Ready in 15-minutes, this zesty and fresh Mexican coleslaw is the perfect topping for tacos, and side for enchiladas. A versatile no-mayo slaw with crunchy cabbage, grated carrots, and a smoky-sweet honey-lime dressing.

Closeup image of a bowl of cabbage and carrot slaw.

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
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My Favorite Way to Make Mexican Cabbage Slaw at Home!

If you’re looking for a quick, fresh side dish for tacos, enchiladas, or any Tex-Mex meal, this Mexican coleslaw is the one I make on repeat! It comes together in 15-minutes with crunchy cabbage, grated carrots, cilantro, and a smoky-sweet honey-chipotle dressing, with no mayo required.

What truly sets this Mexican slaw apart is the dressing (one of my personal favorite flavor combos!). I use my favorite honey chipotle vinaigrette, which is tangy from lime, sweet from honey, and smoky from chipotles in adobo, with small tweaks for the slaw. Make a batch ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and you’ll have a 5-minute side dish on standby for weeknight Tex-Mex!

Pile this different take on coleslaw on chicken or fish tacos, serve it alongside my chicken fajita casserole, or use it as a crunchy topping for chili. Honestly, I’ve been known to eat it straight out of the bowl, no main dish required. Trust me, it’s that good!

Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Mexican Slaw

Jump to Recipe Instructions
Overhead image of the following ingredients: cabbage, cilantro, green onions, lime, salt, oil, garlic, shredded carrots.
Gather ingredients.
Overhead image of a large bowl with oil, garlic, chipotle, and honey being whisked.
Whisk the dressing together.
Overhead image of a glass bowl with shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, cilantro, and green onions.
Add the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and green onions.
Overhead image of a cabbage and carrot slaw in a glass bowl.
Allow the dressing to absorb and serve.
Closeup image of a bowl of cabbage and carrot slaw.

Testing Tips for Easy Mexican Slaw for Tacos

  • 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!
  • Don’t skip the 5-10 minute absorption step. It looks like the slaw is dressed and ready right after tossing, but the cabbage needs that short rest for the dressing to actually soak in!
  • Use fresh lime juice, not bottled if you can. Bottled lime juice tastes flat and slightly metallic compared to fresh, and in a recipe this simple, you’ll notice. Two limes will typically give you the 3 tablespoons you need, and roll them firmly on the counter before juicing to release more liquid.
Overhead image of a bowl of carrots and cabbage slaw with two serving spoons sticking out of it.
Closeup image of a bowl of cabbage and carrot slaw.
5 stars (7 ratings)

Mexican Coleslaw (Honey Lime)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
An easy Mexican slaw for tacos, enchiladas, and Tex-Mex meals made without mayo. Crunchy cabbage and carrots in a smoky honey-lime dressing!
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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.
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 132kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 335mg, Potassium: 298mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 7373IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 51mg, 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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