Mexican Coleslaw Recipe

Easy Mexican Coleslaw Recipe - Spicy coleslaw with a tasty twist, you'll love this easy salad! It's the perfect tasty side dish or add some crunch to your favorite tacos, yum!! This mayo-free slaw will be a new favorite!

Love this salad? Be sure to try my Mom's recipe for Deviled Egg Potato Salad next - hands down the BEST!

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe  
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Equipment
• FAQ's
• Tips
• Variations
• Storage
• Related recipes
• Serving with
• Mexican Coleslaw Recipe
• Recipe Backstory

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe  

✔️ It's crisp and crunchy and a nice change from the traditional recipe.

✔️ No heavy coleslaw dressing, this recipe has a mayo-free salad dressing that makes it perfect for cookouts and bbq's and summer picnics.

✔️ Full of fresh flavors, it's one of the best side dishes for a hot summer's day and it's delicious!

Ingredients

You're really going to love this great recipe. It all comes together with a light delicious mayo-free slaw recipe! Here are the slaw ingredients. You'll find the exact measurements below on the recipe card.

• raw cabbage - I use a bag of coleslaw mix or shredded green cabbage with some purple cabbage - so pretty!
• black beans - make your own with this copycat Chipotle Black Bean Recipe!
• fresh cilantro
• tomato
• red onion
• jalapeño
• limes
• honey
• rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• extra-virgin olive oil
• ground cumin
• kosher salt
• black pepper

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions for the cabbage slaw just scroll down to the bottom!

1. Rinse and drain the black beans.
2. Seed and dice the tomato.
3. Mince the onion, cilantro and jalapeños.
4. Place cabbage and above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. If you're using a whole head, cut cabbage or shred it as finely as possible.
5. Whisk together ingredients for the cilantro lime dressing in a small bowl.
6. Pour dressing over ingredients and toss gently to combine.
7. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Equipment

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

• These mixing bowls - I have two sets and use them daily!
• I have two sets of measuring spoons. I like these because they fit in the spice jars.
• Every cook needs a good knife - this is the one I use. Be sure to keep it sharp!

FAQ's

Tips

This is a great mayo free coleslaw recipe. Keeping it bright and fresh and not weighed down with heavy sauce.

• Watch for the date when you pick up the coleslaw mix, make sure it's fresh!
• If you're shredding your own cabbage with a food processor, you'll make the coleslaw better by adding shredded carrots and shredded red cabbage.
• Unlike a traditional coleslaw that uses mayonnaise, greek yogurt or sour cream, this salad dressing is mayo-free, light and fresh.

Variations

This cabbage slaw is terrific used as a topping on fish or chicken tacos for Taco Tuesday, it's really the BEST salad!

Added thinly sliced green onions to add a light oniony flavor. Red pepper, jalapeños pepper to the cilantro lime slaw. That would be a pretty and tasty edition as well!

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers and store in an airtight container. It will last for 3-4 days.

Related recipes

I'm a big fan of easy delicious side and salad - here are more from the blog I think you should try next time!

• Mexican Fruit Salad - this is another mayo-free, light delicious salad - perfect for cookouts and pool parties!
• This yummy Watermelon Quinoa Salad has great crunch, it's sweet and salty - super yummy!
• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is a great side salad or a great light lunch!

Serving with

You can serve the Mexican cole slaw with your favorite Mexican food, it's a great side for your Cinco de Mayo party, alongside a big bowl of Posole!

Next time serve the crunchy cabbage with your barbecue. It's perfect for summer cookouts! Some of my favorite meal pairings are:

• Barbecued Pork Ribs - fall off the bone, tender and delicious!
• Korean BBQ Chicken Recipe - loads of big flavor, combine perfectly!
• Fish Tacos - top off the tacos with this salad, YUM!!
• Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs - what a great meal!!

Recipe Backstory

Originally this was part of a blog hop and a recipe I enjoyed sharing from Lisa's Dinnertime Dish.

Originally published July 18, 2019 - Updated April 22, 2022