If you usually buy your coleslaw for cookouts and summer potlucks at the grocery store, you may change your mind after trying this homemade coleslaw dressing.
With all of the brightness from lemon, tartness from apple cider vinegar, and creaminess from healthy Greek yogurt, this dressing has the perfect balance that makes for a bowl of absolutely irresistible coleslaw.
The best part of this recipe is that the ingredients are so simple — and they’re easy to find if you don’t have them already. Also, it takes mere minutes to stir it together.
If this is your first time making homemade dressing, you’re in for a treat. You won’t want to reserve this for just coleslaw — keep it around to spread on sandwiches and mix up other creamy salads, too.
What is Homemade Coleslaw Dressing?
Homemade coleslaw dressing is a creamy and tangy sauce that brings the salad together. The combination of Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and vinegar with just a touch of sugar gives the dressing a satisfying zesty flavor.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Coleslaw Dressing
Once you make this creamy coleslaw dressing you may never go back to store-bought coleslaw.
- Customizable – Making your own coleslaw dressing allows you to customize the flavors. From adding heat to increasing the sweetness, there are lots of ways to customize this dressing.
- Easy – It only takes a handful of basic ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store to whip up this simple dressing.
- Versatile – You can use this dressing in so many other ways beyond making coleslaw.
Ingredients
Combine these simple ingredients to make the best homemade salad dressing.
- Plain Greek yogurt: This key ingredient provides a creamy and tangy base for the dressing. of course you can use good ole mayo too or a blend.
- Sugar: The subtle sweetness from sugar helps to balance the tanginess of the yogurt and other acidic ingredients.
- Lemon juice: Citrus brightens up the dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar: Vinegar adds acidic flavor.
- Coarse Kosher salt: Salt brings out the other flavors in the dressing and balances sweet and savory.
- Ground black pepper: Black pepper adds just a slight touch of mild heat.
How To Make The Best Coleslaw Dressing
This easy recipe couldn’t come together more quickly.
- Combine ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the plain Greek yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Stir to combine. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir the ingredients together until completely combined.
- Refrigerate. For the best flavor, refrigerate the dressing for a few hours before serving your coleslaw recipe.
What To Serve Delicious Homemade Coleslaw Dressing With
Besides mixing the creamy dressing with crunchy shred cabbage and carrots to make traditional coleslaw, you can use it for other foods too. Use it as a spread on pulled pork sandwiches, fish tacos, hot dogs, burgers, or sandwiches. You can also use it to change the flavor profile of other creamy salads like potato salad, broccoli slaw, or pasta salad.
I know this sounds crazy, but I also love serving coleslaw with chili- like white chicken chili or skyline chili. As a side dish or right on top.
Variations On Homemade Coleslaw Dressing
There are so many ways to change up this delicious dressing.
- Earthiness: Add Dijon mustard to the base recipe for an earthy flavor and a little extra tang.
- Sweetness: Replace some or all of the sugar with honey or maple syrup, or add either in addition to the sugar for a coleslaw dressing that’s on the sweeter side.
- Heat: For added heat, fold in diced jalapeno peppers, cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Smokiness: Add Liquid Smoke or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to give your dressing a smoky flavor.
- Herbs: Mix in freshly chopped herbs like dill, parsley, or cilantro to add fresh flavor
- Base: Replace some or all of the Greek yogurt with sour cream.
- Onion – To add a little bit of onion flavor to the dressing, use onion powder or diced green onions.
- Seasonings – Try adding your own favorite spices to create a unique flavor. Experiment with celery salt, caraway, or a little celery seed.
- Blend It– Add special flavors by blending it with other sauces. My favorites are Russian Dressing and Sriracha Mayo.
Storage, Make Ahead and Freezing
Since this sauce contains dairy, you’ll want to keep it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Make ahead: Make this sauce up to 24 hours ahead of mixing it with the vegetables.
Refrigerator: Store coleslaw dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container. You can also tightly wrap the serving bowl with plastic wrap.
Freezing: We do not recommend freezing mayonnaise-based sauces.
Common Questions About Homemade Coleslaw Dressing
Coleslaw dressing is often a mayo-based dressing but this recipe is made with Greek yogurt instead — it’s still creamy but also has a slight tanginess. In addition to that, there are acidic ingredients like lemon juice and vinegar as well as sugar, salt, and black pepper to balance the dressing.
If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, or you prefer not to use it, you can use distilled white vinegar instead. You can also try using rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
If your coleslaw dressing is too acidic, balance it by adding a sweet ingredient like sugar or honey.
Other Savory Sauces
Here are more savory sauce recipes that might interest you!
Bang Bang Sauce
Alabama White Sauce
Chinese Garlic Sauce Recipe
Creamy Coleslaw Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together your coleslaw mix, the dressing and any other desired add-ins.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Nutrition
This was such a creamy and refreshing sauce that does not disappoint! Easily, a new favorite recipe; looking forward to enjoying coleslaw all summer long!
This coleslaw was so good! I’m normally not a big coleslaw fan but this homemade version is perfect! So yummy
I’ve always wanted to make homemade dressing for my coleslaw recipe. This sit – thank you for sharing!
I make a ton of coleslaw every summer for our parties and when I go to potlucks. I love your version.
This homemade coleslaw dressing looks so creamy, smooth and fantastic. Can’t wait to try it.
I usually do buy coleslaw at the deli or the grocery store for picnics and bbqs, but you have totally converted me to making coleslaw at home instead!! This sauce was so bright and refreshing while still being creamy and satisfying. Definitely will be making this again soon!
I was so happy this recipe uses Greek yogurt instead of Mayo. I always prefer a healthy twist. Thanks!
This coleslaw dressing was amazing! It tastes so much better than homemade. Saving this recipe!
This zingy homemade coleslaw dressing is so refreshingly light and flavorful! (We love homemade dressings of all kinds. They are so much healthier and economical than store dressings.) Thanks for the recipe!
This was such an easy and delicious dressing! Comes together quick with minimal ingredients and is way better than any store bought version, indeed!
Apparent typo in the ingredient instructions. Step one says combine the mayonnaise with the other ingredients. I’m thinking there’s no mayo in this recipe. Am I correct ?
Yep- thanks for catching that. It’s been updated.