Vegan Sesame Ginger Coleslaw

This vegan coleslaw recipe is made with shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and green onions tossed in a tangy, oil-free, sesame ginger dressing. It's extremely easy to make, and it's bursting with bright and tangy flavors! Add texture, color, and layers of flavor to any meal with this delicious dish.

This tangy vegan coleslaw features shredded red and green cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and green onions and it's tossed in the most delicious and zippy sesame ginger dressing! This easy vegan side dish is loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and superfoods, and it's a healthy twist on traditional creamy coleslaw because this version is made with no mayo! 

You can use this vegan slaw for tacos, piled high on veggie burgers, or as a side dish to baked almond butter tofu and broccoli. This family-favorite recipe is easy to make and it's perfect to bring a big bowl to family gatherings, to a potluck with friends, or to make for the Fourth of July! 

How to make it

Put all of the vegan coleslaw dressing ingredients into a small blender cup (I used a Nutribullet blender) and blend on high until the sauce is smooth and creamy. If you don't have a blender, you can make the coleslaw dressing by hand. Whisk together the almond butter, tahini, tamari, lime juice, rice vinegar, hot sauce, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Grate the fresh ginger and garlic and stir it into the dressing. 

Put the thinly sliced cabbage (learn how to easily shred cabbage, here), carrots, cilantro, and green onions into a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture in the bowl and toss it well to evenly distribute the dressing. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for one hour to chill.

Substitutions

• Cabbage: You can use all green cabbage or all red cabbage to make this vegan coleslaw. You could also substitute broccoli slaw or napa cabbage instead of red or green cabbage.
• Carrot: Thinly sliced pieces of bell peppers, jicama, golden beets, parsnips, or zucchini can be used instead of carrot sticks. 
• Almond Butter: You can substitute peanut butter or sun butter (nut-free) for almond butter. 
• Tahini: Instead of using tahini, you can add 1 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds to the coleslaw or add 1 tsp of sesame oil to the dressing.
• Rice Vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead of rice vinegar.  
• Tamari: Soy sauce or coconut aminos can be used instead of tamari. 

Can I make it in advance?

Vegan coleslaw tastes best when it's made fresh, but you can make it one day in advance if you need to. If you want to prep the coleslaw more than one day in advance, you can do this by prepping all the vegetables (except the cilantro because it will turn brown) and making the dressing, but don't dress the salad until you're ready to eat it. Store the vegetables and dressing in separate containers in the fridge. 

What goes with it? 

I usually serve this vegan coleslaw as a side dish to lentil sloppy joes, vegan BLT sandwiches or as a topping on vegan pulled pork sliders or vegan pork tacos. It's also a great option to bring to potlucks, BBQs, and family gatherings. 

Can I freeze it?

No, don't freeze this vegan cabbage coleslaw. Cabbage doesn't retain it's texture once it's frozen and defrosted. The only way I like to freeze cabbage is if it's in vegan cabbage soup or lentil cabbage rolls. However, you can freeze the sesame ginger dressing separately if you want to.

Ways to Adapt this Recipe

This vegan cabbage slaw is delicious enjoyed as a side dish to almost any main course, but you can switch it up to enjoy it in a few different ways: 

• Add Rice Noodles: Turn this coleslaw into a substantial meal by mixing 2-3 packs of (my favorite) cooked gluten-free millet and brown rice ramen noodles. This meal can be enjoyed hot or cold. 
• Spring Rolls: Don't dress the coleslaw. Instead, fill a rice paper wrapper with a hearty serving of the plain cabbage, cilantro, carrots, green onions, and cooked vermicelli noodles, and wrap it up. Use the coleslaw dressing as a sauce to dip the spring rolls in.
• Tofu Wraps: Use the sesame ginger coleslaw as a filling in these baked tofu wraps. It's an easy way to add more vegetables to your meal!
• Make a Salad: Mix 2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach with 1-2 cups of the coleslaw to jazz up your daily salad + add extra fiber!
• Add Plant-Based Protein: Add a boost of protein to the vegan slaw by adding 1 cup of cooked edamame. It will taste delicious and the bright green color will add even more color to this already colorful dish. 

FAQ

Success tips

• Use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or carrots to save time and make this vegan slaw even easier to assemble.  
• Put the leftover ginger knob in an airtight container and store it in the freezer until the next time you need fresh ginger. It will stay fresh for months and freezing the ginger makes it so easy to grate!