The Darling Apron

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Sweets
  • Resources
  • About Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Free Resources
  • Work With Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About Me
    • Free Resources
    • Work With Me
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Side Dishes

    Old-Fashioned Coleslaw with Vinegar

    Published: Jan 24, 2025 · Modified: Feb 18, 2025 by Ashley · As an Amazon affiliate, this post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    ↓ Jump to Recipe
    Pin the Recipe

    This sweet and tangy old-fashioned coleslaw is made with a vinegar-based boiled dressing, just like grandma used to make! Serve as a side dish at your next potluck party or barbecue!

    Overhead shot of large silver bowl of coleslaw with 2 wooden spoons resting in the slaw.

    I like to think of the term "old fashioned" when it comes to recipes as another way to say "well tested and approved for generations". Has a nice ring to it doesn't it? This recipe is one that definitely fits the bill.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Serving Tips
    • Storage Tips
    • FAQ
    • Other Side Dishes You'll Love
    • Old-Fashioned Coleslaw with Vinegar

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Pouring hot liquid over cabbage to make coleslaw may be a unique idea, but it's a proven concept that results in the perfect coleslaw!
    • While mayo-based coleslaws have their place, they can often feel heavy. This vinegar and oil-based coleslaw dressing has a lighter feel and really lets the veggies shine through.
    • The coleslaw needs to sit 2 hours up to overnight for the best result, making it a great make-ahead recipe. It actually gets better the longer it sits!

    Ingredient Notes

    • Bagged coleslaw mix - This store-bought ingredient is a huge time saver! This mix contains shredded green cabbage and often carrots. You could absolutely shred your own, but I find the store-bought is just as good for this recipe and much easier! If shredding your own, you are looking for just under 2 pounds of cabbage.
    • Green pepper - An ingredient you don't always see in coleslaw but adds a nice punch of flavor and crunch. Chop the pepper in a small dice so it blends in nicely with the other veggies.
    • Onion - Either white or yellow will work. Dice into small pieces. You don't want to bite into a big chunk of onion.
    • Celery seed - A signature spice in many coleslaws.
    • Apple cider vinegar & sugar - The ying and yang to give the coleslaw its sweet and tangy flavor. The sugar cuts the acidity of the vinegar.
    Small diced green pepper and onion piled on top of green cabbage and shredded carrot mixture in silver bowl.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    The coleslaw itself comes together in 10 minutes, but the hardest part is waiting to eat it!

    Step 1: Place coleslaw mix, green pepper and onion in a mixing bowl.

    Step 2: In a saucepan bring oil, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt & pepper to a rolling boil on stove top. The temperature of a strong boil is needed to fully dissolve the sugar. Immediately pour mixture over the coleslaw and mix thoroughly. 

    Step 3: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Give a good toss before serving.

    Serving Tips

    If you've ever made anything pickled, you'll notice we are using a similar process of pouring a hot, acidic liquid over vegetables letting it sit. Because of this, the coleslaw will get better the longer it sits.

    The 2 hour timeframe is the bare minimum. If you can let it refrigerate overnight, that's even better!

    Serve as a side dish or topping with anything from burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, bbq, fish tacos and more!

    Storage Tips

    You can safety keep the coleslaw in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Besides food safety, the texture of the cabbage will become very soggy by this point.

    As a food safety rule, do not keep salads or coleslaws out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours as longer can allow bad bacteria to grow.

    I would not recommend freezing coleslaw due to the water content in the vegetables.

    Two wooden spoons scooping coleslaw out of a large metal mixing bowl.

    FAQ

    How do you tone down the vinegar taste in coleslaw?

    The sugar in this recipe balances the strong acidity of the vinegar to create a more pleasant flavor, while still obviously a vinegar-based slaw.

    How long can you keep vinegar-based coleslaw?

    Coleslaws along with other cold salads can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This is dependent on how or if the coleslaw has been in and out of the fridge multiple times for serving. Keep an eye on the smell and look of the coleslaw and toss at any sign of spoilage.

    What kind of vinegar do I use for coleslaw?

    Apple cider vinegar has a more fruity, mild flavor compared to white vinegar making it a better choice for this recipe.

    Other Side Dishes You'll Love

    • Square image of grilled potatoes in opened foil packet on a white platter.
      Grilled Potatoes in Foil
    • Tuna potato salad in a light green ceramic bowl on a wicker placemat with a jar of fresh herbs alongside.
      Tuna Potato Salad
    • Overhead view of pasta salad in a white bowl sitting on a wooden tray. A yellow towel in the bottom left corner and cilantro and half a lime in the top left corner.
      Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
    • Jello salad in glass bowl with extra orange slices on top
      Orange Jello Salad With Cottage Cheese

    Be sure to follow The Darling Apron on Facebook & Instagram along with what I’m pinning on Pinterest!

    Have you made one of my recipes? I’d love your feedback on the comment box and star rating below the recipe! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Overhead shot of large silver bowl of coleslaw with 2 wooden spoons resting in the slaw.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.16 from 20 votes

    Old-Fashioned Coleslaw with Vinegar

    This sweet and tangy old-fashioned coleslaw is made with a vinegar-based boiled dressing, just like grandma used to make! Serve as a side dish at your next potluck party or barbecue!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Chilling Time2 hours hrs
    Total Time2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: old fashioned vinegar coleslaw, vinegar and oil coleslaw, vinegar coleslaw
    Servings: 8 servings
    Author: Ashley Leonard

    Ingredients

    • 2- 14 oz. bags coleslaw mix w/ cabbage & carrots
    • 1 cup green pepper diced small
    • ⅓ cup white or yellow onion diced small
    • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
    • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ⅓ cup white sugar
    • 1 tsp. celery seed
    • ½ tsp. salt
    • ¼ tsp. black pepper

    Instructions

    • Place coleslaw mix, green pepper and onion in a mixing bowl.
      2- 14 oz. bags coleslaw mix, 1 cup green pepper, ⅓ cup white or yellow onion
    • In a saucepan bring oil, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt & pepper to a rolling boil. Immediately pour mixture over the coleslaw and mix thoroughly.
      ½ cup vegetable or canola oil, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ⅓ cup white sugar, 1 tsp. celery seed, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper
    • Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Coleslaw can be stored for up to 5 days in the fridge.

    Notes

    • The 2 hour timeframe is the bare minimum. If you can let it refrigerate overnight, that's even better!
    • You can shred your own cabbage and carrots! You are looking for just under 2 pounds of cabbage and about a cup of shredded carrots. 

    More Side Dishes

    • Squash on a serving platter with sage leaves
      Air Fryer Acorn Squash Slices
    • Cheesy hashbrowns on a white plate
      4-Ingredient Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole (Without Soup)
    • Close up of Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
      Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
    • Parmesan Potato Stacks stacked on a black plate
      Parmesan Potato Stacks

    Comments

      4.16 from 20 votes (17 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Ann says

      February 18, 2023 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      I've made coleslaw this way but it was worth it! Great flavor and simple to make!

      Reply
      • Donna Mundy says

        December 26, 2024 at 7:50 pm

        5 stars
        My Sister loves Vinegar Coleslaw and she loves this recipe; she always raves about how Good it is and always wants to take some home; Thanks for sharing your recipe on Pinterest!!!

        Reply
        • Ashley says

          December 27, 2024 at 10:31 am

          Thank you Donna! So glad it was a hit!

          Reply
      • Carolyn Lane says

        January 26, 2025 at 4:50 pm

        5 stars
        I made this Coleslaw, it was easy to make, I just put it in the fridge to cool. I tasted of it before I put it in, it was very good, I can’t wait to eat it. Good recipe.

        Reply

    Welcome to The Darling Apron! I'm a wife, mom, & chai tea latte lover who uses food as her love language. I believe some of life's best moments happen when gathered around the kitchen table. Whether making time-honored family recipes or developing new favorites, I love creating memories through delicious food. I hope this space inspires you to do the same!

    More about me →

    Latest Recipes

    • Two bars sitting on marble counter with pan of bars in the background. Whole pretzels and butterscotch chips scattered on counter.
      Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats
    • Half of bagel but on a wooden board with other half of sandwich and extra leaf lettuce in background.
      Bagel BLT with Avocado
    • Corn dog with a bite taken out of end sitting on top of other corn dogs on a plate with a white bowl of maple syrup next to them.
      Breakfast Corn Dogs (With Pancake Mix)
    • Four guacamole toast variations on marble countertop. A halved avocado also shown.
      Guacamole Toast

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.