Healthy No Mayo Coleslaw

This healthy no-mayo coleslaw is crisp, creamy and packed with the flavour of fresh veggies. Made with crunchy cabbage, carrot and a light Greek yogurt dressing, it's a healthier alternative to classic coleslaw that still tastes rich and satisfying. Ready in just 15 minutes, this easy homemade slaw is the perfect meal-prep salad. Enjoy it as a side dish with barbecues, burgers, wraps and summer salads.

Why make your own coleslaw?

• It's crisp, crunchy and colourful. Freshly made homemade coleslaw has the best taste and texture
• It's healthier. There's no bought mayo, which reduces the fat, additives and sugar. The easy yogurt dressing is made with olive oil for a healthy Mediterranean twist
• Easy to make, with readily available ingredients. Healthy no-mayo coleslaw is budget-friendly and easy to make year-round. It's my go-to salad recipe (along with this healthy Waldorf salad)
• Great for meal prep. You can make up a batch of healthy mayo-free coleslaw and store it in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days. I find if I've got ready-prepped salads, I eat more veggies!

You might also like this courgette and apple slaw recipe

Ingredients

The best vegetables for your crunchy coleslaw

Cabbage. You can use either a firm, crisp white or red cabbage for this recipe (or a mixture of both). Both are very healthy, and packed with nutrients and gut-friendly bacteria.

Red cabbage has the advantage of containing healthy anthocyanin polyphenols, which result in its deep purple colour. (These are also the nutrients that give blueberries their colour). Red cabbage also adds a beautiful colour to your healthy slaw.

Carrots also provide healthy fibre, and are a rich source of beta carotene, which your body can convert into Vitamin A. They are very good for your eyesight as well, as the carotenoids that they contain can help to prevent age related degeneration. To read more about the health benefits of carrots see https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nutrition/foods/carrots#section5

No mayo coleslaw dressing

This homemade healthy coleslaw recipe is mayo-free. The simple dressing is made from extra virgin olive oil and yogurt. Use a natural, thick Greek yogurt so that the dressing has a nice, thick creaminess. You can also use dairy free yogurt if needed.

Extra virgin olive oil has proven health benefits, and is a key ingredient of the much researched Mediterranean diet.

Extra virgin oil is processed without heat, which can destroy many of the health benefits of the oil. Conversely, bought mayonnaise often uses inferior, cheaper, highly processed oils, plus thickeners and sugar.

Extra virgin olive oil also adds a great flavour to this yogurt dressing, making it taste more like a traditional mayonnaise, with a rich and satisfying flavour.

If you want to make a low-fat coleslaw dressing, you can omit the olive oil. Add extra flavour with a squeeze of lemon juice and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.

Optional ingredients

Adapt the recipe to suit your taste:

• Onions: if you like raw onions, add a little finely sliced onion to the vegetable mix. Red onion will be sweeter. If you want to reduce the onion's strong flavour, soak it in ice water for 15 minutes. Or for a milder onion flavour, use chopped spring onions or chives
• Add a little extra natural sweetness with a grated apple. Alternatively add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup, or a couple of tablespoons of dried fruit such as sultanas or raisins
• For a hint of garlic, add either a very finely chopped garlic clove or a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder. You can also add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice for extra acidity
• For some extra protein and crunch, sprinkle a handful of sunflower seeds over your coleslaw

How to make healthy no-mayo coleslaw

The no mayo dressing is very easy to make as you simply stir everything together. Do this gently, so the yogurt does not split. Mix the dressing in a bowl large enough for all the veggies to cut down on the washing up.

If I'm making the coleslaw for meal prep (which I often am), I make it in a lidded container which I can easily store in the fridge.

Cutting the vegetables finely and evenly makes a much better coleslaw, so take your time.

Use either a food processor, a grater or your knife skills to cut the veggies for coleslaw. If you are making a small portion, you might prefer to prepare the veggies by hand, but for larger quantities, a food processor saves time. I find that either the grating or the chopping attachment of the processor works well.

If I'm preparing the veggies by hand, then I use a box grater for the carrots, and very finely slice or grate the cabbage. You can also shred the cabbage with a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, which I find very effective.

Once the veggies are shredded, add them to the yogurt dressing and stir to mix well.

Serving and storing

Healthy no-mayo coleslaw is perfect to serve as a barbecue side dish. Try it with these lentil burgers or turkey burgers. It's also great served alongside quiche. The crunchy texture works really well in wraps. I like to add a big handful of grated cheese as well.

It's also the perfect side dish for pulled pork.

Homemade healthy coleslaw will store well for 3 or 4 days in the fridge in an airtight lidded container. It's the ultimate meal prep salad!

I don't recommend freezing coleslaw as the veggies will lose some of their crunch, and the yogurt dressing may split slightly.

Frequently asked questions

Other healthy summer salad recipes

You might also like some of these other healthy salad recipes. They are all mayo-free, and ideal for barbecues, picnics and summer lunches.

You might also like to browse all vegetable and salad recipes.

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Recipe

Please note nutritional information is for guidance only