaw for fish tacos, this simple coleslaw recipe is it! While not an authentic Mexican recipe, this cabbage slaw leans on Mexican-inspired flavors and ingredients, and pairs perfectly with Mexican-inspired dishes.
I used my favorite (mayo-free!) honey chipotle dressing for this simple coleslaw, with some small tweaks to the original recipe. And the great thing about this dressing is that you can mix it up ahead of time to have on hand (it lasts in the fridge for 1-2 weeks), so this recipe is even easier to throw together for any meal.
The homemade dressing give this slaw a tangy, slightly sweet and savory twist, and has a little kick from the chipotles that livens up and brightens any Tex-Mex dish. Truly, I can’t get enough of this cabbage and carrot slaw, on its own (I’ve been known to eat it directly out of the bowl)!
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Mexican Cabbage Slaw
Got Extra Chipotle? Here’s What to Do with It!
If you have leftover chipotle in adobo after making this recipe, freeze it for the next time you make this recipe in a small zip top bag. Bonus, you don’t even have to defrost next time you use it – just slice off what you need!
Make it Even Easier
Similar to my creamy cabbage slaw, this crunchy coleslaw comes together in just 15 minutes even with all the chopping. However, if you want to save even more time and make prep ultra simple, use a bagged coleslaw mix (look for a bag without the dressing included) as well as pre-shredded carrots.
Mexican Slaw (for Tacos & More!)
Ingredients
For the Honey Chipotle Dressing
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons minced chipotle peppers, from a can of chipotles in adobo
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup avocado oil, or other neutral flavored oil such as canola
For the Mexican Slaw
- 6-7 cups thinly sliced cabbage, or 1 (16-oz) bag coleslaw mix
- 2 cups shredded or grated carrots
- ½ cup sliced green onion
- ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the garlic, salt, chipotle, and honey, lime juice, and whisk to combine. Slowly stream in the avocado oil and whisk until well combined.
- Add the cabbage, carrots, green onion, and cilantro, tossing to coat.
- Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes for the dressing to absorb, then serve.
Notes
- See blog post for ingredient substitutions, serving suggestions, storage, and more.
This salad is so nutritious and fresh delicious crunchy and great for anytime lunch or dinner. Simple to make. I would give this Cole slaw recipe a 5 out of 5 the best
Wonderful to hear you enjoyed this easy coleslaw recipe, Jacqueline! Thanks so much for leaving a review. 🙂
I’m going to make this tonight to use as a salad bed for Tuesday taco night! I finally got my family to love my creamy coleslaw, so I can easily see them falling for this recipe. Thank you!
Lisa, love the idea of using this slaw for Taco Tuesday salad. Yum! I hope it’s a hit with the fam. 🙂
This is quickly becoming a weeknight favorite for us! We love pairing it with enchiladas or tamales ☺️
Emilia, yay, so happy this one is becoming a “regular rotation” recipe for you. Thanks so much for leaving a reivew!
I made this for the first time today, and will definitely make it again. I always like to follow the recipe exactly the first time, and thought the overall flavor balance was very good, and the slaw was bright, tasty and a great accompaniment to chili. Next time I might increase the amount of dressing a bit for a little more flavor punch, possibly leaning a little harder on the chipotles and lime.
I hadn’t tried chipotles in adobo before and oh my they’re tasty! I’m going to be putting those in _everything_ for a while. As suggested, I froze the remainder and will be slicing off little bits for whatever needs them.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Kaila, yay, so happy this one was a hit for you and that you found out how great chipotles in adobo are! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a reivew!
This has become a favorite of ours – you can use the taco meat so many ways and it’s super-easy. But I love it best with the Mexican Slaw recipe in tacos – delicious!!
Terri, thanks so much for these notes–wonderful for you to share and to leave a review!
Made this for a family gathering as a side for a chicken enchilada casserole. It was a huge hit! Almost didn’t use the peppers in adobo but glad I did!
Yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit for the family gathering! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!
Making the salad in advance…should I mix in dressing ahead of time or wait and add just before serving …TIA
Rachelle, I think this one is great made ahead a few hours, so go ahead and mix the dressing ahead of time! If it’s longer than a few hours, though, keep them separate and mix an hour or so before serving. I hope you enjoy!