This simple Mexican Coleslaw recipe is a refreshing side dish for summer. This slaw has less than 10 ingredients and features fresh sweet corn that adds bright pops of flavor to the slaw. It truly stands out from all the rest. It’s an ideal make ahead dish that’s prepped in less than 20 minutes, you can’t go wrong!
I love any and every kind of coleslaw. It’s the perfect side dish. I also love a taco or shredded beef sandwich with a scoop of slaw on top. That’s how this Mexican Coleslaw recipe came to life. I’ve made countless slaw recipes for tacos over the years, and this one reigns supreme.
Now I kept the recipe simple with less than 10 ingredients, why? Because that’s authentic to slaw. With flavors of charred corn, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro, this really has insane fresh flavor in each bite.
Through lots of recipe testing, we went with an oil-based vinaigrette rather than a mayo-based dressing. This is true to the classic Mexican recipes—just fresh lime and a hint of coriander mixed with oil and your dressing is done!
As with most slaws as well, this is great to make in advance, dare we say we actually recommend you DO make it an hour or so in advance! It allows the flavors to marinate and cabbage to soften slightly.
If you need some more side dish inspiration, you should also try our Mexican Chopped Salad, Blackened Corn, and Spicy Cauliflower Rice.
Table of contents
Ingredients
Do you love when a salad is made with minimal ingredients! We really worked to develop this recipe with a short ingredient list, to keep the Mexican slaw simple and so flavorful!
- Lime juice: fresh is always best! You’ll 1–2 limes.
- Olive Oil: I prefer extra-virgin olive oil for it’s flavor.
- Vinegar: keep it simple and simply use white distilled vinegar. You can also use white or red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice vinegar.
- Honey: you can also use sugar. Just a dash is needed to balance out the tang of the dressing.
- ground coriander: adds floral earthiness to the salad. It’s delicious! Cumin can be used in place but it will make for a more savory slaw.
- Sweet corn: you’ll need three ears of sweet corn or 3 cups of kernels.
- Cabbage: I prefer green cabbage. You can also use bagged coleslaw mix, just make sure you have 10 cups of shredded cabbage.
- Red onion: adds a punchy flavor. If raw red onion is too much for you, use a bunch of scallions and thinly slice them.
- Cilantro: this adds tons of fresh flavor. You’ll need 1 small bunch—though more is always welcome.
- Jalapeño: this adds some mild heat. For even more mildness, remove the ribs and seeds of the jalapeño before mincing. For more heat, keep them intact. Or, better yet, use the spicier Serrano pepper.
Lauren’s Prep Tip
To shred cabbage, cut the head of cabbage in half from top to bottom using a sharp chef’s knife. Slice the halves in half lengthwise to create four total wedges.
Lay a wedge on it’s side, flat against the cutting board. Slice “against the grain” or against the layers, into thin strands. (Cut across the width of the wedge, not along the length of the wedge.)
How to Make this Mexican Coleslaw Recipe
- Preheat grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat.
- Grill corn, covered, until charred, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer corn to a cutting board and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, vinegar, honey, coriander, salt and a few turns of black pepper for the vinaigrette.
- Cut corn kernels from cob and add to bowl with vinaigrette. Add shredded cabbage, onion, cilantro and jalapeno and toss until thoroughly combined; season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
expert Tips
- Whisk together the vinaigrette in a very large bowl before adding the slaw ingredients. This makes for easy tossing and just one dirty bowl.
- When it doubt, add more salt. If the slaw is “missing” something it likely needs a touch more salt or acid. Season with both to taste!
- Make it as spicy or as mild as you like. To add more spice, keep the ribs and seeds in the jalapeño before mincing. Alternatively, for less spice, remove the ribs and seeds before mincing.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
Store this slaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, though it’s best when eaten within the first three days (it’s the most crunchy then).
Like we said before, this is a great make ahead recipe. It’s almost better that way! You can assemble and dress the slaw in the vinaigrette up for 5 hours in advance and keep in the fridge. This allows the flavors to marinate and the cabbage to soften in texture.
Serving this Mexican Slaw
This Mexican coleslaw is perfect on tacos, alongside grilled meat and fish, as a side dish with any style of bbq, and more. Here are a few recipes to serve with this slaw:
- Grilled Steak Tacos (Tacos al Carbon)
- Chicken Barbacoa
- Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
- Blackened Fish Tacos
Variations
- add diced green or red bell pepper
- use purple/red cabbage instead of or in addition to the green cabbage (you can also use a package coleslaw mix, just make sure you have 10 cups).
- use ground cumin instead of coriander
- add dried Mexican oregano to the vinaigrette
- add black beans
Frequently Asked Questions
Cabbage as well as all different veggies of choice like carrots, red onion, and corn. Add lime, cilantro, and spices like cumin or coriander too.
Coleslaw primarily features cabbage as the base ingredient, while slaw can feature several types of vegetables.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Mexican Coleslaw (9 Ingredients)
Description
Ingredients
- 3 ears sweet corn, shucked
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey, or sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium head green cabbage, shredded (about 10 cups)
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¾ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeño, minced
Instructions
- Preheat grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat.
- Grill corn, covered, until charred, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer corn to a cutting board and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, vinegar, honey, coriander, salt and a few turns of black pepper for the vinaigrette.
- Cut corn kernels from cob and add to bowl with vinaigrette. Add shredded cabbage, onion, cilantro and jalapeno and toss until thoroughly combined; season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe and article were originally published on June 4th 2019. They were most recently updated on July 20th, 2021.
