Classic Buttermilk Coleslaw Recipe

A blue and white bowl filled with buttermilk coleslaw with a serving spoon.

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This easy coleslaw recipe is tangy, creamy, a little sweet, and has plenty of crunch. Although there are a bunch of ingredients, this buttermilk coleslaw comes together in just a few minutes - especially if you purchase cabbage already shredded.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Any

Keyword: buttermilk coleslaw

Servings:

Calories: 193.8kcal

Author: Susan Pridmore

Ingredients

½ head green cabbage or (1) 16-oz package coleslaw mix
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons grated yellow onion or white onion
2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt or half that amount of sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

If starting with a green cabbage, grate it by using the food processor or a box grater. If needed, see the post for details on how to do this.
Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, whole milk, buttermilk, grated onion, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth.
Pour half of it over the shredded cabbage and toss. Add additional creamy coleslaw sauce as desired.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Pro-tip: This coleslaw is best enjoyed on the day you make it. But here are some make-ahead tips: If you don't have any red or purple cabbage in the slaw and you use freshly grated cabbage, this coleslaw will stay crunchy for up to 3 days. If you add red or purple cabbage, the color will begin to run after 1 hour in the refrigerator. If you use packaged coleslaw, the cabbage will begin to get soggy after a few hours.
Store any leftover creamy coleslaw sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator to dress other salads and veggies.

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