Keto Coleslaw
Published June 20, 2019 • Updated February 28, 2026
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I make this low-carb coleslaw all summer and the secret is a double hit of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar plus celery seed, which is the one ingredient people always ask me about.
I have been making this keto coleslaw for years, and it is the side dish I bring to every single cookout. Not because it is the fanciest thing I make, but because I always come home with an empty bowl and at least two people asking for the recipe.
What makes this one different from every other coleslaw out there is two things. First, I use both lemon juice and apple cider vinegar in the dressing. Most recipes pick one acid or the other. I use both because after about an hour in the fridge, that double acid actually softens the cabbage cell walls just enough that the slaw goes from crunchy-raw to tender-crunchy. The texture shift is real and it is the reason I always tell people to let it sit before serving.
Second is the celery seed. I cannot tell you how many comments I get about this one ingredient. People make it, taste it, and then message me asking what that flavor is. It is warm and slightly bitter and it rounds out the tang from the vinegar and lemon in a way that nothing else does. If you skip it, you will have a perfectly fine coleslaw. But you will not have this coleslaw.
The dressing itself comes together in about two minutes. Mayo, sour cream, the two acids, celery seed, a pinch of sweetener, and hot sauce. I like mine with several heavy dashes of sriracha, but you can dial that up or down. The sour cream is what keeps it from being too heavy. Straight mayo dressings coat your mouth. This one has a lighter, tangier finish that actually works better with rich proteins.
Speaking of pairings, bacon wrapped pork chops are my favorite thing to serve alongside this. The fatty, smoky pork against the cold tangy slaw is one of those combinations that just works. I also pile it on top of keto hamburger buns with pulled pork when I am feeding a crowd. If you are putting together a full spread, pair it with keto potato salad or keto macaroni salad for a complete cookout table.
At roughly 4.6 net carbs per serving, this fits into a regular keto day without any math gymnastics. I eat it as a side with dinner three or four nights a week during the summer. If you want a totally different flavor profile, try my Mexican coleslaw with cilantro and lime. Same easy format, completely different direction.
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Ingredients
4 cups shredded green cabbage -
4 cups shredded red cabbage
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½ red onion, thinly sliced
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2 green onions, sliced
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1 cup mayonnaise
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2 tablespoons sour cream
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1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
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1 lemon, juiced
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½ teaspoon celery seed
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Pinch of sweetener of choice (I use Swerve)
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Many dashes of hot sauce or sriracha
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Salt & pepper to taste
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Combine the cabbage and onions
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, red and green onions and set aside.
Make the dressing
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients to make the dressing.
Add dressing to the slaw
Add the dressing to the coleslaw.
Toss
Mix until coleslaw is evenly coated with the dressing.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How many net carbs are in this coleslaw per serving?
My recipe comes out to roughly 4.6 grams of net carbs per serving. I calculated that based on the full ingredient list divided into 6 servings. Most of the carbs come from the cabbage itself, and the dressing adds very little since it is mostly mayo, sour cream, and acids. I track my macros daily and this fits easily into a keto day without having to cut corners anywhere else.
Can I make this coleslaw without mayo?
I have made it with full-fat Greek yogurt instead of mayo and it works well. The dressing comes out thinner and tangier, which I actually prefer in the summer when I want something lighter. You could also use avocado oil mayo if you just want to avoid traditional mayo. I would not recommend a vinaigrette-only dressing because this recipe really needs that creamy base to balance the double acid from the lemon and ACV.
Can I use a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix?
I use bagged coleslaw mix when I am short on time and it turns out fine. Just look at the bag to make sure there is no added sugar in a dressing packet. I prefer shredding my own cabbage because the pieces are fresher and crunchier, but a 14-ounce bag of plain shredded cabbage is a solid shortcut. I have done it plenty of times for weeknight dinners.
Is store-bought coleslaw keto friendly?
Almost never. I have checked the labels on probably a dozen store-bought coleslaws and they all have added sugar in the dressing, usually 8 to 12 grams of carbs per serving. That is why I started making my own in the first place. Even the ones that look simple have high-fructose corn syrup or cane sugar buried in the ingredient list. Making it at home with my dressing takes five minutes and keeps the carbs where they should be.
What protein pairs best with this coleslaw?
Pulled pork is my number one pairing. I always have this ready when I am making a batch of pulled pork. Something about the cold tangy slaw against hot smoky meat is perfect. It is also great with grilled vegetables and burgers on keto hamburger buns, grilled chicken, smoked ribs, or even fish tacos. Basically any protein that is rich or smoky works because the acid in the dressing cuts through the fat.
Can I use broccoli slaw instead of cabbage?
I do this fairly often, either a full swap or a 50/50 mix with regular cabbage. Broccoli slaw stems are sturdier than cabbage, so they hold up longer without getting soggy. That makes it a better option if you are bringing it to a party where it will sit out for a while. The flavor is a little more earthy, but the dressing covers it well. I use the same amount of dressing either way.
Why does celery seed make such a big difference in the flavor?
I get asked about this more than any other ingredient in the recipe. Celery seed has a warm, slightly bitter, almost savory quality that rounds out the tang from the lemon and vinegar. Without it, you have a good coleslaw. With it, people stop and ask what that flavor is. I did not grow up using celery seed and I had to buy my first jar specifically for this recipe. Now I keep it stocked at all times.
How long does this keep in the fridge?
I have eaten it up to 3 days later and it is still good, though the cabbage softens more each day. Day one and two are the sweet spot for me. After that the texture gets a little too soft for my taste. If you want it to last longer, store the dressing and shredded vegetables separately and combine them as you eat. I do that when I am meal prepping for the week.
My mom made this every summer and going keto meant I just quietly stopped eating it. The celery seed hit me right in the feelings. Not gonna lie, I teared up a little.
Made this last weekend and loved the dressing (kept tasting it straight out of the bowl before I even added it to the cabbage). The celery seed thing is real, I didn't believe one ingredient could make that much of a difference. My only note is the raw red onion was pretty sharp in mine and kind of took over everything else. Might try soaking it in cold water next time or just cutting back a little. Still planning to make it again before the month is out.
Soaking works well. 10-15 minutes in cold water takes most of the bite out. I also just go lighter on the red and lean on the green onions to fill it out.
I've been skeptical of keto coleslaws for a while because most of them taste like mayonnaise with some shredded cabbage mixed in, and I just quietly stopped eating coleslaw at cookouts altogether. Made this last weekend and the celery seed thing is real (I almost skipped it because I was out and nearly subbed celery salt, but I went and bought it and I'm so glad I did). The double acid from the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar is what actually makes it taste like coleslaw instead of just a salad, that brightness cuts right through the mayo. I kept going back to the bowl while I was supposed to be putting out the rest of the food. My skepticism about keto coleslaw is officially retired.
Celery salt changes the salt balance more than the flavor, not as close a sub as it seems. One acid reads as salad, both makes it coleslaw.
First time making this. I don't have celery seed and have never cooked with it before. Worth tracking down, or will the dressing taste fine without it?
Worth tracking down. It rounds out the tang from the lemon and vinegar in a way nothing else does. Without it the dressing is still good, just missing that savory depth.
I've made at least three other keto coleslaw recipes and none of them got the dressing right. This one does, mostly because of the celery seed (I'd always skipped it before). Four stars because I'm still fiddling with the lemon-to-vinegar ratio for my taste, but this is the version I'm coming back to.
More lemon usually wins. Try an extra half squeeze and taste from there.
The celery seed thing is real, I was skeptical but it makes the whole dressing. That said, salt and squeeze the cabbage first or this turns into soup by day two, learned that the hard way. Still worth it.
Salt and squeeze is one of those things I never wrote into the recipe and should have. Day two without it is basically cabbage water. Glad it's still worth it.
Made this for Easter Sunday and my mother-in-law, who has a coleslaw recipe she's been making for 30 years, stopped mid-bite and asked what was different about it. When I said celery seed she looked genuinely annoyed. Bringing this every time now.
Thirty years of coleslaw undone by celery seed. I'll take that.
Made this for Sunday dinner alongside grilled chicken and my wife, who normally doesn't pay attention to what I do to a dish, stopped mid-bite and said 'what did you put in this.' I told her celery seed and she had never heard of it, went and looked at the jar like she was trying to figure it out. I think it's the double lemon and vinegar punch she was tasting, that brightness just hits differently than regular coleslaw. My teenage son found it a little sharp but he kept going back for more so I'm calling that a win. Four stars only because I didn't have a mandoline and shredding that much cabbage by hand was more than I bargained for on a Sunday. Making it again for Easter, probably doubling the batch.
'Sharp but kept eating anyway' is a better review than five stars. Get a mandoline before Easter. I shred all four cups in about 3 minutes.
My son kept asking what that 'tangy seed thing' was in the dressing. He's 16 and barely acknowledges food exists, so that was basically a rave review. Turns out he meant the celery seed. Making a double batch for Easter since we're doing pulled pork and this is clearly going next to it.
Ha. A 16-year-old asking what's in the dressing might be the best review I've gotten. Pulled pork with this on the side is the right Easter call.
My husband stopped mid-bite to ask what I put in the dressing. First time coleslaw has ever done that. Celery seed. Now I totally get why everyone keeps asking.
Celery seed is the one ingredient I still get emails about almost every week. Something about how it rounds out the tang without tasting like any one specific thing. Hard to explain until you try it.
This is probably my fifth or sixth batch this spring and I still forget how much the celery seed changes everything until I smell it. Comes together so fast I've been making it on weeknights. Adding extra lemon next time to see if it pops more.
Extra lemon does pop it. I squeeze mine right before serving sometimes and the brightness hits differently than when it's been sitting. Curious what you think.
Fifth batch. Bumped the ACV to two tablespoons and eased off the lemon, and it's way less citrus-forward now. Pairs better with slow cooker pulled pork, which has basically been my whole winter.
Two tablespoons makes sense for a pork pairing. I go heavy on the lemon because I like the brightness on its own, but dialing it back when the slaw is a side makes sense.
Eight batches in and I still make this every week without thinking about it. Never liked coleslaw before keto but something about the lemon and apple cider vinegar sitting together changes the cabbage in a way I wasn't expecting at all. The celery seed threw me the first time, had to look it up, didn't own it, went and bought a whole jar specifically and now I get why it's in there. At 4.6 net carbs I eat this alongside basically everything. Got pulled pork in the slow cooker right now and this is what it's waiting for.
Pulled pork is the best thing to eat this with. The celery seed always surprises people. I get that comment a lot.
Can you eat it right away or does it need to sit first?
Right away is fine but mine always tastes better after an hour in the fridge. The vinegar and lemon have time to soften the cabbage a little.