This Tangy Southern Coleslaw uses angel hair coleslaw mix, is quick and easy to throw together, and makes the perfect not-too-sweet slaw. Let’s dig in!
Hello hello! Today I’m sharing a simple, classic coleslaw recipe that I call Tangy Southern Coleslaw. This easy coleslaw is cool and refreshing and perfect as a side or topping for burgers, hotdogs, and pulled pork. In this post I’m going to teach you how to make coleslaw with mayo and just a couple of other ingredients!
This recipe came from my dad, except that it would never be a recipe if it weren’t for me! My dad is one of those really good cooks that just wings it and everything always turns out perfect. Ask him how he made this delicious dish and you’ll get a response like, “oh it’s nothing but cabbage and mayonnaise, salt and pepper.” Yet when you try to make it, it tastes nothing like his. This has annoyed me more than once in my life. So one summer I watched him make the slaw and had him measure everything out while I wrote it down. After adding a couple of my own tweaks I now have my favorite classic coleslaw recipe! Thanks, Dad!
When it comes to coleslaw, some like it sweet and some like it savory. If you’ve tried many varieties of coleslaw in your life you probably know which one you prefer. This one is way on the savory/tangy side, which is my preference. If you love your coleslaw sweet, no problem. You’re just going to need to add more sugar.
Another thing about this coleslaw is that it’s just cabbage. There are no carrots, purple cabbage, or any other veggies. Just a simple southern coleslaw recipe with the perfect amount of flavor.
Basic Coleslaw Recipe
Like all my recipes, making this dish is simple! You can whip this up in all of 10 minutes and it contains just 7 ingredients, most of which you probably have at home right now:
- angel hair cabbage
- mayonnaise
- white vinegar
- sugar
- celery seed
- salt
- pepper
How to Make Coleslaw
To make this angel hair coleslaw, you’re going to use 2 bags of angel hair cabbage (I find this at Food Lion consistently and also Walmart most of the time). I prefer the angel hair texture over bigger chunks of cabbage. When you dump all this cabbage out it is going to seem like a lot. Don’t worry! It will become much more compact once you mix in all the wet ingredients.
The key is to add the ingredients one by one, and mix after each is added. Once you mix everything you will see it is pretty soupy at the bottom. You can mix all that creamy coleslaw goodness right back in before serving. For the mayonnaise, I am a Duke’s girl all the way. If you don’t do mayo, I would love to know how this tastes with something else like a vegannaise.
This dish can be made the day before and stored covered in the refrigerator overnight. If you want to serve it right it away, just try to let it sit out for about 30 minutes to let the flavors combine a bit. I’ve also heard the question asked, “Can you freeze coleslaw?” and I’d have to say no. The mayonnaise will try to separate, making the consistency not as great as when it was fresh. However, you can store it in the refrigerator for several days .
Tangy Southern Coleslaw is a perfect quick side for warm month cookouts and potlucks. And believe it or not, due to the simplicity of this recipe, it is a low calorie coleslaw with just 84 calories per serving!
Let me know how you like it by tagging your photos #allthekingsmorsels and @allthekingsmorsels on social media.
Need a dessert for your upcoming cookout? Check out my Pig Pickin’ Cake!

Tangy Southern Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 2 16 oz bags angel hair cabbage
- 1 tbsp salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp sugar (Add more sugar to taste if you prefer a sweeter coleslaw)
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
Instructions
- Add cabbage to a large bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients one by one, mixing the coleslaw well after adding each ingredient.
- Allow coleslaw to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. Mix again to combine before serving.
Bethany says
Looks so simple and perfect!
Kristen King says
Thanks, Bethany! I’m all about easy!
Anna says
So so so so so so good!!!
Kristen King says
Anna, yay! So glad you liked it and thanks for coming back to tell me!
Laura Levitan says
This looks absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to try it. I love coleslaw!
Kristen King says
Thanks Laura! I hope you love it!
Marilyn says
I wonder if the amount of salt is correct – 1 tbsp. I stopped using salt years ago, so the salty flavor was overwhelming. Other than the salt issue, I like the angel hair cabbage and the combination of ingredients.
Kristen King says
Thanks so much for your feedback. Yes I really do use that much salt in it but I may make a note in the recipe that you can use less to make it more “to taste”, so this is very helpful for me!