Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw
Crunchy cabbage coated in a slightly sweetened vinegar dressing. Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw is delicious, tangy, slightly sweet, and super crisp. This slaw is packed with fresh flavors that will wake up your taste buds!
Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw- slaw mix, vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. So easy and taste fabulous! This slaw recipe is most definitely a keeper. This goes great with everything from BBQ to fish to tailgating food. Try it, and I bet it will be a hit!
Tangy vinegar coleslaw is a no mayo coleslaw. This is perfect for those people who love the taste of coleslaw but don’t like mayo. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good coleslaw with mayonnaise, but sometimes I am in the mood for a little something different. This is when I make this Tangy Vinegar coleslaw.

What is Vinegar Coleslaw?
Vinegar slaw is just coleslaw made with vinegar and oil dressing. It’s sweet and tangy and usually served as a side dish to barbecue. It goes great on top of a pulled pork sandwich.
Ingredients Needed for Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw
This is a super simple recipe using a few ingredients. Feel free to make your coleslaw from scratch by shredding cabbage and carrots. I kept it easy by using a coleslaw mix.
coleslaw mix
oil
apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper
sugar
How to Make Oil and Vinegar Dressing for Coleslaw
This couldn’t get any easier. Grab a bowl and whisk oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the slaw and toss.
OR grab a Mason Jar–my favorite. Pour in the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Shake until everything is mixed and the sugar is dissolved. Pour over slaw mix, and toss well.
No matter how you mix and pour, just make sure the slaw has been tossed well and covered with that delicious tangy vinegar dressing.
Can I Make this Slaw Ahead of Time?
You can mix this slaw several hours before your serve it or make it the day before. The longer it’s mixed, the better. I like to mix this slaw at least a day before serving it. But, a few hours will also taste great! The flavors are awesome.
Storage Tips for the Best Coleslaw
This slaw will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Store in an air-tight container. The flavors are better the next day. Go ahead and double this recipe and enjoy this coleslaw every day.
My dad was in charge of making this delicious slaw. He has been making slaw for years, and he does not make it with mayonnaise. He likes the simple and tangy vinegar and oil dressing. He made this the day before and just chilled it in the refrigerator until we met for lunch the next day. This slaw is always best if you can make it the day before.

Add-ins for your Vinegar Slaw
jalapenos– just dice up a few and toss them in
bell pepper– dice and mix into the coleslaw. This will give an added crunch.
onion– sweet onion, or red (purple) onion would work as an add-in. It will add nice flavor.
A dash of celery seed.
A few red pepper flakes.
This slaw is perfect for BBQs, get-togethers, or grill-out nights. It goes great with just about anything cooked on the grill. I like to pair it with slow-cooked pulled pork, buffalo chicken tenders, Sloppy Joes, and slow-cooked ribs.
This would unquestionably be great for your next family gathering, holiday, or tailgating event.
Like cabbage? Be sure to try:
Fried Cabbage and onion
Oriental Coleslaw
Try this Grape Salad or Carrot Apple Salad for your next cookout or tailgate gathering.
For More Salads, try Classic Chicken Salad, Bacon and Broccoli Salad, and Southern Cornbread Salad.
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Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pre-shredded coleslaw mix
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3/4 tablespoon salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk until sugar is dissolved.
- Add slaw mix and toss until well combined.
- Let stand for at least 10 minutes or refrigerate overnight. It is better if you can make a day ahead and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
I made this recipe and everyone liked it but I added 4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon on celery seed. It was a very easy recipe!
Hey Lisa! Glad you liked the recipe. I will have to try adding sugar and celery seed. I am sure it was tasty!
Love this. I used Monk Fruit instead of sugar and added celery seed. I just leave a batch in my fridge and buy the cole slaw mix and have it instead of a salad. This is great.
I’ve been looking for a good vinegar based coleslaw since my guy won’t go near mayo. I’m so glad I found this recipe, easy and delicious!!
This recipe is perfect for us this summer. My MIL and I are both doing weight watchers, so this point friendly dressing is fantastic! We usually make creamy coleslaw, so have been shying away from it, due to the high points haha.
I agree, this is a great summer recipe with no mayo. Thanks for your comment.
This was so easy!! Everyone loved it.
Yay! This is a popular recipe for my family as well. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
This tangy vinegar coleslaw was amazing and super easy to make! I made a big batch and put it in mason jars in the fridge so I can snack on it throughout the week. The only time I will eat coleslaw is if there is no mayo in it so I am happy to have found this recipe.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Putting it in Mason jars is a great idea.
I have been craving cole slaw and this one is perfect. Since I follow a vegan lifestyle and vegan mayo costs an arm and a leg this recipe is perfect.
It sounds fantastic! Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits and should be included in our diet for daily use. This is a great way to incorporate it!
It’s nice to find a coleslaw recipe that doesn’t have mayo. Makes it just a little bit lighter and I can actually taste the other ingredients then too.