This cajun coleslaw is fresh and crunchy with a creamy dressing. It has lots of flavor with jalapeños and sweet and spicy cajun seasoning. It is so easy to make and is a unique and unexpected side dish to serve with dinner or to bring to a barbecue or pot luck.
Why this recipe is just so good....
- Easy, delicious take-along for any party - If you are volunteering to bring a dish, bring this cajun slaw! You can put it together so quickly and it can be made the day before. Actually, I think it tastes even better as it sits in the refrigerator.
- This recipe is very versatile - You can add more paprika and Jalapeños to make the Cajun flavoring stand out more. It makes enough for 6-8 serving. But you can easily serve a crowd if you double the recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
You need the following ingredients to make this Cajun Jalapeno Coleslaw:
- package of coleslaw mix ( white, green, red cabbage, carrots)
- mayonnaise
- Jalapeno pepper
- pickled Jalapeno
- white wine vinegar
- celery salt or ground celery seeds
- sugar
- paprika
- vinegar
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredient Notes
- This recipe takes a shortcut and uses a preshredded package of coleslaw mix. If you prefer, you can buy a head of white, red, Napa, Savoy or green cabbage. Slice with a sharp knife or use a Mandolin.
- Instead of white wine vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar.
How to make Cajun Coleslaw
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the dressing ingredients. Taste for flavoring. Add more spice, sugar or vinegar. Whisk them well until smooth.
Place the coleslaw cabbage mix into a large salad bowl and pour half of the dressing over it. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Before serving, add more dressing and stir well. If you want it even creamier, you can stir in 2 tablespoons of milk or 1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Coleslaw is best served cold.
Recipe Tips
- Taste the coleslaw dressing before you add it. This is cajun after all, so it should have a bit of a kick. But it is very adaptable to your taste so add more seasonings as you like.
- Coleslaw tastes better as it sits and the flavors marinate throughout. One hour is the minimum amount of time to sit in the refrigerator before serving.
- You can use a whole cabbage instead of coleslaw mix. Remove the outer leaves, rinse well under running water. Cut out the hard center core. Use a sharp knife or a mandolin to carefully shred the cabbage. The photo below of cutting a red cabbage shows how to do this.
What can I serve with Cajun Coleslaw?
Grilled foods just seem to go really well with salads and coleslaws. Try some of these recipes that are delicious year round, but especially during the summer.
Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters, Grilled Brats, Buffalo chicken thighs or Lemon Pepper Pork Chops.
FAQ
If you want more crunch and to up the nutrition, add more vegetables. Try adding more carrots, red onion, or some red, orange or green bell pepper. Make sure to slice them very thin.
Also for another shortcut, any grocery store have packages of broccoli slaw. It is shaved stalks of broccoli super thin and would be an easy and delicious addition to the coleslaw.
Coleslaw made with mayonnaise does not freeze well since the dairy will separate when frozen. If you make it without mayonnaise and use vinegar, you could freeze it in an airtight container for 3 months.
If you added salt to the cabbage, that will draw out liquid. Make sure to drain well.
Also don't add all the dressing at once. Start with half, chill the coleslaw and then check the flavor and moisture in the slaw. Add more dressing as you prefer.
If it still has too much liquid in the coleslaw, you can drain it in a colander and then serve.
If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd appreciate you giving it a 5 star rating. This tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!
Print
Easy Cajun Coleslaw
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Refrigerate: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Cajun-American
Description
This cajun coleslaw is fresh and crunchy with sweet and spicy flavors. It is so easy to make and is a unique and unexpected side dish to serve with dinner or to bring to a barbecue party.
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce package coleslaw cabbage mix * (7 ½ cups)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 small or ½ medium jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely minced*
- 2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeno peppers
- 1 tablespoon pickling liquid from jar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or sugar substitute
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- ½ - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the dressing ingredients. Taste for flavoring. Add more spice, sugar or vinegar. Whisk them well until smooth.
2. Place the coleslaw cabbage mix into a large bowl and pour half of the dressing over it. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
3. Before serving, add more dressing and stir well. If you want it even creamier, you can stir in 2 tablespoons of milk or an extra tablespoon of mayo.
Notes
*The coleslaw package has both red and green shredded cabbage and carrots.
*Taste the dressing and add more sugar, mayo, vinegar or seasonings as you prefer. You can start with a half Jalapeno and always add more if you want the coleslaw to be spicier.
*Store leftover coleslaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the coleslaw has too much liquid as it sits, drain off some before serving.
Keywords: coleslaw, summer salad, cabbage, bbq side dish
Jean bence says
This was yum! I added more sugar since we like sweeter coleslaw and loved this recipe.
★★★★★
Deb Belsha says
I get that! My husband's choice would have been to add less, I liked a bit more, so I split the difference.
Natalie kire says
Loved the flavor of this salad. Will definitely make it again!
★★★★★
Deb Belsha says
So glad you liked it!
Deb Belsha says
So glad you enjoyed it!