By Jehan Yusoof  |  Updated October 20, 2026  | ★ 5.0 (5 reviews) | 

Coleslaw salad with mayonnaise made at home with just 5 ingredients.
A classic American salad to go with everything you dish out at picnics, especially grilled meats and burgers.
An easy salad for all seasons and occasions.

If you try this, I’d love to know how it turned out. Just tap the stars★ in the recipe card; it helps other cooks find this recipe.

What is coleslaw?

Coleslaw is a salad of finely shredded raw cabbage in a dressing; the name comes from Dutch koolsla, “cabbage salad”.
The dressing can be vinegar-based for a tangy flavor, or creamy with mayonnaise.
Depending on your lifestyle and how health-conscious you are, choose your own variation.

Why do we love this coleslaw?

• My kids love the KFC Coleslaw, so I tend to make the salad a few times a month at home. Not only is it easy to make, but you can also teach the kids to make it.
• Don’t forget, this is one more sneaky way to get the kids to eat their carrots and cabbages without a fuss.
• There’s no other salad that would please both adults and kids more than a large bowl of creamy Coleslaw served with barbecued meat, burgers and hot dogs.

Ingredients for Coleslaw with Mayonnaise

The exact quantities are in the recipe card below.

• Green cabbage: the crunch and body of the salad. Choose a firm, heavy head; savoy works too
• Carrot: sweetness and colour. Grate it on the large holes so it stays crunchy instead of turning to mush.
• Mayonnaise: the creamy dressing that coats every strand. A full-fat, egg-based mayo holds best; light mayo turns watery as it sits.
• Sugar: balances the mayonnaise and the slight bitterness of raw cabbage. Honey works if you prefer.
• Black pepper: subtle heat. Freshly ground tastes brighter.
• Salt: seasons the vegetables and the dressing; add more after chilling, as cabbage dulls it.
• Lime juice (optional) : a little tang. Lemon juice or a splash of vinegar does the same job.

What you will need in the kitchen

• A sharp Knife and chopping board
• A box grater
• Small bowl to mix the salad dressing
• A large bowl and cling film or a lid

How to Make Coleslaw with Mayonnaise

Pull off any tired outer leaves, quarter the cabbage, and cut out the hard core. Slice it as thinly as you can. Grate the carrot on the large holes of a box grater. Put the cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.

Add mayonnaise, sugar, and lime (optional) to the bowl and combine well until the shredded cabbage and carrot are well coated.
Season with salt and pepper, since coleslaw tastes better slightly cold.
Once you make the salad, cover with cling film and refrigerate.

Let the Coleslaw chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
Taste, add a pinch more salt or sugar if needed, stir, and serve cold.

FAQ: cabbage coleslaw

• Calculating how much cabbage you would need.
  • 1 medium-sized cabbage would give you 4 cups of raw shredded cabbage. Since most groceries are sold by weight, I would estimate you would need 400- 500 g or 14-15 oz. This would easily serve 5 individuals.
• How much cabbage will I need for 5 individuals? 400- 500 g of cabbage would give you 4 cups.
• Is there a substitute I can use instead of mayonnaise? You can substitute mayonnaise with non-fat Greek yoghurt
• How to make the salad in a bag.
  • Here’s an idea: If you can buy the cabbage and carrot in pre-shredded packages, you can transfer them to a Ziploc bag, make the Coleslaw dressing, add it to the bag, lock the bag in place, give it a good shake, and refrigerate.
• How to keep the cabbage and carrot salad fresh when it’s hot?
  • Well, all you need is a cold pack to keep it fresh.

Storage and food safety

• How Long Does Coleslaw with Mayonnaise Last in the Fridge?
  • Keep it in a lidded container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. It tastes crunchiest on the first day.
• Serving Outdoors
  • Don’t leave coleslaw out of the fridge for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it’s above 32°C (90°F). For picnics, carry it in a cooler with ice packs and serve the bowl set in a larger bowl of ice. Put leftovers back in the fridge straight away if they’ve been out less than that time; otherwise throw them out.
• Freezing: avoid freezing

More salad recipes

• Sri Lankan fried eggplant (brinjal salad)
• Parsley salad(sambol)with coconut
• Carrot salad with parsley and onion
• Thai beef salad
• Healthy garlic-olive oil potato salad
• Zesty pineapple cabbage slaw

What to serve with coleslaw

Add it next to anything off the grill, or spoon it into burgers and hot dogs. Some favourites:

• Sticky sweet and spicy stovetop chicken wings
• BBQ sauce chicken wings
• Teriyaki marinade baked chicken
• Tandoori chicken(oven-baked)
• Baked chicken legs(drumsticks)
• Air fryer chicken drumsticks
• Air fryer chicken leg quarters

Watch more recipes on my YouTube channel

Continue to Content

Traditional Coleslaw with Mayonnaise

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Shredded cabbage and carrot in a lightly sweet, peppery mayonnaise dressing, mixed in 15 minutes,

5.0 Stars (5 Reviews)

Print

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized cabbage weighing (400-500g)
• 1 large carrot sliced fine or grated coarsely
• 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise (increase or reduce as per your taste)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar (add more if necessary)
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• Salt to season
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice(optional, only if you need a tang to the coleslaw)

Instructions

Shred

1. Slice the cabbage thin and grate the carrots as well; make sure the carrots are grated using the large-surface holes in a grater. Place both of the above ingredients in a large bowl.

Dress

1. Add mayonnaise, sugar, and lime (optional) to the bowl and combine all ingredients until the vegetables are completely coated with mayonnaise.

Season and chill

1. Season with salt and pepper, since coleslaw tastes better slightly cold. Once you make the salad, cover with cling film and refrigerate.
2. Let the coleslaw rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
3. Before serving, taste and mix, then serve.

Made this Coleslaw?
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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 107Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 74mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 0g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEHAN
Recipe creator. Food Blogger. Video creator
I’ve been cooking and sharing Sri Lankan recipes, along with other dishes I love making at home on Island Smile since 2015. I’ve tested every recipe on this site more than once in my own kitchen before it goes on the blog.
I grew up eating this food, and I still cook it the way my family taught me, just written down clearly enough that you can follow.
If a recipe doesn’t work the way I say it will, tell me in the comments; I read every one, and I’ll help you fix it.