48 Homemade Slaws For Your Next Summer Cookout
Coleslaw is the salad of choice at most barbecue joints and cookouts, and is so much more than shredded cabbage. In fact, coleslaw doesn't have to be made from cabbage at all. Shredded or shaved Brussels sprouts, broccoli, jicama, collards (and more) can all make for the perfect veggie base for your next slaw. Plus, the dressing is super easy to customize as well. From creamy slaw dressings to tangier vinegar-based ones with a little bite, there's a slaw dressing for every taste. Browse our collection of favorite homemade slaws to find a dish that's just right for you.
Broccoli-and-Arugula Salad
Broccoli-and-Arugula Salad Recipe
Packaged broccoli slaw adds instant crunch and color to this salad. You can also toss it into stir-fries, use it to bulk up chili, or add it to quiche or casseroles for a veggie boost.
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Cashew, Coconut, and Cabbage Slaw
Cashew, Coconut, and Cabbage Slaw Recipe
Refreshing the coconut flakes in a bit of coconut oil gives them a lovely sheen and makes the salad incredibly aromatic. The lime juice and zest bring the whole thing together.
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Colorful Collard Slaw
Our crunchy coleslaw, made with apples, thinly sliced collards, and carrots, can be prepared a day ahead; toss with dressing right before serving.
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Tangy Red Cabbage Slaw
Fruit juices, oil, and sugar combine to make a delicious and flavorful dressing for red cabbage and shredded carrots.
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Mango-Jalapeño Slaw
Serve this fruity slaw on the side, or pile it onto your burrito bowl for more texture. Buying pre-shredded coleslaw saves you time better spent cooking.
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Broccoli-Apple Slaw
Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, horseradish, sugar, lemon rind, and salt for a creamy sauce. Then add apple, onion, and broccoli slaw for the crunchy base.
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Napa Cabbage-and-Sweet Pepper Slaw
Napa Cabbage-and-Sweet Pepper Slaw Recipe
Put this on your pulled pork sandwich and you'll never go back to regular coleslaw again.
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Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing
Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing Recipe
We like fresh tarragon in this creamy, zippy dressing, but other herbs work just as well.
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Bacon and Brussels Sprout Slaw
Bacon and Brussels Sprout Slaw Recipe
Crunchy, creamy, tangy slaws add a welcome contrast to the heartier dishes common at summer cookouts.
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Pickled Onion Slaw
A lightly pickled onion makes for a great flavor-addition to this classic slaw.
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Creamy Carrot-and-Broccoli Slaw
Creamy Carrot-and-Broccoli Slaw Recipe
Prepared slaw mix has gone beyond traditional cabbage to include shaved broccoli and even Brussels sprouts as the base, making it a great quick side for busy weeknights. Broccoli slaw is as endlessly adaptable as any package of mixed greens: Try a creamy yogurt dressing, or opt for a vinaigrette, like sesame-ginger, warm bacon-and-shallot, or curry-and-cumin.
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Creamy Black Pepper Coleslaw
Creamy Black Pepper Coleslaw Recipe
Cutting the cabbage coarsely gives the dish a different look from shredded-cabbage slaws. A full teaspoon of black pepper lends pleasant warm heat without overpowering. Make the dish up to a day ahead if you like--the veggies will stay crisp and the flavors will meld as the slaw chills.
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Purple Cabbage Slaw
This ultra-simple slaw blends purple cabbage, rice vinegar, and mint for a burger-topper you didn't expect would be so good.
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Smoky-Spiced Slaw
A little chipotle pepper in the dressing lends smoky heat to the dish. A touch of sugar and tangy lime juice balance the pleasant bitterness of radicchio. You can make this slaw up to a day ahead. The radicchio will soften a little as it chills, but the broccoli and cabbage stay crunchy.
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Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apples and Pecans
Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apples and Pecans Recipe
Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts are the perfect base to this lemony dressing. Top with apples, cheese, and pecans for a creamy, yet crunchy contrast.
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Creamy Slaw
This will be your new go-to slaw recipe. With a creamy mayo and vinegar base, it's the perfect addition to your summer table.
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Confetti Slaw
You might be tempted to buy the prepackaged coleslaw mix, but slicing your own vegetables makes for a better and fresher tasting (not to mention customizable) slaw.
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Broccolini Slaw
Instead of cabbage, this quick slaw gets its crunch from fresh carrots, beets, and Broccolini. Serve with simply baked fish or as an alternative to coleslaw with hamburgers or barbecue.
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Cilantro-Cabbage Slaw
A simple dressing of oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, and sugar is the flavorful topper to this cabbage, onion, and cilantro mixture.
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Collard Slaw
Collards bring a new bite to your classic slaw. Plus, celery seed and sesame seed add a new nuttiness you might not expect.
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Brussels Sprout-and-Leek Slaw with Bacon and Pecans
Brussels Sprout-and-Leek Slaw with Bacon and Pecans Recipe
A sprinkle of bacon, toasted pecans, and a sweet sauce makes for a delectable savory side dish.
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Jalapeño-Lime Slaw
This citrusy take on coleslaw is fresh and pleasantly spicy, an ideal side dish or burger or brat topping.
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Peach-Ginger Slaw
Turn coleslaw into a special summer treat with the addition of chopped fresh peaches, pecans, pepper jelly, and pecans.
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Creamy Lime Slaw
Add more zesty, fresh flavor to creamy slaw with lime juice, lime zest and cilantro.
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Jicama Slaw
In addition to shredded cabbage and bell pepper, this coleslaw features thinly sliced jicama—a root vegetable with a thin brown skin and a crisp white flesh. It has a sweet nutty flavor that's good both raw and cooked.
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Celery Root Slaw
A bistro classic, slaw is among the most widely embraced applications for this peppery root. Like many greats, the dish's appeal is in its simplicity--a tangy dressing matched with crisp veggie, polished with parsley.
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Santa Fe Slaw
This Southwestern-style slaw features shredded cabbage along with torn spinach, shredded jicama, tomatoes, and chipotle peppers.
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Cabbage Slaw
Get back to the basics with this easy slaw featuring thinly sliced radishes and fresh mint. Instead of a creamy dressing, it's tossed with a citrusy vinaigrette.
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Cabbage and Apple Slaw
Bring fruit to the table as a surprise ingredient in this colorful cole slaw recipe. The crunch of the ripe apple perfectly complements the bite of the crisp cabbage. Chill before serving to let the flavors blend.
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Crunchy Buttermilk Coleslaw
Crunchy Buttermilk Coleslaw Recipe
Creamy buttermilk and fragrant fresh ginger lend bold flavor to this crunchy side. It's the perfect foil to spicy barbecue sauces.
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Crunchy Broccoli Slaw
Making eating vegetables fun by loading broccoli florets with crumbled bacon, red onion, raisins, honey, and white balsamic vinegar. Hope for leftovers with this dish–it's even better the next day.
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Chipotle Coleslaw
Touched with a tad of smoky heat, and sweetened with a spoonful of molasses, this savory slaw is the ideal topping for a pulled pork sandwich.
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Carrot-Pineapple Slaw
Pineapple, raisins, and carrots combine for a sweet, mellow treat that looks like a burst of sunshine on the plate.
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Broccoli Slaw
This sweet-and-crunchy broccoli slaw is a terrific dish to take to a potluck after a busy day because you can make it the night before.
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Asian Coleslaw
A savory combination of crunchy cabbage and crisp daikon radish dressed with a creamy, Asian-inspired dressing, this coleslaw is a killer accompaniment for grilled pork or fish.
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Three-Pepper Slaw
Bell peppers deliver both succulence and a satisfying crunch, which is why they make such an inspired addition to this traditional cabbage slaw. A tiny bit of chopped jalapeño adds a touch of heat.
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New-Fashioned Apple and Raisin Slaw
New-Fashioned Apple and Raisin Slaw Recipe
The clean, fresh taste of apple works magic when mixed with shredded cabbage and carrots and tossed in creamy dressing updated with a spoonful of balsamic vinegar.
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Sichuan Strawberry Slaw
Sichuan Strawberry Slaw Recipe
Crisp Chinese cabbage sets the stage for this fruited slaw that gets its distinct flavor from soy sauce, five-spice powder, crystallized ginger, almonds, and sesame oil. The addition of strawberries and spinach makes this so much more than just a cabbage salad.
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Poppyseed Fruited Slaw
Adding a pop of fruity flavor, grapes and oranges prove that they're the life of the party in this nutty cabbage slaw.
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Sweet and Sour Slaw
This 6-ingredient slaw is an easy vinegar-dressed version of this summertime favorite. Light, crisp, and refreshing, it'll be your go-to side for barbecues, picnics, and family reunions.
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Freezer Coleslaw
This sweet and tangy slaw is perfect for pulled pork and hot dogs. Plus, it stays cold and crunchy longer.
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Thai Cabbage Slaw
This tart, spicy slaw slips in a novel ingredient: peanut butter. The nuttiness complements Thai ingredients like chile and cilantro, and is devastatingly delicious when paired with marinated flank steak.
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Crisp Chickpea Slaw
The addition of chickpeas to this reduced-fat cabbage-carrot slaw adds texture as well as protein.
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Permanent Slaw
Like a cross between a vinegar-based coleslaw and chowchow, Permanent Slaw is tender and tangy. This easy salad is designed to be prepared in advance. Made with finely shredded angel hair cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, sweet onions, and a sweet and sour apple cider vinegar dressing, the longer this side dish sits, the more flavorful it becomes (hence the name). Serve the dish on its own at a cookout (it's delicious with grilled chicken or pork) or use it to top pulled pork or chicken sandwiches.
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Baby Bok Choy Slaw
This crisp and refreshing Asian-inspired slaw is a vibrantly delicious change of pace from the typical creamy cole slaw. It makes the perfect pairing for our flavorful Grilled Octopus with Korean Barbecue Sauce.
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Grilled Wedge-Salad Slaw
Grilled Wedge-Salad Slaw Recipe
We took the irresistible toppings from a wedge salad—namely bacon and blue cheese dressing—and added them to coleslaw. The cabbage goes onto the grill in wedges to pick up smoky char, then is chopped for the slaw.
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Quick Pickled Slaw
This light, healthy slaw recipe is mildly acidic and full of flavor. The veggies will soften slightly but retain their crunch that will add texture to any meal. This bright slaw is the ideal summer side to pair with kebabs, pulled pork, fried catfish, or any classic warm-weather main dishes. If you've never pickled anything, this easy quick pickle is a great place to start. Our Test Kitchen professionals recommend serving this salad the day you prepare it for ultimate freshness. This healthy side is a no-guilt dish you can make all summer long, and every cookout guest will rave over it.
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Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw
Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw Recipe
Kohlrabi is a good source of vitamin C; it makes a great stand-in for celery in this riff on Waldorf salad.