Old-Fashioned Coleslaw with Vinegar

Name: Old-Fashioned Coleslaw with Vinegar
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 2- 14 oz. bags coleslaw mix (w/ cabbage & carrots); 1 cup green pepper (diced small); 1/3 cup white or yellow onion (diced small); 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil; 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/3 cup white sugar; 1 tsp. celery seed; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/4 tsp. black pepper

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.

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!!!

Leave your review below

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!

What you’ll need for this recipe:

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.

More Recipes Like This

4.16 from 20 votes