This Angel Hair Coleslaw has a creamy light dressing and is the perfect side for your summer barbecue. The secret, though, is how the cabbage is cut.

Why this recipe works:

Homemade coleslaw is actually my family's favorite salad recipe and we make it all the time. This recipe is fantastic!

When the cabbage is shredded really thin, it quickly absorbs the dressing creating a delicious amount of flavor in every bite.
The homemade creamy dressing is quick and easy to make with ingredients you most likely already have on hand.
You can make this coleslaw ahead of time by pre-shredding the cabbage and preparing the dressing, then tossing them together right before serving.

Dressing ingredients:

mayonnaise
apple cider vinegar
milk or buttermilk
sugar
salt and pepper

Here's how to make it:

Shred the cabbage. I used to use a spiral cutter but have found that this mandolin produces the best results.
In a separate bowl, combine the milk and the vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. If you use buttermilk instead of milk, there's no need to let it sit.
Add the sugar, mayonnaise, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
Just before serving, add dressing to the cabbage and toss to combine.

Cooking tips:

When cutting the cabbage, I recommend splitting the head in half by cutting vertically through the core. I then turn it upside down and shred the top of the cabbage until I hit the top of the core at which time I will rotate what I have left to shred all the cabbage around the core.
Always taste the dressing before adding it to the cabbage. It is the perfect combination of sweet, sour, and salt. If any of those three are too strong, balance it out by adding more of the other ingredients. For example, if it's too sweet because of the sugar, add a bit more vinegar and salt.
As soon as you add the dressing, the cabbage will begin to release liquid, so this coleslaw is best if served immediately.

Related recipes:

Homemade coleslaw is so fantastic as an easy side dish recipe. I always make this recipe and serve it alongside:

Ingredients

▢ 1 small head of green cabbage
▢ 3 tablespoons milk (or buttermilk)
▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
▢ ⅔ cup mayonnaise
▢ ¼ cup sugar
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste)
▢ fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Thinly slice cabbage. To make cabbage thin and angel hair like, use spiral cutter or mandolin. Set aside.
In bowl, whisk together milk and vinegar. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes.
Whisk in mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper.
Toss cabbage in dressing. Serve immediately or cover and chill a couple hours to allow dressing to absorb. If not serving same day, do not combine cabbage with dressing to keep cabbage crisp. Serve with fresh ground pepper, if desired.

Notes

When cutting the cabbage, I recommend splitting the head in half by cutting vertically through the core. I then turn it upside down and shred the top of the cabbage until I hit the top of the core at which time I will rotate what I have left to shred all the cabbage around the core.
Always taste the dressing before adding it to the cabbage. It is the perfect combination of sweet, sour, and salt. If any of those three are too strong, balance it out by adding more of the other ingredients. For example, if it's too sweet because of the sugar, add a bit more vinegar and salt.
As soon as you add the dressing, the cabbage will begin to release liquid, so this coleslaw is best if served immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

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This recipe was originally published in June 2019 and has been updated with helpful information and recipe tips. Don't worry - the recipe hasn't changed!

Comments

Jen Sonnenberg

September 28, 2014 at 8:19 pm

Hello. How did you use the spiral slicer to cut cabbage? I have one but am confused as to how I do this. Thanks.

- spfoodie
  
  September 29, 2014 at 12:39 pm
  
  Hi Jen! My spiral slicer is one of those "as seen on TV things". It has different blades. For the cabbage, I use the flat blade. You basically want to shave your cabbage while rotating it in a spiral motion, if that makes sense. That way you get very thin LONG strips of cabbage. Hope that helps! Krissy
  
  - Kirsten
    
    July 31, 2017 at 11:14 am
    
    What is the name of the spiral slicer you are using? I got one a few years ago and ended up throwing it out because it was so clumsy....
    
    - Krissy
      
      September 18, 2017 at 2:03 pm
      
      Mine sucked too and I just bought the kitchen aid attachment. I actually also recommend using a mandolin for the cabbage.
      
Joyce

May 14, 2016 at 8:03 am

Delicious recipe! I was pairing it with tuna steaks with a soy marinade so I added a touch of soy sauce to replace the salt and some sesame oil. It was fantastic! I used a bag of angel hair cut cabbage and ended up with too much dressing. Next time I will make half the dressing. Everyone loved the salad! Thanks for posting it.

- Krissy
  
  May 15, 2016 at 4:30 pm
  
  Thanks so much for letting me know, Joyce. Sounds amazing! Where's MY dinner invite?!? Krissy
  
Sandra

June 13, 2016 at 2:20 am

so creative dishes, Common vegetables with creative name to make people want more to try it.

Esther

August 02, 2018 at 1:44 pm

I had this angel cabbage in ARGENTINA a few years ago and have wanted to find a cutter,theirs was very,very fine and oh11111111111111 so delicious. Every one -------enjoyEsther

Birdie

September 12, 2020 at 11:36 am

I LOVE this!!! My new favorite coleslaw

Angele D

January 14, 2021 at 5:18 pm

Perfect amount of sweet and tangy. I like lots of black pepper in mine.

Katwyn

June 14, 2021 at 9:46 am

Nothing beats angel hair cabbage slaw! It’s the best! I noticed that celery seed is evident in the recipe photo, but not in the ingredient list, and it’s really great with lots of celery seed. We actually prefer having it marinate overnight (Overnight Coleslaw—it’s not crisp or crunchy, but the flavor is amazing!), and use a small amount of sour cream instead of milk or buttermilk, but this recipe is very similar to our favorite, so will be trying this one also. It’s nice to have an alternate recipe, just in case I’m out of sour cream when the urge hits to make it. We like cabbage slaw SO much better than coleslaw loaded with onion pineapple, or other ingredients! It’s perfectly simple, but simply perfect.