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This coleslaw with apples is the perfect sweet and crunchy summer side dish. A great pairing with BBQ, this 15 minute side dish is tossed in a light, creamy apple dressing.
You’ll love how crispy and fresh this apple coleslaw is, even with a mayo-based dressing. Best of all it only takes about 15 minutes to make with just 6 ingredients.
The perfect side to crockpot BBQ chicken thighs, slow cooker pork shoulder, or dry rub oven ribs, it’s also the best topping for shrimp tacos with cabbage slaw.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
Nothing beats coleslaw as a summer side (except maybe a good fingerling potato salad), but it can get a little tricky with mayo content. You love the classic flavor, but don’t want it to be too heavy for a pool day. Enter this coleslaw with apples recipe!
The sweetness of the apples helps you avoid any added sugar in the dressing (no Miracle Whip here!) and fresh herbs and green onions really lighten it up.
- Quick and Easy – This whole recipe takes about 15 minutes to make total. It’s the perfect quick side.
- Great for summer – This side dish pairs so well with BBQ pork, chicken, or ribs.
- No sugar – With no added sugar, this recipe fits a migraine diet, paleo, and Whole30.
Ingredients
- Cabbage mix – You can typically find “pre-shredded cabbage slaw” or coleslaw mixes (then just toss the dressing in the bag). You can also buy cabbage and carrots separately and just use a mandoline or thinly slice them with a sharp knife.
- Apples – I prefer to use honeycrisp for these recipe, but any apple will work. Fuji or gala apples are great too. And for a less sweet, more tart flavor, you can use green apples or “Granny Smith”.
- Mayonnaise – I recommend Sir Kensington’s organic, Primal Kitchen or Chosen Foods Avocado Oil mayo.
- Apple juice – Any regular, plain apple juice will work!
- Parsley – Fresh or freeze-dried will work.
Please see the recipe card below for all ingredients and amounts used.
Substitutions
- Mayonnaise – Can be substituted with yogurt (not HYH). Icelandic skyr recommended.
- Egg free/vegan – Use this egg free mayonnaise recipe.
How to Make Apple Coleslaw
Step 1: Mix the dressing
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, apple juice, parsley, and green onions (pictures 1-2).
Step 2: Add the coleslaw mix and apples
Stir in the coleslaw mix and chopped apples till combined. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes in the fridge for the flavors to combine (pictures 3-4).
Recipe Tip
Chop the apples right before serving to avoid them turning brown. If you need to prep them ahead, place them in a bowl of water, then drain and pat dry. Pre-shredded cabbage mix will save you so much time!
Prep Ahead
If you’re planning to make this apple coleslaw recipe ahead for the 4th of July or a BBQ but you’re worried about it getting soggy, my favorite tips are:
- Mix the dressing in the bottom of the bowl and then place the cabbage, carrots, and apples on top. Then place the bowl in the fridge.
- Toss together about 5-10 minutes before you intend to serve, but place back in the fridge once tossed.
Serving Suggestions
While this makes a great side dish, coleslaw with apples has a great way of adding extra veggies and flavoring to other dishes. Some of my favorite ways to mix it up are:
- Topped on slow cooker pork shoulder (or tacos)
- As a side dish for honey chipotle chicken or Mexican grilled chicken
- On Baja fish tostadas
- With this simple dry rub for ribs
- In chicken tinga tacos
- With buffalo chicken thighs (pictured above)
Looking for other BBQ side dishes? Try this fingerling potato salad or this peach watermelon salad.
Storage Suggestions
Once the apple coleslaw has been mixed with the dressing, it will be best to consume within 2-3 hours. Store in the fridge till you are ready to serve.
After that, coleslaw will be good the next day but will be a bit more soggy. This would make it better to use as a topping for tacos, rather than as a stand alone side dish.
Recipe FAQ
Yes! Pre-shredded broccoli slaw would also work in this apple coleslaw recipe and be just as delicious as a side dish or topping.
Wait to mix the shredded slaw with the dressing. Salt from the coleslaw dressing draws out the moisture in the cabbage, softening it, but also increasing the water content. This can happen within 20-30 minutes of mixing everything together.
To enhance the flavor, you can make coleslaw the day before, especially if you like a really soft texture. I personally prefer a really crunchy coleslaw so I recommend eating within 2-3 hours of mixing the apple slaw with the dressing.
If you don’t like apples in coleslaw, just omit them from the recipe. Or for a version that’s a little more low carb, use jicama instead. It’s crunchy like an apple but without the sweetness.
Summer Side Dish Recipes
For more easy side dishes like this coleslaw with apples, try these vegetarian recipes!
Salad
Fingerling Potato Salad
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Coleslaw with Apples
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon apple juice
- 2 green onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh or freeze dried parsley
- 3/4 cup honeycrisp apple, chopped
- 12 oz coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the mayo, green onion, apple juice, vinegar, and parsley together until combined. Place coleslaw mix and chopped apple on top.
- Toss everything together when 10-20 minutes away from serving and put back in the fridge to continue to chill. Taste and adjust any seasonings! Serve cold.
Notes
- You can buy pre-shredded coleslaw mix most places, just toss out the dressing if it comes with it. I used Trader Joe’s here.
- Gala, Granny Smith (green) or Fuji apples can be subbed for honeycrisp, but I like honeycrisp the best.
- This serves 4-6 people depending on portion sizes and whether you’re using it as a side dish or topping on BBQ sandwiches.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This coleslaw recipe is fast and easy to make and it is really tasty. Not too sweet, not too much vinegar. I put it in pulled pork and pork tacos or eat it on the side. Make it every couple of weeks.
Delicious!! My husband and I like the sweeter coleslaw so we left the vinegar out of it. Love the addition of the apples. Great recipe!
Thanks, Brittany!
I was missing Kentucky fried chicken coleslaw so I made this recipe. I absolutely love it! Even more than Kentucky fried chicken’s. Hubby also approved and wants to try it on hamburgers.
Really yummy on hamburgers!
I thought I would miss all the sugar from traditional coleslaw but this is delicious! I made it with shredded broccoli and it turned out to be the perfect compliment to lunch yesterday. Another wonderful recipe!
So happy you enjoyed this!! I agree it doesn’t need sugar like you’d expect with the apples!
Really tasty coleslaw and the apple made it stand out. Used it with pulled pork so it paired really well. Added shallot instead of green onion.
Thanks so much for taking the time to review, Claire!
Thank you, Claire! You’re the best!