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Mexican Coleslaw

Mexican coleslaw with shredded green and purple cabbage tossed in a bright lime-cilantro dressing with jalapeño heat. The quick toss keeps the crunch while the citrus dressing coats every strand for vivid taco coleslaw.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
chilling 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 170
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Coleslaw base
  • 3 cup green cabbage thinly shredded
  • 2 cup purple cabbage thinly shredded
  • 1 cup carrots shredded
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and finely sliced
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
Lime-cilantro dressing
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp lime zest
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Method
 

Make the coleslaw base
  1. In a large bowl, combine green cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, jalapeño, cilantro, and green onions. Toss until the shredded vegetables are evenly distributed and the colors stay vivid.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, honey, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. Keep whisking until the dressing looks glossy with no visible spice clumps.
  3. Pour the dressing over the coleslaw and toss until everything is evenly coated. Toss for about 30 seconds so each strand gets a light sheen.
  4. Taste and adjust lime juice, honey, or salt as needed. Adjust in small pinches/sips until the balance feels bright and well-seasoned.
Chill and serve
  1. Cover and refrigerate the coleslaw for 20 minutes to let the flavors meld. Chill until it feels slightly firmer and the dressing clings more evenly to the cabbage.
  2. Serve as a side dish or as a topping for tacos, sandwiches, or grilled chicken. Use a quick stir right before serving to recoat any dressing that settled.

Notes

Pro tip: thin-shred cabbage helps you get maximum crunch and lets the lime-cilantro dressing coat every strand. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days (stir before serving); freezing is not recommended. If you want a lighter version, swap mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt to keep it creamy while reducing fat.