This Creamy Southern Coleslaw recipe is one of my favorite side dishes. The sweet, tangy dressing combined with the fresh, crunchy cabbage is so simple yet so flavorful.
This coleslaw recipe is a restaurant-style coleslaw, and it is as close as I have been able to get to the coleslaw from our favorite fast food restaurant, Raising Cane’s. We love to serve it with Copycat Raising Cane’s Sauce and fried chicken tenders!
I’ve tested so many different coleslaw recipes and honestly couldn’t find one that we liked. We just don’t like the flavor of celery seed in coleslaw, and almost every traditional coleslaw recipe includes it. We tried the “best coleslaw recipe” that came up in a Google search, and we really didn’t like it. This beloved side dish uses a secret ingredient, and I’m confident it will become a family favorite for you too.
❓What is Southern-Style Coleslaw?
Traditional Southern coleslaw recipes use shredded raw cabbage and finely shredded carrots mixed with mayonnaise, a little vinegar, and some spices to make a sweet, creamy, delectable coleslaw. It is slightly crunchy, but the cabbage gets a little soft and absorbs the flavors of the dressing – it is so good.
This easy southern coleslaw uses a bag of coleslaw mix and some shredded carrots, so it is really easy to make and comes together quickly. (In fact, I made it today while talking on the phone!)
There’s just something about the small carrot pieces mixed with the shredded cabbage that really makes this coleslaw extra delicious. It is a classic southern side dish that goes great with buttermilk fried chicken, fried fish, or on top of fish tacos.
🥘 Ingredients Needed
Cabbage Coleslaw Base
- Coleslaw Mix – A 16-ounce bag of coleslaw mix (I just use the store brand) or a head of cabbage that is finely shredded – about 8 cups worth. If you shred cabbage yourself, try to use a mandolin or food processor to get it shredded pretty thin – this slaw is really soft and light, and delicious. If you use your own, I would recommend using a mix of red/purple cabbage and green cabbage.
- Shredded or Grated Carrots – Either store-bought or shredded with a food processor/grated with a cheese grater. Grating the carrots will make smaller pieces that can better absorb the dressing, and it will be softer and more delicious.
Dressing Ingredients
- Buttermilk – This is the secret ingredient! Combined with the lemon juice and vinegar, it gives this sweet southern coleslaw recipe a little bit of tang.
- Sugar
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon Juice
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Full measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🍽 Equipment Needed
- A Large Bowl
- A Small Bowl
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- A Whisk
🥬 What Do You Use to Shred Cabbage?
I personally like the convenience of using a bagged coleslaw mix, but you can shred a head of cabbage with a sharp knife, a mandolin slicer, a food processor, or even a box grater!
🥣 How to Make Creamy Coleslaw
This coleslaw is so easy to make. It takes less than 5 minutes to mix everything together; then, you just have to wait patiently for the flavors to develop in the fridge.
In a small bowl, make the sweet coleslaw dressing. Combine sugar, buttermilk, vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mayonnaise.
Whisk to combine. (Give the buttermilk a shake before measuring it.)
In a large mixing bowl, combine a bag of coleslaw mix and the shredded carrots. Cut up any big pieces that seem to have missed the shredder.
Drizzle the dressing over the shredded cabbage and toss to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. The longer, the better. If you taste it right away, it will likely taste like lemon juice.
Mix well before serving, as there will be some excess liquid that collects on the bottom of the bowl. This coleslaw is a little on the “wet” side, but that’s a big part of why it is so good!
Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and taste again right before serving.
It might be perfect as it is, or it might need a little sprinkle of salt! (It also depends on what you are serving it with – if you are topping some salty pork with coleslaw, you might not want to add salt, but if you are eating some sweet sticky ribs, some salt might be nice.)
This tang of this coleslaw pairs so well with homemade barbecue sauce, so it is a perfect side dish to bring to a summer picnic or southern bbq.
🫙 How to Store Homemade Coleslaw
Coleslaw should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It will probably last a little longer, but it will start to get really soggy and won’t be very good after a while. There will be excess liquid in the bottom of the container – be sure to give it a good stir before serving.
⏲️ Can You Make Southern Coleslaw Ahead of Time?
Yes! Coleslaw is actually best made a little bit ahead of time, so the flavors have a chance to develop. At least two hours ahead of time is ideal. Stir the coleslaw well before serving and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but it will alter the flavor. If you like the taste of apple cider vinegar in your coleslaw, I would try a different recipe where it is the prominent ingredient.
Not officially, but it is a restaurant-style coleslaw, so you could say that it is a Copycat Raising Cane’s Coleslaw or a Copycat KFC Coleslaw.
There are many coleslaw recipes that do not use sugar – this is not one of them. I tested this recipe several times to make sure that the acidity, sweetness, and saltiness were all balanced so I would not leave out the sugar. While this recipe does have a good amount of sugar in it, this is more of a tangy coleslaw than a sweet coleslaw.
When researching coleslaw recipes, this question came up a lot, so I included it. If sesame seeds in coleslaw is something that your family likes, feel free to add them!
You can use regular milk if that is all you have, but it will make the dressing runnier, and you will need to add more vinegar to the recipe to balance out the tang in the dressing. I would cut the milk in half and add an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise with another splash of vinegar.
🍟 Copycat Raising Cane’s Coleslaw
Make yourself a Caniac at home! Seriously, doesn’t this look just like the coleslaw from Raising Cane’s? Combined with my Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders and Raising Cane’s Sauce Recipe, you can have a Cane’s feast at home. (Raising Cane’s, if you are reading this, Chattanooga, Tennessee, would love a franchise!)
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Share with friends✏️ Helpful Tips
- Be sure to let the coleslaw sit for at least three hours. If you are planning on serving it for lunch, I would even consider making it the night before. (If it doesn’t sit for long enough, it will taste like lemon.)
- Finish the coleslaw with a little more salt and pepper right before serving based on your preferences and how the taste has developed after it sits in the fridge. Some people will like it as is, and some might like it with more salt. (It will also depend on what you are serving it with!)
- Use a slotted spoon or tongs to serve the coleslaw. Since the dressing on this coleslaw is on the runnier side, it’s easier to strain it before scooping it onto a plate.
🍤 What to Serve with Southern Coleslaw
As I’m sure you know, vinegar-based coleslaws and creamy coleslaws have different places where they shine.
Pass me a plate of this sweet southern slaw with some fried catfish and a big scoop of potato salad. This delicious recipe also goes great with so many things.
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
- Southern Fried Catfish or Fried Shrimp
- Baby Back Ribs
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Classic Southern Coleslaw
Equipment
- a small bowl
- a large bowl
- a whisk
Ingredients
- 1 bag coleslaw mix 16 ounces, or 8 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded or grated carrots
Coleslaw Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste before serving
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste before serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, make the sweet coleslaw dressing. Combine sugar, buttermilk, vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mayonnaise.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup buttermilk, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Whisk to combine. (Give the buttermilk a shake before measuring it.)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine a bag of coleslaw mix and the shredded carrots. Cut up any big pieces that seem to have missed the shredder.1 bag coleslaw mix, 1 cup shredded or grated carrots
- Drizzle the dressing over the shredded cabbage and toss to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate. For best results, refrigerate for at least 3 hours. The longer the better. If you taste it right away, it will likely taste like lemon juice. Mix well before serving as there will be some excess liquid that collects on the bottom of the bowl.
- Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste right before serving. (*See notes.)
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to let the coleslaw sit for at least three hours. If you are planning on serving it for lunch, I would even consider making it the night before. (If it doesn’t sit for long enough, it will taste like lemon.)
- Finish the coleslaw with a little more salt and pepper right before serving based on your preferences and how the taste has developed after it sits in the fridge. Some people will like it as is and some might like it with more salt. (It will also depend on what you are serving it with!)
- Use a slotted spoon or tongs to serve the coleslaw. Since the dressing on this coleslaw is on the runnier side, it’s easier to strain it before scooping it onto a plate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
This is great! I’ve tried numerous coleslaw recipes, looking for one that we like. We really like Raising Cane’s slaw and this tastes the same. Thanks!!!