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.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

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.

    More for 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.

    All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

  • 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.

    All 4 swaps for sugar

  • 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.

    More for mustard

  • 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.

    More for salt

  • 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.

    All 4 swaps for onion

  • 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.

    More for parsley

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

  1. 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
  2. In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, red onion and parsley.
    Kid step
  3. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss with tongs until everything is coated.
    Kid step
  4. Cover and refrigerate, then toss again halfway through so the dressing reaches the bottom.
    ⏱ Chill: 1 hrKid step
  5. 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.

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
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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Cleanup score 5/5 (very easy cleanup): 1 thing to wash, mixing bowl.

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