No mayonnaise definitely does NOT mean boring with the RecipeTin No Mayo Coleslaw! We love this Slaw because it’s interesting enough to compensate for no mayo in the dressing, refreshing enough to pair with rich mains, but still has the signature Coleslaw “juiciness”.
Made with cabbage, fennel, apple, dill and caraway seeds, this is the side we love to serve alongside Southern foods like Fried Chicken, brisket, BBQ Chicken, pulled pork and ribs.
No Mayo Coleslaw
This is the RecipeTin Family recipe for a Coleslaw made without mayonnaise that we truly believe stacks up to traditional Coleslaw in all it’s mayo-laden glory.
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good creamy Coleslaw.
But typically, Coleslaw gets suggested when we’re planning rich Southern menus for a family dinner. Think – meat, sweet BBQ sauce, and sometimes, full throttle deep frying.
And typically, someone sensible suggests that mayo Coleslaw might be too rich with all that meat, shouldn’t we opt for a lighter salad?
And typically (in pre-No-Mayo-Coleslaw-invention days) someone else would huff and puff about how Coleslaw is a classic side for a Southern blow out, and how we’re clearly not counting calories for this meal so why skimp on Slaw?
And so on, back and forth, until the family WhatsApp thread to decide the menu for a “simple” family dinner is many, many swipes long.
There is still much back and forth on family dinner menus. But since the creation of this No Mayo Slaw, there is no back and forth about slaw!
The combination of ingredients in this No Mayo Slaw might be surprising – but it’s addictive! The fennel and caraway seeds are quite subtle, and dill brings a wonderful freshness.
What you need for Coleslaw without Mayonnaise
Here’s what goes in our No Mayo Coleslaw:
Cabbage – any green cabbage works fine here (but not Chinese cabbage which is more delicate so it will get too soggy);
Fennel – shaved thinly so the flavour is quite mild, brings a fabulous freshness to this Slaw;
Dill – this herb is the perfect match in this salad! Use more than you think you need;
Apple – shaved finely, it adds a subtle sweet juiciness. Once dressed, it stops it from going brown (the pictured salad is a day old!);
Caraway seeds – adds pops of minty-aniseed flavour that complement the fennel and dill, but we don’t use much and it is subtle. Yet this is a secret ingredient that makes people pause when they take their first bite, wondering what that flavour is and why it’s so good!
Dressing ingredients – nothing ground breaking here, but note there is a deliberately high ratio of acid to oil. This slaw should be bright, punchy and have backbone to stand up to any rib-sticking main dish. A dainty French leaf salad vinaigrette this ain’t. We also use less salt (1/2 tsp) and more sugar (2 tsp) than you might expect. This is because we like the salad to lean equally sweet and salty, akin to traditional creamy Coleslaw.
How to make No Mayo Coleslaw
Lots of shredding and mandolin action for the vegetables. Then just toss it all together and ideally leave it to wilt for a good hour or two. (Because nobody likes coleslaw with stiff cabbage sprigs sticking out all over the place. We want it floppy and juicy!).
What we serve with No Mayo Slaw
As I mentioned in the opening, we (well, my brother!) created this No Mayo Slaw as a more refreshing alternative to traditional mayonnaise Coleslaw to pair with rich mains. In particular, Southern foods where Coleslaw is a traditional side option:
One of my personal favourite “special treat” dinners is a Fried Chicken Southern Feast. Here is a menu for dishes that we made for a recent family dinner:
Southern Fried Chicken Dinner
Having said that though, the flavour is neutral enough that it will go with anything (non Asian). Delicate enough for fish and prawns, refreshing enough for big roasts.
Also, a couple more serving ideas:
Meal salad – toss through tuna or shredded chicken
In sandwiches – ham, tuna, smoked salmon or gravlax, chicken, avocado
Keeps for days and days!
One of the best things going for this salad is that it keeps for 3 to 4 days, much like creamy Coleslaw. In fact, I think it’s better made the day before, after all the flavours have had a chance to meld together.
So make a big tub of it, and bring it out day after day!! – Nagi x
PS Forgot to mention – if you love creamy slaw but want to skip the heavy mayo version, try a Yogurt Slaw Dressing. It’s very, very good!
Watch how to make it
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Our best No Mayo Coleslaw
Ingredients
Coleslaw:
- 1/4 large head green cabbage (or 1/2 small head) , shredded (~12 cups, Note 1)
- 1 medium fennel bulb , trimmed, halved and shaved at 1.5 mm on a mandolin (Note 2)
- 1 red apple (any kind is fine), halved and thinly sliced (1.5 mm thick)
- 1 cup dill leaves, roughly chopped (about 1 whole bunch)
- 2 tsp caraway seeds (Note 4)
Dressing:
- 2 small clove garlic , minced
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar , or less to taste (Note 6)
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp caster sugar (Note 5)
- 1/2 tsp salt (Note 5)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Dressing: Shake Dressing ingredients in a jar.
- Toss! Place cabbage, fennel, apple and dill in a very large bowl. Pour over Dressing, toss well.
- Sprinkle with caraway seeds then toss again.
- Set aside for at least 1 hour to allow cabbage to wilt. Give it a good toss, then transfer to serving bowl and serve!
- Storage: Keeps perfecty for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Dressing stops apple from going brown. Best to bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
A Physio taught me to use tennis balls to loosen tight muscles in my back (ie lying on them on a rug). It will come as no surprise to anyone that the balls keep going missing, and I keep finding them in Dozer’s not-very-clever hiding places – such as buried under cushions and blankets on his bed.
Dozer – that innocent look on your face ain’t fooling anyone!
This is such a great salad!! I added some capsicum and radishes, as they needed to be used from my fridge. This was served with chicken breast using your recipe “Just a Great Chicken Marinade”. My hubby is trying to lose weight so this was a relatively low carb yet very healthy meal packed with flavour!
Once again, thank you, Nagi.
R x
This recipe is DELICIOUS! I’ve forgotten how many times I’ve made it now. Thanks Nagi!
*I don’t like dill so for the green colour I wash the green bits on top of the fennel and chop those to add the pop of green
Yum! Super simple and tasty. I had to leave out fennel, apple, and caraway seeds (I know, like half the recipe) as I didn’t have any on hand and just needed to throw something quickly together as a side. I added carrots instead. It was so good! Next time will try to make it with all the ingredients and I’m sure it’ll be even better.
Omg…. This salad is insanely good!
Couldn’t stop picking at it as it was soaking in the gorgeous dressing while I was cooking the rest of my dinner.
We loved this salad, quick to make and very tasty and refreshing!
Thank you Nagi xx
My husband doesn’t care for dill. Is there a substitute ?
You could try tarragon, fennel or parsley if he likes any of those! N x
Everyone loved it: So I made this coleslaw with a couple of additions. Red Cabbage, radish and some fresh dill.
Then I used your mayo recipe, to finish it off.
The result was fantastic. This is the first time I have made a coleslaw. Just a dad cooking for his family. Everyone loved the coleslaw. You can always tell when people are asking ‘where is the coleslaw?’ when sitting at the table.
Thanks Nagi, love your recipes.
DELICIOUS 😋 I had already made a coleslaw and needed a dressing and new straight away where I’d go to find one as your website is my go to! Such a lovely light and tasty dressing.
I would like to know how many servings this recipe is for
Hi Susan, the servings is just under the heading – 10-12 🙂 N x
Thank you for this recipe. I have been looking for a nomayo coleslaw. I will admit, I did not add the dill and the apple, but instead julienne carrots. I love adding it to sandwiches (most often a combo of either flour tortilla or roti, cheese, and this wonderfulness). It is very tasty and keeps me full. Thank you! thank you! thank you!
Texan here! This recipe looks delicious and I can assure y’all that no-mayo coleslaw is very much authentic. 🙂
Most of the BBQ places around my city dress theirs in a zesty peppery vinegar sauce that goes well with the savory flavors of Texas-style barbecue.
Best Ever! thank you for this recipe. Did not have all the “green” ingredients, but made due with what I had. Best dressing ever!
This was delicious. Ok, I did not have fennel or caraway so I used mint to enhance the flavours. No caraway, and still great. Who knew dill would be that good in a salad. Thank you for sharing.
I have just made this for our American Thanksgiving dinner for tomorrow night. (we have 5 yanks in our immediate family). This smells so amazing & it was hard for me not to tuck into it straight away. Took the advice & made it the day before needing it. The dill, fennel combo is such a beautiful smell.
Really really delicious and fresh without the extra calories from mayo!!
I made this salad twice with Beef ribs for our friends now and twice it impressed them. they are still talking about it) He said its the best coleslow he has even eaten! Thank you! If I ever want to impress my guests-I choose beef ribs with coleslow and corns)Simple yet Impressive!!! THANK YOU!!!!
A nice non-mayo coleslaw which I would recommend as a side to rich meat and creamy potato salad. I found it a little astringent as a side to grilled chicken. My husband enjoyed the complexity of the tastes, especially the caraway seeds! Thanks, Nagi.
Nagi, had this tonight with some bbq pork ribs and chicken wings. The freshness of the slaw was a perfect match to cut through the heaviness of the meat. I’m a convert to no-mayo! x
Would this go well with your buffalo shredded chicken?
Made this for dinner tonight, served in bao/sandwich buns with shredded pork.
Pleasantly surprised all my kids ate it, thought the flavours would err on the unusual side but no complaints. And my oldest daughter loved it.
Thanks for another hit Nagi. Without you I’m sure I would never have shopped for caraway seeds. Thanks for expanding our palates.
Next time I would add more apple, but that’s a personal preference.