Coleslaw: compare the 2 variations
Time, effort, key ingredients, diets, nutrition and cleanup side by side, so you can pick the one that fits tonight.
Which should I make?
- Fastest CreamyReady in 40 min; the other takes 1 hr 10 min.
- Lightest Tangy Vinegar (No Mayo)About 80 calories a serving, against 160 calories for the other (an estimate).
- Make it ahead Tangy Vinegar (No Mayo)Make up to 2 days ahead.
- Vegan Tangy Vinegar (No Mayo)The only one that fits vegan, going by the ingredient lines.
Side by side
| Creamy | Tangy Vinegar (No Mayo) | |
|---|---|---|
| Total time | 40 min | 1 hr 10 min |
| Prep | 10 min | 10 min |
| Level | Easy | Easy |
| Steps | 4 | 5 |
| Serves | 8 | 8 |
| Key ingredients | mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and coleslaw mix | apple cider vinegar, coleslaw mix and red onion |
| Only in this one | mayonnaise | red onion and parsley |
| Dietary | ||
| Calories | 160 | 80 |
| Protein | <1 g | <1 g |
| Carbs | 5 g | 7 g |
| Fat | 16 g | 5 g |
| Cleanup | 5/5 1 thing to wash | 5/5 1 thing to wash |
| Kid helper | Yes, 4 of 4 steps | Yes, 5 of 5 steps |
Nutrition is per serving. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Dietary: Based on the ingredient list and estimated nutrition; check labels; not medical advice. Cleanup score: 5 means one thing to wash, 1 means six or more. We count pots, pans, bowls and appliances, not the knife, board and spoons.
How we pick
- Fastest: the shortest total time, at least 10 minutes ahead of the next.
- Easiest: the lowest level (easy, medium, hard), then at least 2 fewer steps.
- Lightest: the fewest estimated calories a serving, at least 15% and 40 calories under the next (only when two or more have an estimate).
- Kid helper: the variation where a child can do the biggest share of the steps (no knife, no heat), when that's not all of them equally.
- Least cleanup: the best cleanup score, a point ahead of the next.
- Make it ahead: the only variation whose notes say how to make it ahead.
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or dairy-free: the variation that fits a diet the others don't, from the ingredient lines.
A pick needs a clear winner; close calls are left out.