Healthier coleslaw – with spices and seeds

Crunchy and delicious, this healthier coleslaw recipe swaps out the mayo for a zingy lemon dressing plus nutritious and flavour packed spices, herbs and seeds.

We eat a lot of salad. I mean, really a LOT of salad. A standard lunch in our house always includes what I call ‘1970s salad’ – a bowl of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pepper, radishes etc. And then there is often an additional ‘feature’ salad as well.

One salad that I really like, that often appears at lunchtime or as a dinnertime side dish, is coleslaw. It’s crunchy, tasty, and goes with just about anything.

However, it’s also LOADED with mayonnaise!

I’m always on the lookout for ways to make our diet healthier, so creating a mayo-free coleslaw salad seemed like the way to go.

Nothing against mayonnaise

I hasten to add that I have nothing whatsoever again mayonnaise. In fact, I love mayonnaise! But it can’t be denied that it’s not the healthiest choice, especially if you’re eating it regularly. Readymade mayonnaise is highly processed and is about 75% fat.

I also don’t really trust anything that lasts for months on end, even in the fridge.

When mixed into salads like coleslaw or potato salad, it can also be difficult to gauge exactly how much mayonnaise you’re eating. I’d rather mindfully enjoy a teaspoon or two of mayo as a condiment than mindlessly chomp down several tablespoons disguised as salad!

Finally, although vegan mayo is now available, traditional mayonnaise is made with eggs. And since we’re trying to reduce the amount of animal products in our diet, ditching some of the mayo is an easy choice.

History of coleslaw

Coleslaw is a surprisingly ancient salad. The name coleslaw was first used in the 18th century and came from the Dutch term “kool sla” meaning “cabbage salad”. While all coleslaws include cabbage, carrot seems to be an optional extra, as do other vegetables such as peppers and onions, and even fruits like apple and raisins.

The original coleslaw had a vinaigrette style dressing. Mayonnaise was not invented for some decades after coleslaw first appeared, so we can assume that it was a more recent addition. Other creamy sauces for coleslaw can include dairy ingredients like yogurt or buttermilk.

I’m reassured that ditching the mayo actually makes this coleslaw more authentic!

Jewish coleslaw recipes

In Leah Leonard’s book Jewish Cookery (1951), she lists three recipes for similar coleslaw salads. Her ‘carrot and cabbage slaw’ dresses the vegetables with a combination of lemon juice and evaporated milk or cream.

Meanwhile her recipe for ‘cole slaw and carrot salad’ adds a diced green pepper to the carrots and cabbage and simply calls for half a cup of ‘salad dressing’ – which could be any of several included in another section of the book.

Finally her ‘cranberry and cabbage slaw’ omits the carrot, but adds onion and a dressing made with cranberry-orange relish. I have to admit, this actually sounds pretty good – if a little sweet!

Florence Greenberg’s Jewish Cookery Book (6th edition, 1958) includes a recipe for ‘Cold Slaw’ which is described as “An American salad… made by adding hot boiled dressing to the shredded cabbage. Pour the hot dressing over the cabbage and leave until quite cold before serving.”

Her suggested dressing includes vinegar, chicken fat, flour, sugar, mustard and an egg. I think I’ll give that one a miss, actually.

Healthier coleslaw

The basic ingredients that make coleslaw what it is, are the humble but delicious cabbage and, usually, the carrot. Both are extremely good for you! They are high in dietary fibre and packed with nutrients.

Raw carrots contain high levels of beta-carotene, which is metabolised into vitamin A, and is essential for good vision and a strong immune system. Carrots also provide certain other vitamins and minerals in lesser amounts.

Cabbage meanwhile is high in vitamin C, an essential antioxidant that protects the body’s tissues. It also provides vitamin K for healthy blood and bones, and a range of B vitamins and folate.

Overall, both carrots and cabbage are excellent food choices! So combining them into a healthy side dish should not be difficult.

Delicious dressing

In order to give this healthier coleslaw a really delicious flavour, I chose a couple of spices that complement the carrots and cabbage beautifully. Once my vegetables were in the mixing bowl, I added ground cumin and paprika, as well as salt and pepper, to season the freshly shredded vegetables.

The liquid part of the dressing is simply freshly squeezed lemon juice and a small amount of extra virgin olive oil. Although there is not a lot of liquid, it is plenty to coat the vegetables and provide a tasty dressing for the coleslaw. I didn’t want my coleslaw to be swimming in dressing.

For some extra flavour, I also added some spring onion. I garnished my coleslaw salad with plenty of chopped parsley, and also sprinkled on a generous amount of crunchy seeds for extra texture and all-around goodness!

Healthier coleslaw – ingredients

The full list of ingredients you will need to make this tasty, healthy coleslaw yourself is below. As you can see, there’s nothing tricky or exotic! You can easily whip up a bowlful of this yummy salad instead of your usual mayonnaise-based coleslaw. All you will need is:

• Carrots
• Cabbage – I used savoy cabbage but regular white cabbage or red cabbage (or a mixture) also work brilliantly
• Spring onions – optional, but I love the punch of flavour they add
• Lemon juice – freshly squeezed is best
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Paprika
• Ground cumin – so good with the carrots!
• Salt and pepper – of course!
• Mixed seeds – I used a mixture of pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, linseed and chia seeds
• Flatleaf parsley – freshly chopped

How to make delicious crunchy coleslaw salad

You can see the steps in making this healthier coleslaw salad below.

1. Add the shredded cabbage, grated carrots, and sliced spring onions to a bowl.
2. Add paprika, cumin, salt and pepper to season.
3. Squeeze in the lemon juice – or add freshly squeezed lemon juice.
4. Add the olive oil.
5. Mix everything thoroughly together.
6. Transfer the coleslaw to a serving dish and sprinkle over mixed seeds and chopped fresh parsley.

If you prefer, you can whisk the seasonings, spices, oil and lemon juice to make a dressing and then pour it over the vegetables and toss to coat. I prefer to do it in the bowl because it minimises washing up!

Variations on healthier coleslaw salad

There are all kinds of ways to riff on this delicious salad. Here are a few suggestions:

• Use orange juice instead of lemon, or in combination
• Add more seeds and mix them through the salad as well as sprinkling on top
• Switch out the spring onions for finely sliced red onion
• Experiment with other spices, for example cinnamon, turmeric, ginger or coriander
• Use other herbs instead of, or in combination with, the parsley, for instance chives, dill, coriander or fresh mint

When to serve healthier coleslaw

You can serve this delicious salad anywhere you would normally serve ‘regular’ coleslaw. It is a crunchy and tasty side dish that goes really well with fish, cheeses, quiche, falafel, barbecued veggies, veggie burgers… So versatile!

It’s a lovely salad to include as part of a buffet too. A bowlful of this crunchy, spicy coleslaw alongside a green salad and something grainy or carby, and you’re good to go. Its bright colour and fresh flavour will liven up every plate.

Tasty, healthy salad

So whether you eat salad daily as we do, or if it’s a less frequent addition to your plate, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this delicious healthier coleslaw as much as we did.

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📖 Recipe

Healthier coleslaw (no mayo)

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Crunchy and delicious, this healthier coleslaw recipe swaps out the mayo for a zingy lemon dressing plus nutritious and flavour packed spices, herbs and seeds.

5 from 9 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings 6

Calories 59 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 4 medium carrots (approx. 155g/5½ oz)
• 200 g savoy cabbage – or use regular white or red cabbage
• 2 spring onions (scallions)
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper – to taste (optional)
• ½ lemon – juice only
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon mixed seeds – I used a mixture of pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flax seeds and chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

 

• Peel the carrots and grate coarsely – either by hand or in a food processor. Place in a large bowl.
• Wash the cabbage thoroughly. Remove the stem and finely shred the leaves. Add to the grated carrots.
• Trim the spring onions. Slice finely and add to the bowl.
• To make the dressing, you can either add the paprika, cumin, salt and pepper (if using), lemon juice and olive oil directly to the bowl and mix well, or alternatively whisk them together, pour over the vegetables, and then mix everything together.
• Transfer the coleslaw to a serving dish. Sprinkle over the seeds and chopped parsley before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Healthier coleslaw (no mayo)

Amount per Serving

Calories

59

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

3

g

5

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Sodium

 

38

mg

2

%

Potassium

 

222

mg

6

%

Carbohydrates

 

7

g

2

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

3

g

3

%

Protein

 

2

g

4

%

Vitamin A

 

7175

IU

144

%

Vitamin C

 

15

mg

18

%

Calcium

 

29

mg

3

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword cabbage, carrot, lemon, olive oil, spice

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More delicious healthy salad recipes

If this tasty and healthy coleslaw has inspired you eat more salad, here are a few deliciously simple ones to choose from:

• Green bean salad with sesame and soy
• Israeli chopped vegetable salad
• Beetroot salad with pomegranate and orange
• Pea and bean salad with radishes and dill
• Classic French carrot salad

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