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This quick and easy Mexican-style coleslaw doesn’t have a mayo-based dressing, but a delicious lime and olive oil vinaigrette that’s flavored with spices.
Karlynn’s Recipe Rundown: Mexican Coleslaw
- This is a fast and eat recipe that uses bagged coleslaw.
- You can add more carrots, use cabbage that you grated yourself, or adjust the ingredients to your personal preferences.
- This is a light coleslaw that you can use to top tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, and as a side salad with heavier main dishes.
Quick Recipe Summary: Mexican Coleslaw
- Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Combine the dressing ingredients.
- Toss the salad with the dressing.
Ingredient Tips You Need to Know
- Coleslaw Mix: You can substitute your favorite cabbage/coleslaw mix for this.
- Lime: One large fresh lime should yield a quarter cup of juice. If you don’t have fresh limes, you can also use bottled lime juice.
- Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is best for a lighter taste
Mexican Coleslaw Additions
This is a great base recipe that you can add your favorite additions to, like:
- Pineapple – This is excellent with pineapple for topping tacos.
- Pickled Jalapenos: Diced pickled jalapenos add delicious heat and spice to this recipe.
- Grilled Corn: Grilled corn adds a smoky deliciousness to the salad.
Adjust the Spices & Honey
You really need to adjust the salad dressing to your personal preferences. Use more honey for a sweeter dressing, less cumin if you don’t like it as much, and taste-test until you reach the perfect dressing!
Storage Tips
Store this in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It won’t last much longer than that, and the quality will deteriorate.
This is one of my favorite fast side salads to make when I have a bag of coleslaw. It’s so light, crunchy, and tangy—and takes mere minutes to make. It goes really well with heavier, fatty meats (like the ones in tacos and pulled pork) and adds that acidic crunch that makes the meal perfect!
Happy cooking!
Love,
Karlynn
Simple Mexican Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 14 ounces shredded coleslaw mix
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup minced green onion
Lime Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1-3 tablespoons honey to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toss together the salad ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a lidded jar and shake until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad, then toss together in the large bowl until the salad is completely covered in dressing. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Adjust the spices and the honey amounts to your own liking.
Nutrition
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Lee says
This has become my go to recipe for slaw. Thank you!
Karlynn Johnston says
I’m so glad that you enjoy it!
Chef in PA says
This is absolutely disgusting.
Way too much olive oil, and way too much lime. What a waste of perfectly good ingredients. Not sure how other people liked this, they probably didn’t make it.
Andrea Olley says
Like other’s stated I found the lime overpowering. The portions are definitely off for my taste. I added more honey, and completely drained the dressing off in hopes of balancing it with other seasonings.
N8sanderson says
I have been trying to perfect my fish tacos for two years. This recipe is money! Absolutely love the flavor! I like one more tablespoon of honey, 1 diced jalapeño, and I small diced tomato. Thank you for sharing!
Lara O'Brady says
In my families’ opinion: One note Cole Slaw. Good for tacos but less good as a side dish. It isn’t bad AT ALL; just not to our taste as 5*.
MrM says
Not much flavor. Lime overpowering. Needs more. Added a little Dijon mustard, dried Mexican oregano, fresh jalapenos and fresh shallots.
Vanessa says
Very very good as is.
Rosemary says
Great recipe … I didn’t follow exactly … I added green onions to the salad , added ground mustard, a dash of chili powder and a tad of oregano to the dressing . So good !!
Abby says
The proportions are off on this. The lime juice was way overpowering. I continued adding honey and olive oil and garlic/spices to try to balance it out but ended up having to throw it away. Disappointing when using $$$ olive oil
B says
My grocery store didn’t have fresh cilantro. I bought dried cilantro leaves. So for this recipe I was going to put 5 tsp. of dried cilantro leaves. I am making this for a brunch tomorrow at work. I am making a double batch. Do I double all the ingredients also? Unsure if certain ingredients will be too powerful. Hope to hear from you. Haven’t seen more reviews since last year and quite a few. Before then. Thank you. Hoping to hear response today.
lillian says
This tasted so good! I added corn, black beans and pumpkin seeds for added texture, crunch and protein. I forgot to add the cilantro but when I did put it in, it really made it fantastic 😋
gina Gentile says
How do you think grilled corn would be added to this slaw? Any other suggestions for additions? Thank you!
Davina says
Whisked the dressing ingredients as written. Either my cumin or salt are old, if just needed a little “ pick- me- up”, so I whisked in a scant teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and lovely. Made this to accompany a Mexican inspired crab cake made with fresh summer corn, perfect.
Elaine says
My Family loved it, I put in less lime juice, used mayo instead of oil, I also used packaged Coleslaw Mix. I don’t like Cilantro so I didn’t add it. I will make this again
Jean says
Delicious. Great side with rotisserie chicken.
Merrianne Hrycin says
From one Ukrainian girl to another… This sounds great..definitely gonna try\U0001f600
Cassie says
This is a great slaw! Seeing as a side for Chipotle Grilled Chicken and Mexican Beans
Barb Overton says
Interesting change for the dressing! Shared.
Nancy says
Delish!! I was a little skeptical about the cumin, but it added the perfect flavor!
Barb Overton says
Shared.
JR Yates says
Looks yummy. I’ll have to try this one.
Faye29 says
I was going to make enchiladas this week and this looks like the perfect accompaniment!
Thanks karlynn
thekitchenmagpie says
*********@******re.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/70932638/" ns="true">Faye29 Oh I hope you enjoy it!