Healthy No Mayo Coleslaw
~ This Healthy No Mayo Coleslaw recipe is the perfect middle ground between creamy, deli-style coleslaws and tangy vinegar slaws. It features a lightened-up Greek yogurt coleslaw dressing that needs just a few simple ingredients. Even better? It only takes about 5 minutes to toss together! (Originally published as Greek Yogurt Coleslaw on June 19, 2014) ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Make Ahead • Vegetarian • Gluten Free •
It’s no secret that I love healthy salads, with lightened-up, homemade salad dressings.
And definitely no secret that I love Greek yogurt.
So you know this was inevitable: a No Mayo Coleslaw recipe that successfully subs Greek yogurt, in place of mayonnaise or those bottled slaw dressings filled with questionable ingredients.
Quick and Easy … Even Without the Mayo!
Think it’s hard to make your own coleslaw, though, without relying on the bottled coleslaw dressing or mayo? Nope, nope, nope. Think again!
We’re talkin’ 5 minutes of prep time and only a few, very simple ingredients, most of which are probably already in your pantry! (Now that’s easy!)
Just take a peek at our video tutorial to see how easy this coleslaw is to make.
Video Tutorial
Looks so easy, so simple and delicious, right? (Hint: it’s ALL of that!)
A Perfect Blend of Coleslaw Styles
This version is the perfect middle ground between German-style, tangy, vinegary slaw and creamy, deli-style coleslaw (you know – the kind that’s pretty much just a big blob of mayo with a few shreds of cabbage swimming in it).
Our version is perfectly creamy, sweet, tangy and vinegary … all at once!
And with both protein-rich Greek yogurt and superhero cabbage (with all its antioxidant nutrition) – this slaw is delicious, yet also incredibly nutritious. Just the way I like it!
But still, it took quite a bit of tinkering to perfectly balance the ingredients so that this doesn’t taste like Greek yogurt coleslaw, but instead like … well … like just-really-good coleslaw! The secret’s in the dressing.
A Lighter, Healthy Coleslaw Dressing
My goal in creating this coleslaw dressing was to find a healthier, homemade alternative to processed, bottled dressings. And, like I mentioned earlier, I wanted a sweet-tart flavor profile. Not exactly deli-style, but not a true vinegar-based version either.
This recipe accomplishes all those things!
Nonfat Greek yogurt handily replaces mayo (or Marzetti’s slaw dressing) with a creamy base that slashes both naughty fats and the calories those fats bring along with them. (Why, hello, swimsuit season!) The vinegar gives it a truly coleslaw vibe, and the sugar keeps the tart Greek yogurt and vinegar from being too … well … too tart.
It’s like a little balancing act!
One note I wanted to mention about the sugar: In the six years since we first published this recipe (back in 2014), we’ve gotten a few questions from readers who wanted to know if they could replace the sugar we call for, with something else.
My family doesn’t typically use sugar substitutes (we just moderate the overall sugar in our diet – but that’s a story for another day). But, a number of readers through the years have suggested various sugar substitutes they’ve successfully used. I can’t personally vouch for any of them, but you can peek through the suggestions in our comments at the end of the post if you’re interested in giving that a try. Take our recipe idea and run with it … and make it your healthy coleslaw recipe, just the way you like it!
Picking Your Cabbage
Of course, you can definitely shred your own cabbage from your garden or the farm market. That would be fabulous, for sure!
But, to save time, I often just grab the pre-shredded, bagged stuff.
As you can see in our photos, my family especially likes to use the coleslaw blends that have some carrots and purple cabbage mixed in. Not only does that offer a little diversity in the veggie nutrition we’re getting, but it’s also just a lot prettier!
Serving Ideas For Our No Mayo Coleslaw
This quick, easy coleslaw is fantastic alongside grilled meats. And it fits perfectly into any picnic buffet, potluck party, or summertime backyard BBQ menu.
But you know what we really love to do with it?
What we really designed this coleslaw to be was the topping for sandwiches. Really!
It’s the perfect tangy-sweet, slightly crunchy counterpoint to even the simplest lunch meat sammies, grilled burgers and dogs, pulled pork … you name it.
Backstory on this craaaaaazy slaw-on-sandwiches concept:
My dear friend Gretchen is from Pittsburgh (you remember Gretchen – she and I originally started this blog together). Well, to Gretchen, the idea of piling coleslaw on a sandwich was completely obvious. Apparently, in Pittsburgh, any and all sandwiches should automatically be topped with coleslaw (and fries!). They consider this completely normal.
Surprised?
Believe it or not, I actually wasn’t. (Even though I’m not from Pittsburgh.)
Actually, back when I wore high heels and a suit and commuted two hours to a windowless dungeon-office in the city, coleslaw was my little ray of sunshine (well, that and the Starbucks across the street). The deli next door to my office served up the indulgent cure for all the your-budget-won’t-balance and your-magazine’s-behind-deadline and your-meeting-just-crashed-and-burned days … a monstrous, mile-high sandwich of shaved turkey breast and a mound of luscious coleslaw. That sandwich could fix anything (more or less).
So, coleslaw ON sandwiches. It’s a thing!
And as killer-good as coleslaw is on top of deli sandwiches, it’s even better on top of BBQ!
In fact, I originally created this coleslaw recipe specifically as a topper for our Crock-Pot North Carolina BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches (we have an Instant Pot version, too, if that’s more your style). Oh my goodness .. so, so good! A match made in BBQ heaven.
This vinegar-y yet sweet and creamy coleslaw is perfect with the flavors of NC-style barbecue!
So really, here’s the bottom line on this slaw … whether you just want a super-quick, easy coleslaw recipe for your next cookout, or you’re specifically looking for a no mayo coleslaw recipe with a lighter, healthier dressing … this coleslaw’s a must try!
And, of course, if you’re looking for the ultimate pile-it-high slaw to top a sandwich (especially a BBQ sandwich!), then this recipe’s definitely the one!
Sorry, mayo.
Healthy No Mayo Coleslaw
This Healthy No Mayo Coleslaw recipe is the perfect middle ground between creamy coleslaw and tangy vinegar slaw. Delicious with barbecue!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Make Ahead • Vegetarian • Gluten Free •
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 3 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 16 ounces (about 6 1/4 cups) bagged coleslaw blend or shredded cabbage
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, whisking until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Place slaw blend/cabbage in a large bowl and pour Greek yogurt dressing mixture over top. Stir to coat cabbage thoroughly.
- Cover and refrigerate until using (preferably at least 30 minutes).
Notes
Make-ahead tips: This coleslaw keeps well, covered in the refrigerator, and can easily be made several hours in advance. In fact, we prefer to let it sit for at least half an hour before serving, so that the cabbage softens a bit and the whole salad melds together. We find that it's at its best, though, if eaten within a day or two.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 servings Serving Size: 1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 37Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 244mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
Oh my god, this was amazing. Thank you. Ticked all the boxes, both a tangy and creamy coleslaw without being heavy. A big hit with the family. Unfortunately no leftovers for tomorrow. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Nerissa!! We are beaming from ear to ear! You’re so sweet to leave us such a fabulous comment! Thank you! 🙂
So happy your family loved this coleslaw – it’s always a popular dish at our homes, too!
Have a wonderful day! ~G&S
This was amazing. I love coleslaw and have been avoiding it because of the calorie count. This recipe makes it acceptably low-cal and tastes better than any recipe i’ve ever tried before (even ones with full fat mayo!)
Seriously fabulous to hear this, Dan! It’s always so incredibly gratifying to hear that we can make a recipe healthier and more nutritious … and people still LOVE it, even saying that it’s better than the traditional, tried-and-true, full-fat recipes most people are used to! That’s high praise, and we want you to know how much we appreciate that you took the time to give us such terrific feedback! 😀 ~G&S
We were looking for a lower calorie creamy slaw and agree that this is far better than traditional creamy coleslaw made with mayo. Great balance of sweet and tangy. The only thing we changed/added was some seasoning namely paprika & celery seed as well as a squirt of dijon. Thanks again!
we added a squirt of dijon and some celery seed as well. I swear its better than full fat made with mayo cole slaw
Dan, thanks so much again! So happy you loved this! 😀 ~G&S
Wow, Angela! Thank you so much for the lovely compliment – we’re just so thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe so much, and we really appreciate you sharing your own personal recipe twists with our other readers, too! We specifically developed the coleslaw to go with our NC BBQ Chicken, but it’s really skyrocketed in popularity and taken on a life of its own! It’s so wonderful to hear from readers about the personal touches they give it! Thank you so much for taking the time! 😀 ~G&S
Do you think it would make a huge difference if I used white wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar? I’m going to serve this with my pulled pork tonight. Thank you,
Hi Stella! There’s a slight difference in the flavor profiles of white vinegar and apple cider vinegar, with the cider vinegar having that slightly sweet, softer taste. But honestly, if all you have on hand is white vinegar, I think you should totally give it a try. We always encourage readers to punt and adjust on the fly if they need to! Just taste the coleslaw before you serve it and adjust it a bit if you’re not quite satisfied – possibly with just a bit more sugar or even a little honey to compensate for the missing apple cider vinegar. I hope I got home and found your note in time to help you out with dinner tonight! Good luck! 😀 ~Shelley
Thanks for your response Shelley. As it turns out, I got a hold of some ACV and it was absolutely delish!
I’m now a convert and will probably never use mayo in my coleslaw again and I do LOVE my mayo!
Oh Stella, I’m just thrilled to hear that it all worked out – and that you loved this coleslaw recipe so much! It was really sweet of you to take a moment to pop back and let me now how everything went – I was wondering, and hoping that my message made it to you in time for your dinner! Thanks so much for letting me know! Have a wonderful weekend! 😀 ~S
3tablespoons of sugar,hardly healthy
Hi Mary! We appreciate your concern, especially for people who are on sugar-restricted diets or have sugar-related health concerns such as diabetes. Sugar-related disease is a big focus of the nutrition and health worlds at the moment, and my father-in-law is a major advocate in the health arena that advocates for limiting sugar intake in the American diet. You can definitely rest assured that we’re very aware of these concerns and always take sugar into account when developing our recipes.
This coleslaw is packed with nutrition from the cabbage and Greek yogurt, and trades out the bottled dressings many people use, eliminating a whole host of other questionable ingredients (we consider sugar intake to be just one dimension in a very complex interplay of nutrition issues). We love this recipe and absolutely feel great about serving it as part of an overall healthy diet.
Also, I can assure you that we tested this coleslaw recipe extensively with varying levels of the different ingredients – we’re always trying to cut out as much sugar as we can while still making our food taste phenomenal, and this recipe was the perfect balance. The sugar in this coleslaw is distributed across a recipe with more than six cups of cabbage, and most people would eat only a small portion of that, as one small part of their daily food intake. However, we do understand that it can still be a problem for people on sugar-restricted diets.
We didn’t develop this coleslaw recipe specifically for a sugar-restricted diet, since that’s not the focus of our blog, but you should certainly feel free to adapt the recipe so that it better fits your own dietary needs. Or, you might want to look for a recipe for a coleslaw that’s more like a traditional German slaw – very vinegary with little sugar. However, because we developed this recipe specifically to go along with BBQ and recipes such as our North Carolina BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches, that type of slaw wasn’t what we were going for with this recipe, and we needed a balance of creamy, tangy and sweet flavors in this specific coleslaw recipe – so again, you might prefer a different type of slaw that isn’t designed to have sweet notes in the flavor profile.
You may also wish to try substituting an alternative sweetener. For a lot of reasons, that are far too numerous, complex and lengthy to discuss here, we don’t use “alternative” sweeteners, even stevia and agave, and we don’t recommend them in our recipes. We understand, though, that many people do like to use those sweeteners, and that they’re absolutely necessary for people on sugar-restricted diets.
And, while we stay away from certain sweeteners such as agave and stevia, we do love to use other natural sweeteners when we can, such as honey, maple syrup, and even dates. Although they still have some of the problems of sugar, they also offer additional, beneficial micronutrients. However, none of those would have been an appropriate choice for the flavor profile of this recipe.
We hope this explanation of our rationale helps. Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great weekend! ~Shelley
I am diabetic and the only sweetener I use is stevia. It’s natural and does not signal your body to “look” for sugar that some of the others. Organic of course is the best.
A great option for those who are diabetic! Thanks so much for offering the suggestion, Carol! Have a lovely weekend and a great Fourth of July! ~ G&S
Well, don’t make it then. It’s a choice.