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Sides

Easy Vegan Coleslaw

March 5, 2022 by Alexandra Daum
An easy German-style vegan coleslaw, with red and white cabbage, carrots, apple, and onion. Topped off with a zesty mustard lemon vinaigrette.
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Vegan coleslaw on a serving plate.

This is the type of coleslaw I grew up eating, as my mom can’t stand the mayonnaise versions. German coleslaw (krautsalat or cabbage salad) doesn’t typically include carrots, but it can, and is made with an oil and vinegar dressing rather than mayonnaise, which is more Dutch American.

As with standard slaw, the cabbage and everything else is sliced very thinly. After resting for a little while, the vegetables soften and turn into an all around excellent salad. I’m a big proponent of eating some raw vegetables in the colder months and this is a good way to do that.

Oil and vinegar coleslaw lasts several days in the refrigerator so it’s a good thing to add to your meal prep rotation if you’re into that. Store in a sealed container and take what you need each day.

Table of Contents hide
Ingredients
Step by Step
Recipe Notes
More Cold Weather Salads
Vegan Coleslaw

Ingredients

Vegan coleslaw ingredients with labels.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Red cabbage: this adds colour, but red cabbage also has a slightly stronger flavour than white, so keep that in mind.
  • Apple: fairly traditional, apples add sweetness and make a more complex coleslaw. Use a good eating apple that’s a bit tart.
  • Onion: red if possible, but white onion can be substituted.
  • Vinegar: apple cider vinegar, preferably, but white wine or plain white vinegar can be used. Lemon juice can be substituted for vinegar. Use about 3 tablespoons, or the juice of an average lemon.
  • Mustard: Dijon or German, but not yellow hotdog mustard.

Step by Step

Vegan coleslaw steps 1 to 4.

Step 1: make the vinaigrette in a jar or small bowl.
Step 2: grate or thinly slice the vegetables, add to a mixing bowl, and add the vinaigrette.
Step 3: use your hands to massage the vegetables.
Step 4: once mixed, serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

Use all red or all white cabbage if preferred. You can leave the carrot out or replace it with more cabbage, but don’t omit the apple or onion. A vegan coleslaw will rely more on good ingredients, as there isn’t a thick dressing coating everything.

Use a food processor fitted with the thinnest blade attachment to quickly slice the cabbage. I use my food processor for both the cabbage as well as grating the carrot, apple, and onion (it’s just so much faster). Alternatively, thinly slice by hand and use the large side of a box grater.

As mentioned above, this lasts for several days if refrigerated. It’s essentially pickled, so the vinegar and salt preserve the vegetables. Wilting isn’t an issue here and the salad tastes even better after a day or two, though it’s best served at room temperature.

Other vegetables, like kohlrabi, can be added to the coleslaw if you’d like. Grate alongside the carrots.

If you want to make enough coleslaw for a large group, simply increase the recipe to make as much as you need. Keep in mind the amounts of red and white cabbage and carrots should be approximately equal.

More Cold Weather Salads

Red Cabbage Orange Salad
Crispy Lentil, Orange, and Pomegranate Salad
Ten Minute Peanut Butter Noodle Salad
Moroccan Inspired Quinoa Carrot Salad

If you make this German Cabbage Salad or any other vegetarian side dish recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.

Yield: 6

Vegan Coleslaw

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 15 minutes minutes
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

Salad

  • ¼ red cabbage about 200g (7 oz)
  • ¼ white cabbage about 200g (7 oz)
  • 2 medium carrots about 200g (7 oz)
  • 1 large apple, cored
  • 1 small red onion about 60g (2 oz)

Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
  • 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Salad

  • Core the cabbages and slice very finely. This can be done by hand or using a mandolin or a food processor attachment.
    1/4 red cabbage, 1/4 white cabbage
  • Grate the carrots, apple, and onion. Use the large side of a box grater or the grating attachment in a food processor.
    2 medium carrots, 1 large apple, cored, 1 small red onion
  • Place the vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
  • Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and use your hands to mix until well combined. Serve immediately or, if you have the time, allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes first.
  • Vegan coleslaw will keep for several days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It can be eaten cold but is best served at room temperature.

Vinaigrette

  • Add the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to a small jar or bowl. Shake or whisk until well mixed and the vinaigrette is fully emulsified.
    3 tablespoons olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.


Nutrition

Serving: 1 Calories: 120kcal Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 2g Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 5g Sodium: 248mg Potassium: 288mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 8g Vitamin A: 3846IU Vitamin C: 38mg Calcium: 46mg Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.

© Alexandra Daum
Course: Appetizer, Autumn, Salad, Sides, Winter
Cuisine: German
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Print

This post was first published in November 2016. It has been updated with improvements to the recipe as of March 2022.

Woman in garden adjusting peas growing on bamboo.

Occasionally Eggs

by Alexandra Daum

If you’re looking for approachable, seasonal vegetarian recipes, you’re in the right place! Occasionally Eggs is all about healthier plant based recipes that follow the seasons.

Find vegetarian staples, refined sugar free desserts, and hundreds of vegan recipes. All OE recipes are vegetarian, dairy free, and refined sugar free.

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Comments

  1. Alexandra Daum says

    November 30, 2016 at 8:35 pm

    Thanks, Annika!

    Reply
  2. Alexandra Daum says

    November 30, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    Thank you so much, Justine! You too, sweet lady 🙂

    Reply
  3. Alexandra Daum says

    November 30, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    Me too! The red cabbage looks beautiful until it sits for a few hours, and then everything turns bright pink, ha.

    Reply
  4. Alexandra Daum says

    November 30, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    I love kohlrabi too – much more raw than cooked!

    Reply
  5. Annika says

    November 27, 2016 at 4:03 pm

    This looks gorgeous! I love using red cabbage in salads as well and will surely give this one a try. Your photography is impeccable and so spot on!

    Reply
  6. Justine Celina says

    November 26, 2016 at 7:10 pm

    Mmm, I've been craving a fresh winter salad lately and this fits the bill perfectly! Just pinned and look forward to trying it this season. Thanks so much for the gorgeous inspiration, Alexandra! I hope you're doing well.

    Reply
  7. Markus Mueller says

    November 26, 2016 at 7:15 am

    I love a good slaw recipe. I like the addition of apples but what really caught my eye was the red cabbage. Definitely the underdog when it comes to slaws! That red color is so vibrant, it adds the perfect color to salads and other meals where a lot of the time browns and greens dominate!

    Reply
  8. janet @ the taste space says

    November 25, 2016 at 11:02 pm

    oh yum. It has been too long since I have eaten kohlrabi. I love it in salads. 🙂

    Reply

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