Coleslaw · Tangy Vinegar (No Mayo)
Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw
A bright, crunchy slaw dressed in cider vinegar and oil instead of mayonnaise. It holds up for days and is perfect piled on pulled pork sandwiches.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- Dressing
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
Swaps for apple cider vinegar
Instead of vinegar
- White wine vinegar or lemon juice: The same amount. Less fruity than apple cider vinegar.
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Swaps for vegetable oil
Instead of vegetable oil
- Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
- Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
- Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Swaps for granulated sugar
Instead of sugar
- Less sugar: Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads. Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
- Brown sugar: The same amount, packed. Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
- Coconut sugar: The same amount. Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Swaps for Dijon mustard
Instead of mustard
- Another prepared mustard: The same amount. Yellow is milder and more vinegary; Dijon is sharper; whole-grain adds texture; spicy brown is in between.
- Dry mustard: 1 tsp dry mustard + 1 tsp water + 1 tsp white wine vinegar for each 1 tbsp. Sharper and less smooth.
- ½ tsp celery seed
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Slaw
- 14 oz coleslaw mix
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
Swaps for red onion
Instead of onion
- Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
- Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
- Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
Swaps for parsley
Instead of parsley
- Dried parsley: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Very mild; it adds color more than flavor.
- Cilantro: The same amount. Stronger and citrusy; suits Mexican and Asian dishes.
- Celery leaves or chervil: The same amount. Celery leaves are peppery and grassy; chervil is mild with a hint of anise.
Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.
Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.
Steps
Kid helper. A child can do steps 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5: no knife, no heat. Cooking with kids
- Put the vinegar, oil, sugar, mustard, celery seed, salt and pepper in a jar, screw on the lid and shake hard until the sugar dissolves.Kid step
- In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, red onion and parsley.Kid step
- Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss with tongs until everything is coated.Kid step
- Cover and refrigerate, then toss again halfway through so the dressing reaches the bottom.⏱ Chill: 1 hrKid step
- Toss once more and serve with a slotted spoon or tongs, leaving extra liquid in the bowl.Kid step
Tips
- This slaw only gets better after a day in the fridge.
- For more color, swap a cup of the mix for shredded red cabbage.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 5 days.
Make ahead
Make up to 2 days ahead.
How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: cabbage (October to March).
Quick answers
- Can I make it ahead?
Make up to 2 days ahead.
- What can I swap?
- Instead of vinegar: White wine vinegar or lemon juice, the same amount.
- Instead of vegetable oil: Another neutral oil, the same amount.
Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 330 kJ
- Protein
- <1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugars
- 5 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Saturated fat
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 180 mg
Whole recipe, 8 servings: about 600 calories.
Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 10 of 10 ingredients.
How we estimate
We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 8 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.
Estimated cost
About $0.25 a serving
About $2.10 for the recipe as written (8 servings).
Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from BLS Average Price Data and USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 7 of 10 ingredients, 99% by weight.
How we estimate
Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.
- coleslaw mix $1.00 ERS
- apple cider vinegar $0.55 ERS
- vegetable oil $0.25 ERS
- red onion $0.15 ERS
- parsley $0.10 ERS
- granulated sugar $0.05 BLS
- Dijon mustard $0.05 ERS
Not priced (no official average price we can match, so not in the total): celery seed, kosher salt, black pepper.
More dishes for less: cheap eats.
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Gear for this recipe
- See price on Amazon: Pint mason jars with lids (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Nesting mixing bowls (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Locking tongs (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Measuring cups and spoons (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Glass storage containers (opens Amazon)
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Cleanup score 5/5 (very easy cleanup): 1 thing to wash, mixing bowl.
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