Kale slaw is an easy, nutritious, and colorful variation of the traditional side dish. Using a mix of kale, green cabbage, carrot, and red onion, this recipe is perfectly suited as a side dish, condiment, or eaten as a salad on its own.
I love homemade coleslaw. A traditional side dish for BBQs, East Coast Lobster Boils, and Fried Chicken. It's even used as a condiment on sandwiches, tacos, and more. This particular recipe incorporates kale as much of the bulk instead of cabbage, simply to switch things up and add a variation of color to the dish.
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Table of Contents
Kale Slaw Dressing
The great thing about this kale slaw is that it can easily be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge overnight. Cabbage and kale are fairly tough and won't go soggy if the dressing is mixed in and then left to sit. This is ideal when prepping for BBQs or potlucks!
That said, the dressing is easily kept separate and mixed on the day off as well.
To make the kale slaw dressing you'll need:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ lemon juiced or 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon chopped chives
- Salt and pepper
I use a mix of mayo and Greek yogurt in the dressing to lighten it up a little, (mayo is very high in unhealthy fats, especially store-bought kinds), and the yogurt itself adds some extra flavor to the dressing as well. It's also an easy way to start cooking with yogurt at home!
Mince up the garlic, and then mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Taste the kale slaw dressing and adjust the seasoning with salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Homemade Kale Slaw
If you grow your own kale at home in a backyard vegetable garden, this recipe is a great way to use up some of all that fresh produce. Kale is quite easy to grow, even in cold climates, and I always have way more on hand than I could eat myself.
Why Make Kale Slaw & Not Just Regular Coleslaw?
Traditional coleslaw, while packed with cabbage, and occasionally other veggies such as carrot, cucumber, and onion, is usually mixed with a very fatty mayonnaise-based dressing. Store-bought coleslaw also has added preservatives to maintain its freshness, adding to the overall 'un-healthiness' that coleslaw is nowadays.
Kale on the other hand is extremely nutrient-dense making it very healthy for you and an easy way to load up on vitamins and add nutrients to your diet. Chalk full of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and minerals, eating more kale ain't a bad thing! By using a mix of mayo and Greek yogurt in the above dressing you also reduce some of the fat that's usually in coleslaw. The lemon adds even more Vitamin C, and the acid itself helps naturally preserve this summer side dish.
Ingredients
For this kale slaw recipe you'll need;
- 1 large bunch of kale - leaves removed from the stalks
- ¼ head green cabbage
- 1 large carrot
- ½ red onion
- Parsley (optional)
- Salt and pepper
Start by shredding the cabbage. The easiest way to do this by hand is to cut the head of cabbage in half and then quarters, remove the core, and then finely shred sections of that quarter. Very much the same way you would cut cabbage when making sauerkraut at home.
Next, remove the kale leaves from the stalks. Just rip them off with your hands and stack them up for easy cutting.
The stalks can be kept and frozen for use in smoothies, veg stock, etc. You can even dice them up and cook them in a stir fry!
For the carrot, I use a Japanese mandolin (the Benriner mandolin to be exact) to create a perfect julienne carrot. While you can do this by hand, for most home cooks julienning carrots with a mandolin slicer is the easiest.
The onion is simply peeled, cut in half, and then thinly sliced.
Mix all the cut-up vegetables in a big bowl, and mix the kale slaw dressing in with your hands. Easy peasy eh? Really though, while the recipe may seem lengthy, once you actually get down to it, it doesn't take much more than fifteen minutes to throw together.
Sprinkle the kale slaw with chopped parsley and salt and pepper to season, and then refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.
As mentioned above, you can easily prepare this kale slaw a day in advance and keep it in the fridge until serving. Refrigerated the kale slaw should last for three or four days before starting to go really soggy.
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Recipe
Kale Slaw (With A Creamy Lemon Garlic Dressing)
Equipment
Ingredients
Creamy Kale Slaw Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ lemon juiced or 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon chopped chives
- Salt and pepper
Kale Slaw
- 1 large bunch kale leaves removed from the stalks and shredded
- ¼ head green cabbage shredded
- 1 large carrot julienned
- ½ red onion julienned
- 1 tablespoon Parsley optional
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
For the Kale Slaw Dressing
- Mince up the garlic, and measure out all the dressing ingredients.
- Mix the Greek yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, Dijon, and chopped chives, together in a bowl.
- Taste the kale slaw dressing and adjust the seasoning with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use/
Kale Slaw
- Start by shredding the quarter head of cabbage. Cut the head into quarters, and remove the core before shredding it.
- Shred the kale by removing the kale leaves from the stalks and then thinly slicing the leaves with a knife.
- Julienne the carrot either by hand, or with a mandolin slicer.
- Peel the red onion, cut it in half, and then julienne it by very thinly slicing it with a chefs knife.
- Mix all the cut up vegetable in a big bowl, and mix the kale slaw dressing in until properly coated.
- Sprinkle the kale slaw with chopped parsley and salt and pepper to season, and then refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Dorothy Perry
I made this kale slaw this past weekend. It is amazing! Even my kale-skeptical husband loved it. Forget traditional coleslaw, from now on, I’m making this!
Chef Markus Mueller
Awesome! Glad you both enjoyed it so much, thank you for the comment!
Margaret
I ended up with some extra dressing, so I tried it on a pasta salad with chicken breast, grape tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, red onion and bell pepper. It was excellent! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Chef Markus Mueller
What a great idea! I really need to do a pasta salad soon!
Beth
This is super delish and easy! It's become my go-to for potlucks!
Kristen
I’m always looking for a new coleslaw recipe, such a great summer staple. This sounds delicious, I will definitely try it at my next bbq!
Markus Mueller
It's quickly become one of my favorite side dishes! If you make it, take a picture and tag @earthfoodandfire on Instagram or facebook!
MDIVADOMESTICA
Such a dreamy salad! Bonus that it can be prepped the day before leaving plenty of time for those other last minute bbq sides.
Markus Mueller
It does help with meal prep! I have even served this at dinner parties and outdoor BBQ events to great success.! Being able to prep ahead really is a time saver.
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
This is a perfect BBQ side dish, and a great way to sneak some kale into my family's meal!
Markus Mueller
Agreed! ?
Cathy
I love the idea of combining kale with cabbage in a slaw. Your creamy dressing looks delicious!
Markus Mueller
Thanks Cathy!
Johanne
Made thismany ti.mes and it's soooooooo delish!!
How long does it keep has I did a bit too much this time! And big thanks!!
Chef Markus Mueller
Hi Johanne, the kale slaw will easily last 3 or 4 days in the fridge. The longer you keep it though the more the kale will wilt in the dressing, and it won't stay as crisp.
Elaine Nessman
My kale is flourishing in my garden now, and this slaw is a perfect way to use it! Love that garlic-lemon dressing!
Karly
Yum! This sounds great! Thanks for sharing!
Claudia Lamascolo
I love the freshness of this salad and that dressing sounds very yummy. This may be lunch tomorrow. Just need to get out and get some of these ingredients!
Michaela Kenkel
We have been eating a lot of Kale lately!! This slaw sounds amazing ... of course it has lemon dressing so that is a BONUS all on it's own! Thanks!
Jacque Hastert
This homemade dressing sounds simply amazing! I love almost anything with kale, so I know this will be great!
Lauren @ Delicious Little Bites
I usually eat kale with a lemon/olive oil/mustard dressing, but have to say that this creamy version with added garlic sounds amazing - will be trying it asap!
Jessica Formicola
That creamy lemon garlic dressing sounds ahhh-mazing!
rebecca
this looks delicious! love kale slaws! and it sounds perfect with lobster! YUM