This old-fashioned vinegar coleslaw is the perfect summer side dish. It's made with a blend of freshly shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, and onion tossed in a tangy and flavorful, mayo-free vinegar dressing!

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This is quite possibly the best homemade coleslaw recipe of all time. It's a 15-minute simple recipe that's made the old-fashioned way without any mayo...but trust me when I say, you won't miss it! The flavor is perfect, and the texture of the veggies is amazing.
This is sure to be your go-to summer side dish for potlucks, BBQs, or an easy dinner at home! I love pairing it with grilled BBQ chicken thighs or smoked baby back ribs for the quintessential summertime dinner. I think it pairs perfectly with my Cajun dirty rice.
📖Why My Recipe Works
- Not Overly Sweet. This simple recipe has just the right amount of flavor. Not too rich, not too sweet...just completely delicious!
- Warm Dressing. The homemade vinegar dressing is poured over the veggies warm. Then the coleslaw is chilled. The texture is still crunchy but it slightly softens the cabbage in the most perfect way possible.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Cabbage - I use thinly sliced green cabbage, but red cabbage will work as well. This recipe uses one small head of cabbage, maybe a little less.
- Carrots - Shredded carrots are another classic addition to traditional coleslaw. You can easily shred your carrots using the shredding disc on your food processor.
- Onion - I use thinly sliced yellow onion, but other varieties of onion will work too. A white onion will be sweeter while red onion will be tangier in flavor.
- Vinegar - I use distilled white vinegar, but you can play with flavors and use other types of vinegar if preferred. Try red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for a sweeter flavor.
- Olive Oil - I love the flavor of olive oil in this recipe, but if you prefer a more neutral flavor, vegetable oil will work too.
- Dijon Mustard - Adds a subtle hint of spice and ties in the tangy vinegar perfectly.
- Sugar - You need just a little bit of sweetness to offset the flavor of the vinegar.
- Seasonings - We're seasoning with a simple combination of celery seed, salt, and pepper.

💭 Variations
- Make it spicy. Love a kick of heat? Try adding a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or even hot sauce.
- Use other veggies. Boost the nutrition and add thinly sliced green pepper or chopped green onion. Keep in mind that more veggies may require more dressing.
- Make a creamy coleslaw. If you want to make it creamier, feel free to make a mayo-based coleslaw by adding a spoonful of your favorite mayo to the dressing.
- Brighten it up. Try adding a splash of lemon juice to the dressing for an even tangier flavor.
⏲️How to Make Vinegar Slaw
Prep the Veggies
Thinly slice the cabbage and onion and shred the carrots. Make sure everything is uniform in size so all the veggies incorporate well together!

Make the Dressing
Bring the mixture to a low simmer. Once the sugar dissolves, slowly whisk in the olive oil. Keep the dressing on the heat and bring it to a boil. Allow it to cook for one minute but no more.

Combine and Chill
The hot dressing will not wilt the fresh vegetables, just slightly tenderize them. Toss until fully coated, then cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

🥗What to Serve with Old Fashioned Coleslaw
Vinegar-based coleslaws are often used as a topping on pulled pork sandwiches. I like to serve it with BBQ beef or on top of pollo asado tacos.
When it comes to complementary side dishes, I like blue cheese potato salad, orzo pasta salad, or rainbow potato salad. Corn on the cob is always top of mind, but for a modern twist, serve this vinegar coleslaw recipe with either my corn ribs or my gluten-free corn casserole.

👩🏻🍳Jen's Testing Notes
- If you want to cut down on prep time, you can use a bag of coleslaw mix which includes cabbage and carrots. You will just need to add the onion yourself!
- Give the coleslaw a minimum of 2 hours to marinate in the fridge. The longer it sits, the more the dressing will soak into the veggies for the best flavor and the ideal texture.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card

Old Fashioned Coleslaw with Vinegar
Ingredients
- 5 cups green cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- ½ yellow onion thinly sliced
Vinegar Dressing
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup distilled vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss together the shredded cabbage, carrots, and onion.5 cups green cabbage, 1 cup carrots, ½ yellow onion
- In a small saucepan whisk together all the dressing ingredients except the oil. Bring the mixture to a low simmer. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute.⅓ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ⅓ cup distilled vinegar, ⅓ cup olive oil
- Pour the hot dressing over the vegetables, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Notes
- You can use any vinegar you like including white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
- Leftover slaw should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Equipment
Nutrition
Common Recipe Questions
If you want to use a coleslaw mix for this recipe, feel free. Simply slice up your onion and add it to the mix!
Vinegar slaw is served chilled. The vinegar mixture is heated to dissolve the sugar and to help soften the tough cabbage leaves and reduce the bite of the sliced onions. It is then thoroughly chilled before serving.










Randyl says
Best ever! The church ladies said it was great. The old timers did it right. It is a must try. I made regular Cole slaw with Cole slaw dressing and I made this old fashioned slaw. The old fashioned got cleaned up and took about 1/2 the reg. home.
Jen Wooster says
thanks for the review!
Angela. says
Really nice flavour. I didn’t have any Dijon mustard so I just gave a shot of yellow mustard. Still tasted great. Oh. And I used a red onion. Made it pretty.
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for the review!
Patti says
Sorry - forgot to rate 🙄
Jen Wooster says
Thanks Patti!
Ivonne Nadal says
excellent
Patti says
Very good! Didn't have any celery seed so subbed in mustard seed and used ACV as well. Great alternative to mayo based slaw for summer.
Sharon Shaw says
Oh my, this was so good and so easy. I used ACV and a tad bit more Dijon. Made a double batch for a pot luck and it was a hit. Sadly no leftovers for me so will be making it again next week.
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for the feedback. I always support a little extra Dijon 🙂
Judy says
I’ve never made a dressing for coleslaw that required being heated. This is delicious and will be my “go to” dressing from now on!
Jan Myslajek says
It is definitely my husband’s and my favorite and guests have complimented it as the BEST coleslaw!
Jen Wooster says
This warms my heart, thank you!
Claire Webb says
I made this recipe with an adjustment for amount, only. I couldn't resist tasting it just after making it. It would have been VERY easy to make myself sick eating the whole bowl!!!!! It was wonderful!!!!! Very reminiscent of what my mother used to make. This recipe will go in my permanent file!!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
Jen Wooster says
I am so thrilled to hear you enjoyed it. We love a coleslaw without mayo and this fits the bill
Charmaine says
Excellent… haven’t had this for years I’m so glad I found it! I’m making Irish stew today so will make a great addition ! Thank you for the recipe
Jen Wooster says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Randy says
Best I've ever had.
Jen Wooster says
Wow thanks so much!
Christine says
Coleslaw do not add oil at all. It does not taste right. Either cooking the dressing. Old ways only vinegar and sugar that’s it. Equal parts of vinegar and sugar. Best apple cider vinegar.
JoAnn says
Excellent - can't stop eating it!!
Lynda says
Great recipe
I ate this years ago at a friend's and lost the recipe
Been looking for ages to find one like hers
Tried some but weren't the same
This one hit the mark perfectly
Thanks so much
Love your site and recipes
Happy New Year
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for the kind comment!