Apple Coleslaw (Quick + Easy Recipe) (2024)

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Apple Coleslaw features apples, carrots, cranberries, and cabbage tossed in a peppery-sweet creamy slaw dressing. It’s healthy, full of texture and flavor, and so easy to make!

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I love making coleslaw, and this light and refreshing fruit-filled apple slaw is a welcome addition to the other great slaw recipes on the blog!

Sweet & peppery, this delicious slaw with apples is crowd-pleasing and a nice change from the usual coleslaw recipes.

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Why We Love This Recipe 🍎

  • Great flavor and texture: Coleslaw with apples and cranberries combine creamy, crunchy, sweet, tangy, and savory flavors for the ultimate crave-worthy apple slaw.
  • Super versatile: Apple coleslaw can easily be customized to suit your preferences. Change up the cranberries and almonds, or switch up the cabbage and dressing base. We love options!
  • Quick and easy: Apple Slaw is simple to make and requires minimal effort. Once you’ve prepped the produce, it’s easy as can be to put together.
  • Make it ahead: We love that this recipe can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, making it a convenient option for meal prep or as a side dish for gatherings and events.
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Ingredients You’ll Need

Made from scratch, this apple coleslaw recipe includes cabbage, apples, dried cranberries, carrots, green onions, and slivered almonds tossed in a deliciously creamy vegan dressing.

Here is everything you’ll need, including variations:

  • Cabbage – Use regular green or Napa cabbage.
  • Carrots – Shred your own, and for convenience use pre-shredded carrots.
  • Apples – Use your favorite apples, sweet or tart – fuji, granny smith, honey crisp, gala, golden delicious, or a combo.
  • Cranberries – We love using organic cranberries, preferably unsweetened. They add a nice pop of color. Raisins make a great substitute when needed – use regular, jumbo, or golden.
  • Almonds – We used slivered almonds here, but you can easily change it up with sunflower seeds, pecans, or walnuts. They all add extra crunch and nutrition!
  • Green onions – Diced red onions can be used in place of green onions.
  • Apple Coleslaw Dressing – The dressing is a creamy, no mayo recipe, but feel free to use vegan mayo or plain non-dairy yogurt instead of the tahini, as noted in the recipe.
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How To Make Apple Coleslaw

Making apple slaw is super easy, requiring just a few simple steps:

  • Start with the coleslaw dressing by mixing together the tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside to let the flavors combine.
  • Prepare the cabbage by removing the first cabbage leaf, core and finely slice the cabbage, then give it a good rough chop.
  • Wash the apples well, core, and julienne into matchsticks.
  • Assemble coleslaw. In a large mixing bowl, add the cabbage, apples, carrots, cranberries, green onions, and almonds. (If you don’t have a large mixing bowl, a 6 qt. soup or stock pot will do perfectly.) Pour the dressing over the slaw salad and mix well to combine.

Serve as is, or let chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.

I often make a batch and eat it as a main dish, grazing on it throughout the day. It’s also great for make-ahead lunches and is even better the next day!

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How To Store Apple Coleslaw

Coleslaw can be safely stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 – 5 days.

Can You Make Apple Slaw Ahead?

You can make coleslaw 3 to 4 days ahead of serving it. For the best presentation, I recommend making it within 24 hours of serving. Otherwise, it tends to become watery and limp. You can always prep the ingredients, keeping the slaw and dressing separate until a few hours before serving. To keep the apples from browning, place them in a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Will the Apples Turn Brown in Coleslaw?

Nope! The apples will not turn brown with the use of apple cider vinegar in the coleslaw dressing, so you can safely make your apple coleslaw a day or two ahead of time. Just keep it stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

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Serving Suggestions

What to serve with apple coleslaw? Here are a few of our favorite pairings from the archives:

  • Healthy Baked Beans
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More Coleslaw Recipes!

  • Classic Vegan Coleslaw
  • Asian Slaw, zesty with a miso-ginger dressing, and my all-time favorite
  • Spicy Coleslaw, my all-time favorite, with pepperoncini and creamy tahini dressing.

If you try this apple slaw recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

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EASY APPLE COLESLAW

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 7 reviews

Crisp, fresh, and delicious, this Apple Coleslaw features a colorful combo of fruits and veggies tossed in a delicious creamy apple cider dressing! Recipe is versatile and can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

  • Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
  • Category: Salad, Side
  • Method: mix
  • Cuisine: Vegan, American

Ingredients

Units Scale

  • 1/2 head green cabbage (about 45 cups), shredded
  • 2 carrots (about 1 1/2 cups), julienned or shredded
  • 2 apples (green or red), cored and cut into matchsticks
  • 3/41 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 23 green onions (about 1/2 cup), sliced

Tahini Maple Dressing

  • 1/4 cup tahini (sub with 1/2 cup mayo or plain non-dairy yogurt)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and pepper. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of water as needed to thin. Set aside to let the flavors mingle.

Assemble coleslaw: In an x-large bowl, add the cabbage, apples, carrots, cranberries, green onions, and almonds. Drizzle the dressing over the top and mix well to coat. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve as is, or store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.

Coleslaw can be made a day ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Makes about 8 cups

Serves 4 – 8

Notes

To replace the tahini: use 1/2 cup non-dairy plain yogurt or vegan mayo.

The ingredients can easily be changed up for variation:

  • Replace green cabbage for napa or red cabbage, or use a combo.
  • Use your favorite apples – fuji, granny smith, honey crisp, gala, golden delicious, etc.
  • In place of cranberries, raisins would work well.
  • Vary up the almonds, using sunflower seeds, pecans, or walnuts.
  • Use diced red onion in place of green onions.

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Apple Coleslaw (Quick + Easy Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is apple slaw made of? ›

Combine cabbage, red apple, green apple, carrot, red bell pepper, and green onions in a large bowl. Mix together mayonnaise, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture; mix until evenly coated.

How do you keep apples from turning brown in coleslaw? ›

Apple Treatment Method: Citric Acid

Some food professionals recommend sprinkling citric acid on apples to prevent browning. I sprinkled 1/2 teaspoon of the powder over the apples and tossed them in a bowl to cover the slices evenly, then rinsed off with tap water in a colander after five minutes.

What is KFC coleslaw made of? ›

KFC coleslaw has a sweet and tangy taste with a creamy texture. The coleslaw is made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and onions, and is dressed with a sweet and tangy dressing that includes vinegar, sugar, and a blend of spices.

Why did Chick Fil A stop selling coleslaw? ›

"But as our sales volumes grew, it just wasn't feasible to keep adding to the menu without taking anything away." Chick-fil-A cut cole slaw from the menu in January to make room for a new "superfood" side of kale and broccolini in a maple vinaigrette dressing.

What's the difference between coleslaw and slaw? ›

The real difference is that the raw, chopped vegetables in coleslaw are primarily cabbage: Napa, red, savoy, or bok choy. Slaw without the cole can feature any crunchy veggie in place of cabbage, including chopped or shredded broccoli, carrots, snow peas, jicama, and more.

What is in Mary Brown's coleslaw? ›

Mary Brown's shreds fresh cabbage and carrots in house, and tops it with a creamy dressing. The freshly shredded veggies give you a light yet satisfying crunch while the dressing gives you the tanginess you're looking for.

How long to soak apples to prevent browning? ›

To use this method to prevent apples from turning brown, create a water bath for your apple slices with a ratio of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of water. Soak the apple slices for 3 to 5 minutes, then drain and rinse them. This simple step should keep your apples from browning for several hours.

Will mayo keep apples from turning brown? ›

Also, as soon as you assemble the salad, the apple surfaces become coated with mayonnaise or other dressing, which will protect them from the air. No oxygen, no browning. But really, all of this is much ado about nothing.

What do you soak apples in to keep them from turning brown? ›

Here's the short version: The best way to prevent browning is to soak the cut fruit in a saltwater solution (half a teaspoon of kosher salt per cup of water) for 10 minutes, then drain and store until ready to use.

What is Popeyes coleslaw made of? ›

Made with cabbage, red pepper, carrot and onion, this awesome recipe for coleslaw has all of the ingredients you love about traditional coleslaw and is topped with a slightly sweet dressing that sets it apart from many other coleslaw recipes…

What is traditional coleslaw made of? ›

What is traditional coleslaw made of? Traditional coleslaw is little more than shredded cabbage and a creamy dressing. This recipe adds a bit more flavor with shredded carrots and onion. The creamy dressing is made with mayonnaise, sugar, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper, for a just right tangy-sweet flavor.

Why did KFC change to cabbage? ›

KFC says change is due to a lettuce shortage after floods destroyed crops in New South Wales and Queensland. The fried chicken chain KFC has been forced to make menu changes in its burgers and wraps in Australia as the country faces the consequences of floods that destroyed lettuce crops.

Why did Chic Fil A change their name to Chick-fil-A? ›

The capital 'A' stands for Grade A top quality, and it feeds into everything we do. It all began with our founder, S. Truett Cathy, naming his restaurants after his famous signature Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich (also known as the Original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich).

Why doesn't Chick-fil-A use mayo? ›

We don't put any sauces on any of our menu items because we want your meal to be as fresh as possible. Mayonnaise can make food spoil pretty quickly, so in order to keep our food fresher and avoid possible health problems from spoiled food, we avoid putting sauces on our food.

Why is opening a Chick-fil-A so cheap? ›

Startup costs for Chick-fil-A franchises are relatively low. That's because, unlike other franchises, Chick-fil-A actually purchases the real estate and all of the equipment required to open the business, and then leases them to you via monthly rent payments.

What does a slaw contain? ›

This coleslaw recipe (our way of preparing it) is ridiculously easy with cabbage, carrot, and onions gently mixed and coated with mayonnaise, a dab of yellow mustard, vinegar, and black pepper.

What is the difference between slaw and salad? ›

A salad can contain various things. You know things like lettuce, carrots, celery, cucumbers and usually a dressing such as thousand island or ranch. Coleslaw can actually contain the carrots, celery, and even cucumbers but instead of lettuce it contains cabbage, and no lettuce.

How many carbs are in apple slaw? ›

Nutrition Information
NutrientsAmount
Carbohydrates11 g
Dietary Fiber2 g
Total Sugars7 g
Added Sugars included0 g
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