This cilantro lime coleslaw recipe is the perfect crunchy topping for tacos, sandwiches, or a healthy side dish. Made with red/purple and green cabbage, green onions, fresh cilantro and then topped with a fresh lime juice and olive oil vinaigrette. It’s crunchy, tangy, and easy to make!
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This Recipe Starts With Easy-to-Find Grocery Store Ingredients
Coleslaw Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups shredded red/purple cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (how to store cilantro for freshness)
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions (how to store green onions for freshness)
- (optional)1-2 diced fresh jalapeno peppers (for spice)
Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced (optional: add lime zest by grating 1/2 the rind for so much flavor)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- (optional) 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Shredded Cabbage Pro Tip: Use a mandolin or food processor to quickly and easily shred the cabbage.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Vinegar Instead of Lime Juice: While lime is a main part of this recipe and gives the slaw a fresh flavor, easily substitute the lime juice for vinegar. Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, and apple cider vinegar are the best.
- Use One Type of Cabbage: Instead of using a mix of green and red/purple cabbage, use all green cabbage, or all red/purple cabbage. This doesn’t change the flavor, just the visual appearance.
- Bag of Coleslaw Mix: Chopping a head of cabbage is the most time-consuming part of this easy coleslaw recipe. Instead, purchase bagged coleslaw mix. If the bag of coleslaw comes with a dressing, discard it. All you need is the crunchy cabbage slaw, which usually includes green and purple/red cabbage and carrots. Add your own cilantro and green onions.
- Creamy Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw Dressing: This slaw is made with a vinaigrette dressing, but you can easily substitute this option to make a creamy cilantro lime coleslaw. Combine the following in a small bowl: 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 lime (juiced and the rind zested), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Toss with the coleslaw ingredients and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Step By Step Instructions (With Recipe Video & Photos)
Step By Step Instructions
- Step 1 Combine the Coleslaw Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onions.
- Step 2 Combine the Dressing Ingredients: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pour as much dressing over the coleslaw as desired. The dressing is also delicious over a green salad if you have have leftovers.
- Step 3 Combine the Coleslaw and Dressing: Toss the coleslaw and dressing together. Serve immeadiately or store in the fridge for up to 1-2 days.
How to Store
- For the best texture, refrigerate in an airtight container and use the slaw within 1-2 days.
- As the slaw sits in the fridge (coated in the dressing), the crunchy texture of the cabbage will break down, resulting in a soggy coleslaw. There is no way around this.
- Do NOT freeze.
Reader Variation
“I love this recipe! If I’m in a rush, I use one bag of broccoli slaw, one bag of green cabbage and chop up some purple cabbage. Ends up about 2x the amount listed in the recipe. I make the dressing the same with x2 more garlic, hot pepper flakes and honey. Same amount of oil. I could sit on the couch and eat it right out of the bowl. So delicious!“
-MICKEY
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Combine the dry coleslaw ingredients (cabbage, carrots, onions, cilantro) and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Whisk the homemade dressing ingredients in a separate airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Store the coleslaw and tangy dressing separately, in the fridge, until ready to combine and enjoy.
Soggy Coleslaw Pro Tip: This is the best way to avoid soggy homemade coleslaw: storing the dressing and dry ingredients separately. Soggy coleslaw is a result of the acid in the dressing breaking down the cabbage.
What to Serve With This Healthy Recipe
- Perfect Side Dish: Serve on the side of your favorite protein: pork chops, grilled chicken, steak, salmon, stuffed buffalo chicken peppers, or stuffed ground beef peppers.
- Taco Slaw: Top a flour tortilla (or homemade corn tortillas) with ground beef, shrimp, fish, or chicken. Then add slaw on top. Or top on a cheesy quesadilla.
- Sandwich Slaw: Top a bun with shredded meat or grilled chicken, then add slaw on top.
More Ways to Make Homemade Coleslaw
- Winter Slaw: Made with crunchy seasonal ingredients.
- Kale Slaw: This recipe uses kale as the base instead of cabbage.
- Greek Yogurt Slaw: A yogurt-based take on a classic mayo coleslaw recipe.
Easy Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw (for Tacos or Side Salad)
This cilantro lime coleslaw recipe is the perfect crunchy topping for tacos, sandwiches, or a healthy side dish. Made with red/purple and green cabbage, green onions, fresh cilantro and then topped with a fresh lime juice and olive oil vinaigrette. It's crunchy, tangy, and easy to make!
Cost: $8-10
Equipment
- 1 large bowl to combine the coleslaw
- 1 small bowl or jar to make the dressing
Ingredients
Coleslaw:
- 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage I use a mandolin to shred the cabbage, or you can use just one type
- 1 1/2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1-2 diced jalapeno peppers (OPTIONAL for spice)
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 TB honey
- 1 garlic clove minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (OPTIONAL for spice)
- 1/8 tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw ingredients: shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onions.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pour as much dressing over the coleslaw as desired. The dressing is also delicious over a salad if you have have leftovers.
- Toss the coleslaw and dressing together. Serve the coleslaw over tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, or as a side salad.
- The coleslaw may be prepped in advance and refrigerated, or used immediately after preparation. Store in the fridge for up to 1-2 days, in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Time-Saving Tip: Buy a bagged coleslaw mix instead of making your own shredded cabbage. If the bag of coleslaw comes with a dressing, discard it. All you need is the dry slaw ingredients, which usually includes green and purple/red cabbage and carrots. You’ll just need to add cilantro and green onions.
Creamy Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw Variation: Instead of the dressing ingredients provided above, combine the following in a small bowl: 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 lime (juiced and the rind zested), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Toss with the coleslaw ingredients and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 152mgPotassium: 386mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 8055IUVitamin C: 51.3mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 1.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
Looking for a southern coleslaw recipe with a creamy dressing? Try my creamy slaw with greek yogurt. It’s a traditional coleslaw made with crunchy cabbage; another great topping for your favorite tacos or a sandwich.
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Your recipe is great.Thank you!
I love this recipe! If I’m in a rush, I use one bag of broccoli slaw, one bag of green cabbage and chop up some purple cabbage. Ends up about 2x the amount listed in the recipe. I make the dressing the same with x2 more garlic, hot pepper flakes and honey. Same amount of oil.
I could sit on the couch and eat it right out of the bowl.
I use as a side dish, on tacos and on sandwiches. So delicious
Awesome. Wish I could share a picture! I added the vinegar …. mmmmm
so glad you liked it!
Easy to make, good for health and delicious. Great. deserve 5 stars. I love it.
Thank you, Michael!
Not sure why you need to add 1/4 cup oil to this dressing… a teaspoon or so would be sufficient. I do not like my slaw drenched in oil.
Hey Diane, The beauty of a recipe is that you can adjust it as desired. That’s the fun of cooking. I personally love that much dressing on my slaw. If you don’t, you’re welcome to add just as much as desired.
Just made this for a big summer jazz jam pot luck ~ will serve with slow cooked carnitas and cornbread ~ it’s absolutely delish! I did add a bit of cumin to the dressing to meld with the flavors of the carnitas and it added such a nice tone to all the lime. Thanks for the inspiration ~ there will be a lot of happy musicians tomorrow!
Yay, happy to hear that, Susan!
So delicious! Very refreshing combination.
So glad you enjoyed it, Barbara!
The top left-hand corner of each picture has a red rectangle with the Pinterest “P” symbol in it & the word save. When I click on this it goes to pinterest & appears that it is going to work & then I get a message that the recipe wasn’t saved.
Ah, good to know! Thank you. We’ll get to work on this.
Thanks! I tried that & it worked, but all the other Pinterest icons don’t work. I will just have to try to remember to look for the pin it on the 1st image of each recipe.
Hey Candee, Glad that’s working. Which icons don’t work? We will be sure to get these fixed.
Just thought you should know that I & maybe others are having trouble pinning your recipes directly from the page they are written on. The only way I can get them is if I go to all your pins & search for it & that just takes way too long!
Thank you for sharing, Candee. I’ll take a look at this. Can you pin from the first image. You could be able to click on the “pin it” words on the first image?
Have you ever used prepackaged coleslaw? I hate to do it but feeding a crowd and having a crazy weekend! Yours looks way better…but was wondering if anyone has used the package? Maybe add a little more carrot and of course the cilantro and green onions?
Hey NE, I haven’t, but I definitely think you can. I would just add cilantro and the other ingredients not used in the mix, as you mentioned.
loved the slaw; my family of 6 gobbled it up! thanks for sharing!
Hey Allie, I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! And your family, too!
Hey, thank you so much for the recipe. I was making tacos for the first time and was looking for the right slaw recipe. And yours was just perfect. Thank you! Greetings from Germany, Katrin
Hey Katrin, Yay! I’m so glad you’re loving the slaw.
I LOVE this slaw! I made it to top some Chorizo Tacos. I followed the recipe exactly as is, and did omit the optional red pepper flakes because I had enough heat from the Chorizo. I made an avocado crema to go with the tacos, which perfectly balanced out the slaw and spicy chorizo. I love the dressing and will make that again to top a Mexican salad. The slaw will also pair well with a pulled pork sandwich or chicken sandwich (as you recommended).
Yum, Vera! What an amazing combo. You’re making me hungry ;).
I am making this to eat thrrought the week. How many days do you think it will stay good in the fridge?
eHey Lauren, It will keep for 3-4 days. It will get soggy before going bad.
I made this to use with fish tacos, and I added a red onion, just because I like red onion and I already had one so, why not? I almost didn’t have enough for the tacos because I took one bite to taste test and ended up eating half of it right there on the spot!! This is my new favorite coleslaw recipe. Thanks for sharing!!
I meant to give this 5 stars!! It’s great, I promise!
Thank you, Marjorie! I’m so glad you liked the slaw!
Two thumbs up from myself and family!! I just made this to accompany a french dip dinner I prepared and this salad was really amazing and was perfect to complete our meal. I love how tasty it is with the lime and garlic. I went overboard on the garlic and it really made it tangy and good. Thanks for posting this delicious recipe. I will be making it again and again!
Yay, Cindy! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the coleslaw.
This was everything I dreamed it would be! Officially obsessed.
I’m so glad you loved it, Kate!
I make a version of this with coconut milk and jalapeno’s that we just love!! It’s so simple but adds so much flavor to a taco. And there is nothing like fresh cilantro!
Yum! That sounds amazing!
Hi Janel, that sounds delicious! Would you mind sharing the recipe?
This sounds delicious. I’m really enjoying coleslaw and trying out new variations so I’ll give this one a go.
Hey Kizzy, Thank you! I love that coleslaw can be made in so many unique ways!