Vinegar Slaw
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A little bit sweet and a little bit tangy, my 3-ingredient quick and easy vinegar slaw recipe is a great alternative for those wanting coleslaw with no mayonnaise.
There is no telling how many different kinds of slaw there are in the world but I have posted a few on Southern Plate over the years: coleslaw, my burger slaw recipe, Asian slaw, and mustard slaw. But today, in order for you to be able to make the pulled BBQ chicken burgers I posted yesterday, I’m bringing you the recipe for vinegar-based coleslaw. It’s commonly served on top of a pulled pork sandwich in my neck of the woods. It’s with a twist, as it doesn’t use like .
This recipe is easy as pie but I’m gonna make it a little bit easier for ya. The original recipe is done in proportions but I’m giving you exact measurements in case you’ve never made it before, then you can work with proportions later once you get more comfortable with it.
So, all you need is a head of cabbage, granulated sugar, and white vinegar. You can also substitute the cabbage for a store-bought coleslaw mix instead or use a combination of both. Whatever cranks your tractor! The instructions are as easy as… combining the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Yep, your easy vinegar slaw is done in 5 minutes flat. I recommend refrigerating it for a few hours up to overnight to let the vinegar and sugar soak into the cabbage for the most flavorful vinegar slaw. But if you don’t wait, I’ll never know!
This vinegar coleslaw recipe has equal parts sweet and tangy flavor and tastes so delicious with Pulled Pork Sliders Meatloaf Burgers North Alabama Style Pulled Chicken BBQ Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven Easy Baby Back Ribs in Oven or Simple Southern Fried Catfish. Move aside coleslaw, no-mayonnaise vinegar slaw is in the house!
Recipe Ingredients
- Green cabbage/coleslaw mix
- White vinegar
- Sugar
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Vinegar Slaw
Green cabbage version
Chop up your cabbage.
Note: I’m only using half of my head of cabbage. That yields about four to five cups and that is plenty for me.
You can use a sharp knife and chop it or shred it using a food processor, whatever cranks your tractor. Remember, no rules.
Now add your chopped/shredded cabbage to a large bowl.
Then add your sugar…
And your vinegar.
The ratio here is equal parts vinegar and sugar.
Give it a stir.
If you like, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Cover and refrigerate the cabbage mixtureuntil ready to serve.
This will make more liquid after a while and it is better if you let it refrigerate for a few hours before serving it.
But if you need to eat it now go ahead. I’m not big on waiting myself. ~grins~
Coleslaw mix version
Add coleslaw mix to mixing bowl.
Then add sugar…
And your vinegar.
Mix ingredients together.
As before, cover and refrigerate the until ready to serve.
Serve on top of a pulled or as a side dish with grilled chicken and baked beans.
No rules!
Storage
Store leftover slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- You can use all types of cabbage in vinegar coleslaw, including green cabbage or red cabbage. Feel free to use a combination of both too.
- If you want to add more veggies, opt for a large shredded carrot or two, a cup of sliced red or green bell pepper, and 1/2 a yellow or red onion, sliced. Another option is thinly sliced green onion (1 or 2).
- If you make it ahead of time, don’t add salt until just before serving as it will wilt the cabbage.
- For added flavor, you might like to add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and/or 1 teaspoon of celery seed.
- Yes, you can use apple cider vinegar instead to make an apple cider vinegar coleslaw recipe.
- For extra crunch, add sliced almonds or toasted sunflower seeds on top before serving.
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve vinegar slaw?
- Serve it on a sandwich with pulled pork, pulled chicken, or meatloaf burgers.
- Serve it as a side dish with beef brisket, baby back ribs, pork roast, Southern , lamb chops, Southern fried chicken, or grilled chicken. It’s sure to be a hit at your next picnic, , or cookout!
In case you missed them, here are my other slaw recipes:
Ingredients
- 4.5-5 cups finely chopped or shredded cabbage
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Place chopped or shredded cabbage in a large bowl.4.5-5 cups finely chopped or shredded cabbage
- Add vinegar and sugar, and stir.1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Cover the cabbage mixture and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before serving. Will make more juice over time.
Nutrition
“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”
~ Sam Keen
I fix this same slaw except that I have bacon in mine. I just fry 2 strips of bacon and remove. I leave about a tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan and add the vinegar and sugar. Then I crumble the bacon into pieces and mix with the slaw. My sister-in-law fixed this and I love it on BBQ burgers. I am a huge fan of Bob Gibson’s BBQ in Decatur, AL. and I loved his slaw which I think is basically the cabbage, sugar and vinegar.
I grew up in Fayetteville, TN but now live in Chattanooga and we can’t get good vinegar slaw over here, so I travel back home to eat at the OLD Greenbrier BBQ about 2 times per year (close to Madison, AL). The slaw, hushpuppies and white sauce are worth the trip.
Thanks for the recipes!
My Mom made her coleslaw different that any recipe I have ever seen. Chopped cabbage, chopped onion 2 or 3 Tablespoons of sugar, 2 or 3 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and mix it up with Sandwich Spread. Very good. It was always eaten with a full meal of whatever she cooked that day. Good with chicken and dumplings and green beans and cornbread. Also good on hotdogs. Someone please try it and let me know what you think. I grew up on this stuff. Also my sister makes a cabbage dip–chopped cabbage, onion, tomatoes, fresh cilantro, canned jalapeno peppers. Use as much ingredients as you like the pour the juice from the peppers over and stir well. Store in the refrigerator and stir well before serving with tortilla chips. Oh so good. The bowl will not set on the table long, it will be passed around so much.
My Mom made her coleslaw different that any recipe I have ever seen. Chopped cabbage, 2 or 3 Tablespoons of sugar, 2 or 3 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and mix it up with Sandwich Spread. Very good. It was always eaten with a full meal of whatever she cooked that day. Good with chicken and dumplings and green beans and cornbread. Also good on hotdogs. Someone please try it and let me know what you think. I grew up on this stuff.
I tried the vinegar slaw and pulled pork last night, and it was wonderful. I used more spices on the roast (ground mustard, black pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt) and I used molasses instead of the brown sugar and hot sauce instead of red pepper flakes because I was out of the other, and it was not vinegary at all. The slaw was so easy, I did add a little salt and pepper. The combination reminded me of the north Alabama BBQ I grew up on, and made me a little homesick. Great recipe! it is going in my file.
Thanks for this recipe. My son will not eat anything with Mayo. Tried this recipe and he loved it ..
This is the exact recipe my mother used to make. And I don’t believe she was ever south of Indiana in her life! Who knew? I’m so happy to have the proportions for this, as it remains my favorite slaw recipe ever. Thanks, Christy.
Hope you enjoy Jay!!!