This tasty and refreshing apple coleslaw is really easy to make and has the perfect balance of crunch, sweetness, and tang. There is no overwhelming soupy dressing with this coleslaw, and it is a great dish to serve at a summer meal alongside your favorite entrees!

A white round bowl containing shredded orange carrots, purple and green cabbage, and apple matchsticks

Eating coleslaw at summer meals seems like a very natural thing to do...

...as it often shows up alongside burgers, hot dogs, ribs, and just about anything cooked outside on the grill.

It offers a nice balance against the heavy, greasier dishes...

...and it's kind of like an easy way make sure you get your required vegetable component.

And if you like coleslaw, but don't like them to be overly soupy or drippy, you have come to the right place!

It just takes about 20 minutes to make and some time to chill in the fridge and you are set!

No Over-Dressing

While I like coleslaw, I don't like it if it's drenched in dressing. If it's got too much dressing, I think it defeats the purpose of coleslaw being a "refreshing" side dish. So my version has just the right amount of dressing...enough to coat all the ingredients and give them flavor.

I whisk together some mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl big enough for the salad. If you don't want to use mayonnaise, you can substitute with Greek yogurt, or try some dijon mustard for a non-dairy option. Simply adjust the other ingredients to taste to achieve the right flavor.

An off-white liquid in a bowl with a whisk, shredded purple and green cabbage in a basket, julienned apple, shredded carrots

The Slaw

After I have the dressing made, I finely chop some cabbage, which is, obviously the main ingredient in a coleslaw. You can do a mix of green and red cabbage, or do all one color...it's totally up to you!

The next ingredient to prepare is an apple! The apple provides extra texture and crunch and sweetness to the slaw. You can totally skip it if you want to, but I find that the coleslaw is really lacking something without it. There's a reason why I've officially called this recipe an apple coleslaw...it's better with it than without!

Choose whatever apple variety you like, but pick one that is crisp, like a Fuji or Granny Smith. Obviously, a Fuji will provide more sweetness whereas a Granny Smith will give more tang.

Another optional ingredient is grated or julienned carrot. I can go either way with the carrot, but I do find that it adds a pleasant texture, sweetness, and color to the dish. If you do decide to omit the apple and carrot, I would adjust the dressing to make sure you getting the right balance of sweetness and tang.

Two white spoons in a bowl containing a coleslaw mixture

Then it's as simple as tossing all the slaw ingredients into the same bowl where you whisked together the dressing and give it a good mix! Chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and give it another mix before serving. So easy, right??

What To Serve It With

As I mentioned above, coleslaw naturally goes well with hamburgers and hot dogs and just about anything cooked on an outdoor grill. You can even stuff the coleslaw INTO a burger or hot dog, and it would give a great refreshing crunch to wraps.

I don't have an outdoor grill, but I have served this apple coleslaw with some other meat recipes and they pairings have been great! It is a nice and simple partner to strong and more robust-flavored dishes like:

You can also add some chopped scallions to the coleslaw, as well as roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds or raisins. There is definitely room for some variation to this recipe.

Slices of brown steak next to a mound of coleslaw on a dark plate

I, personally, like it as it is, and you should give it a try as it's pictured here with Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak! How ever you decide to serve it up, you are going to love this apple coleslaw and how easy and tasty is to make.

~ Lisa.