Making Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt is a surprisingly simple swap to lighten it up and add nutrition while maintaining the creamy texture we all love! 😊 I like making a dressing with Greek yogurt, a small amount of mayo, and a touch of honey to balance out the tang from the yogurt. It's one of my favorite ways to make coleslaw if I'm serving it for a weeknight dinner or bringing it as a healthier option to a summer cookout!
As a dietitian, I almost feel like it's my duty to add extra nutrition to some of my favorite recipes and it's definitely a challenge I enjoy! Since the base of classic coleslaw is fresh cabbage, it already provides fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. And while I do enjoy coleslaw made with a mayo base, this healthy coleslaw recipe is a great alternative when you want to add some protein and cut down on saturated fats that come from the traditional heavy mayo dressing.
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my avocado coleslaw, purple cabbage carrot coleslaw with apple cider vinegar, Green Goddess avocado dressing, or Smashed Potato Salad.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This coleslaw with Greek yogurt is made with fresh ingredients. Below are some notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom for measurements.
- Cabbage - fresh cabbage is essential to any coleslaw, and it's up to you whether you use green or purple cabbage. I personally like to do a mix of the two with mostly green cabbage and a little red cabbage thrown in for contrast. I usually shred my own cabbage using a sharp knife, food processor, box grater, or kitchen mandolin because a whole head of cabbage goes a long way and tastes fresher. For a shortcut, grab a bag of coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage from the produce section at the grocery store and give it one more run through with your knife. Cabbage provides fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
- Greek Yogurt - traditional coleslaw uses mayo. To lighten it up and get the health benefits of extra protein, I use a touch of mayo and mostly plain Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise to give the dressing a creamy texture. I use nonfat Greek yogurt because it's what I normally have in my kitchen, but full-fat Greek yogurt will be creamier and more rich. If you don't like the flavor of plain Greek yogurt, some substitutions that work are sour cream or whipped cottage cheese.
- Mayonnaise - a small amount of mayonnaise goes a long way so you don't need much! I like to use a mayo made with avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil for a lighter option with better quality fats, but regular mayo works too. It's totally up to your preference.
- Honey - honey adds a hint of sweet flavor with natural sugars that usually comes from white sugar in Southern coleslaw. Pure maple syrup will work as a substitute.
- White Wine Vinegar & Dijon Mustard - white vinegar is a mild vinegar to add a tangy dressing flavor and balance out the honey. Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar work as substitutes. In my opinion, red wine vinegar doesn't work as well because it'll be too tangy. If you want something a little sweeter, lemon juice will work. Dijon mustard is added for the same reason, but you can leave it out if you don't like it.
- Celery Seed - celery seed has been added to coleslaw since the 1900s and has a slightly bitter and earthy flavor. It's optional here, but I like to add it for a bit of complexity.
- Black Pepper - to add a bit more seasoning.
- Kosher Salt - a pinch of salt is necessary to liven up the flavors and balance everything out.
How to Make Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt
Below are the directions for how to make this creamy coleslaw recipe with photos that I hope are helpful. Check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Finely shred the cabbage. I like my cabbage very fine for coleslaw so if you're using a packaged coleslaw mix, I suggest giving it one more run through with your knife.
- Step 2: In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and whisk really well until everything is well combined.
- Step 3: Add the cabbage and toss everything until the cabbage is coated. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
Hint: wait about 10 minutes to let the flavors soak before adding more salt.
Dietitian Tip
While traditional creamy coleslaws are made with mayo, this healthier coleslaw recipe uses a combination of Greek yogurt, and a small bit of mayonnaise to mimic the flavor and creaminess while adding nutrition! Greek yogurt adds protein, and using a mayonnaise made with extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil is an easy way to get in higher quality fats than regular mayonnaise.
Variations for Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt
One of the best parts about this easy recipe is that you can customize it with different flavors to your taste! Below are a few ideas.
- Spicy - add jalapeno, cayenne pepper, or chili pepper flakes to give it a kick.
- Sweet - double up on honey to make it a bit sweeter.
- More Veggies - coleslaw is a great opportunity to add more veggies. Choose ones with crunchy texture and don't release a lot of liquid. Some ideas are red bell pepper or pre-shredded carrots, cruciferous vegetables like chopped broccoli or cauliflower, herbs including fresh parsley or cilantro, green onions, or red onions.
- Add More Fiber - cabbage already provides some fiber, but to get more fiber in the slaw, add legumes or seeds. I suggest reamy white beans, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, or pumpkin seeds.
- Smoky - add a smoky flavor by tossing in some smoked paprika or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- No Mayo - for a mayo free option, skip the mayo and use an extra tablespoon or two of Greek yogurt instead.
See this Avocado Coleslaw for a healthy taco slaw for fish tacos or shrimp tacos.
Storage for Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt
- Refrigerator - store leftover slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Ideas for Serving Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt
This is such a versatile side dish and you can serve it in so many ways! Below are some ideas including my favorites.
- BBQ Chicken Bowl - my favorite way to serve this coleslaw is in a BBQ chicken bowl with oven-baked chicken breast or shredded crockpot chicken, and diced sweet potatoes or roasted baby potatoes with your favorite BBQ sauce on top.
- With Your Favorite Tacos - this is a good coleslaw to have with shrimp tacos, shrimp tacos with mango salsa, or fish tacos. It also goes great with chicken tacos, steak tacos or plant-based black bean, tofu, or chickpea tacos.
- In a Salmon Bowl - serve it with smoked paprika salmon, and diced sweet potatoes or cilantro lime rice in a salmon bowl. If you want a sweeter option, do a salmon bowl with smoked paprika salmon, this coleslaw, and mango pico de gallo.
- In a Shrimp Taco Bowl - turn taco night into taco bowl night and have this easy side dish with cilantro lime rice and honey lime shrimp.
- Bring it to a BBQ - bring this avocado coleslaw for something unique your next cookout or summer BBQ. It makes a great side dish with meat off the grill, a burger, feta turkey burger, or veggie burger, pork chops, or pulled pork.
Expert Tips
- Use a combo of green and purple cabbage to make it colorful and add more nutrients.
- If you're making this creamy Greek yogurt coleslaw in advance, try to wait to add the dressing about 2 hours before serving. The cabbage will continue to absorb the flavors as it sits in the dressing.
- Give it a taste after about 10 minutes of letting the cabbage sit in the creamy dressing and add more salt as needed.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. Fresh cabbage provides fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients like vitamin C and K. While traditional coleslaw is made with mayo, this recipe uses mostly Greek yogurt, and a small bit of mayo to mimic the flavor and creamy consistency while adding protein + calcium, and cutting down on saturated fats.
Of course! Save time by grabbing a package of shredded cabbage or coleslaw. I am odd in that I genuinely enjoy turning on a playlist and getting in the kitchen to chop. It's my time to zone out! But I realize a lot of people don't have time for that. In that case, just make it easy on yourself and grab a bag at the store!
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups shredded cabbage (I use 4 cups green + 2 cups purple)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (I use mayonnaise made with extra virgin olive oil)
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
Instructions
- Finely shred the cabbage. I like my cabbage very fine for coleslaw so if you're using a packaged coleslaw mix, I suggest giving it one more run through with your knife.
- In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and whisk really well until everything is well combined.
- Add the cabbage and toss everything until the cabbage is coated. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
Notes
- Use a combo of green and purple cabbage to make it colorful and add more nutrients.
- If you're making this creamy Greek yogurt coleslaw in advance, try to wait to add the dressing about 2 hours before serving. The cabbage will continue to absorb the flavors as it sits in the dressing.
- Give it a taste after about 10 minutes of letting the cabbage sit in the creamy dressing and add more salt as needed.
- Refrigerator - store leftover slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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