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Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo)

5 from 2 votes

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Homemade Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) is a great summer side dish recipe perfect for a BBQ or grilling party. Gluten free, vegan and dairy free friendly.
Looking down at a white bowl of Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) on a wood board on a counter.

Homemade Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) is a perfect fresh, light, and healthy side dish recipe for summer! A great homemade slaw dish for your grilling party or as a condiment for sandwiches and tacos. Gluten free.

Looking down at a white bowl of Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) on a wood board on a counter.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

A classic cabbage salad cole slaw is just perfect for a warm summer day!

This Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) is a great alternative to a mayo coleslaw recipe or vinegar coleslaw recipe. We make a no mayo coleslaw recipe by using avocado as our base mixed into green cabbage.

You still get a great creamy flavor, all from using avocado! And this simple recipe is made with ingredients you can easily find at your local grocery store.

It is a great recipe to use with our Baja Fresh Fish Tacos, on pork sandwiches, and as a classic side dish for your BBQ cookout!

Ingredients

Full quantities and recipe details can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Let’s talk about the simple ingredients you need to make this healthy coleslaw recipe!

Avocado – the star ingredient!

Bag of Coleslaw Mix – pre-shredded cabbage is the easiest way to do it! But you can also finely shred green cabbage, red cabbage (purple cabbage), and carrots by hand if desired. Cabbage goes a long way, so you only need about half a head of cabbage for the recipe.

Plain Greek Yogurt – I like to use a little of this for some added creamy flavor and protein. But you can absolutely skip it to keep it dairy free or vegan and just use more mashed avocado instead. You could also use sour cream.

Fresh Lime Juice – key to bringing a fresh and bright flavor, plus it helps prevent the avocado from turning too brown

Fresh Cilantro – you can skip this if desired

Fresh Green Onions – for fresh texture and flavor!

White Sugar – you can also use honey or agave. It brings a touch of sweetness to balance the other flavors, but is not a sweet slaw.

Garlic Powder

Chile Powder – just a little for flavor. You can add more if you want it to have some heat and spice

Salt

Black Pepper

Optional – Apple Cider Vinegar – you can add a Tablespoon or so if you want more of that acidic vinegar kick in your slaw. We are getting acid from the lime, which is what makes this not mandatory. But if you miss it and want a tangy coleslaw, add a Tablespoon! You can also use any kind of vinegar like red wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar as desired based on what you have.

Looking closely at a bowl of Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) with fresh limes around it.

Making Slaw Without Mayo

This creamy coleslaw recipe is very easy!

Mash up your avocado and mix it with the other dressing ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix the avocado mixture with your slaw mix, fresh cilantro, and green onions.

Season to taste as desired. Store in an airtight container and chill a couple of hours (ideally) until ready to serve.

Kim’s Tips

Some people prefer a next day homemade coleslaw that has been sitting overnight and has become softer. You can do this if desired, but the green color will fade some. It should not turn brown because of the lime, just like lemon juice prevents browning.

I love using this creamy coleslaw recipe on my fish tacos and pork sandwiches in addition to it being a classic side dish.

FAQs

What’s the difference between coleslaw and slaw?

Coleslaw is typically made with cabbage. Slaw is a general term that can be many different fresh vegetables such as broccoli or snap peas.

Is apple cider vinegar better than white vinegar for coleslaw?

You can use either apple cider vinegar or white vinegar in coleslaw. Apple cider vinegar has more of a flavor to it than straight vinegar, which is why people tend to prefer it.
Looking down on a bowl of Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) on a wood board and surrounded by limes.
Pin of Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) with title at top.

More BBQ and Grilling Sides

Sides for BBQ and Grilling

Just a few of some side dish recipes for grilling and BBQ meals!

Looking down at a white bowl of Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) on a wood board on a counter.

Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo)

Homemade Creamy Avocado Coleslaw (without Mayo) is a great summer side dish recipe perfect for a BBQ or grilling party. Gluten free, vegan and dairy free friendly.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Recipe
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ, Summer, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings (about 6 cups total)
Calories: 43kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound slaw mix shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots
  • ½ cup mashed avocado approximately 2 medium
  • cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 Tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar or honey, or agave
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons green onion chopped

Instructions

  • Mash your avocado and combine all of the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
    ½ cup mashed avocado, ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, 3 Tablespoons lime juice, 1 Tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • Chop your cilantro and green onions.
    ½ cup fresh cilantro, 2 Tablespoons green onion
  • Add the cabbage slaw mix, cilantro, and green onions to the large bowl with the dressing. Stir to combine.
    1 pound slaw mix
  • Season to taste as desired. Chill until ready to serve, ideally 2 hours.

Notes

Some people prefer to make coleslaw a day in advance, as the slaw is a softer texture. You can do this if preferred. The lime juice should keep the avocado from turning brown, but the green color will not be as vibrant.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 0.4mg
By on June 1st, 2024

About Kim

Kim has grown up with a passion for cooking good food! You can find her in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes, making dog treats, and eating Italian food!

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