Cilantro Lime Slaw Recipe - Gimme Some Oven (2024)

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This Cilantro Lime Slaw recipe is easy to make in just 10 minutes, it tastes extra fresh and light, and it can work great as a zesty side dish or as a topping for tacos, burgers, sandwiches and more.

Cilantro Lime Slaw Recipe - Gimme Some Oven (1)

Guys, I’ve got the yummiest fish taco recipe comin’ your way tomorrow.

But first — we’ve gotta talk about this coleslaw.♡

It’s my go-to, back-pocket, easy-breezy, fresh-and-flavorful cilantro lime slaw recipe that I’ve made for years, and it somehow magically goes with just abouteverything. I make it most often just as a simple side dish when we’re grilling out in the summertime, especially anytime that BBQ sauce or Mexican food are involved. But it’s also fantastic served as a topping on pretty much any kind of tacos — fish, shrimp, carnitas, sofritas, barbacoa, chicken, you name it. It also works great as a topping for burgers or sandwiches, or mixed into buddah bowls or burrito bowls. Or hey — if you want to maybe add a protein and avocado in there too — this slaw can easily be transformed into an entree just like that.

Mostly though, I just love this cilantro lime slaw because it tastes super light and healthy, and it’s a breeze to make. Just pick up a bag of coleslaw mix at the store (or shred some cabbage and carrots and make your own from scratch). Pop a handful of simple ingredients to the blender to make the sauce. Toss everything together and then — voila! — the most delicious, creamy, tangy coleslaw can be ready to go in less than 10 minutes.

Let’s make some!

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Cilantro Lime Slaw Ingredients:

To make this recipe, you will need the following cilantro lime coleslaw ingredients:

  • Coleslaw mix:To make this recipe extra quick and easy, I recommend just picking up a bag of coleslaw mix at the store. Or you’re welcome to just shred some cabbage and carrots and make your own homemade coleslaw mix.
  • Greek yogurt:I like to make this slaw with (full-fat) plain Greek yogurt. But you are welcome to use mayo (or a 50/50 split with mayo) if you prefer. Or mix in some sour cream for an even tangier slaw.
  • Fresh cilantro:We will add lots to the coleslaw dressing, but feel free to also stir in some (larger) chopped cilantro leaves to the finished slaw too.
  • Green onions:We will just add the green parts.
  • Lime juice:Freshly-squeezed, please.
  • Garlic:A few cloves of fresh garlic. Or you can sub in a teaspoon of garlic powder.
  • Seasonings:Just salt, pepper and cumin.
  • (Optional) Jalapeño or Serrano Pepper:I love adding in a seeded chile pepper for a little extra heat. Or, if you would like a significantly spicier slaw, leave in the seeds. :)

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How To Make Coleslaw:

To make this easy coleslaw recipe, simply…

  1. Make the coleslaw dressing:Combine the Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper, jalapeño (if using), green onions and garlic in a blender or food processor, and pulse brieflyuntil the mixture is combined. (Or alternately, if you would rather not use a blender to make the coleslaw dressing recipe, you can just finely-chop the ingredients and then stir everything together.)
  2. Toss everything together. In a large bowl, toss the coleslaw mix with the dressing until combined.
  3. Serve.Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to1 day.

Full instructions in the recipe below.

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Possible Variations:

Want to mix things up with this homemade coleslaw recipe? Feel free to:

  • Use a different creamy base:If you love a good mayo-based coleslaw, feel free to use mayo in place of Greek yogurt, or do a 50/50 blend. Or for an even tangier slaw, feel free to use sour cream in place of Greek yogurt, or do a 50/50 blend.
  • Make it sweeter:For a slightly sweeter slaw, feel free to mix 1-2 tablespoons of honey into the coleslaw dressing.
  • Make it smokier:For a smokier slaw, add 1 chipotle pepper in adobe sauce to the dressing. (It’s so good!!)
  • Add avocado:Adding in some avocado is always a good idea. ;)
  • Add extra veggies:If you would like to gussy up the coleslaw mix with extra veggies, feel free to add in some thinly-slicedbell peppers, red onions, jicama, and/or radishes.
  • Add nuts:For some extra crunch, try adding a handful of pepitas or sunflower seeds to this slaw too!

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Ways To Serve This Coleslaw:

As I mentioned above, this cilantro lime slaw recipe can be served any number of ways! Some of my favorites include…

  • Easy side dish:This slaw tastes great on its own as an easy side dish, especially with Mexican or Thai food, or when served with any kind of grilled meats or veggies.
  • Fish tacos:I most often make some form of this slaw to serve on fish tacos. (Stay tuned for a new recipe tomorrow!)
  • Burgers/BBQ/etc:This slaw works great as a topping for burgers, bbq sandwiches, sloppy joes, and many other kinds of sandwiches/slider.

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Cilantro Lime Slaw Recipe - Gimme Some Oven (7)

Cilantro Lime Slaw

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.8 from 58 reviews

  • Author: Ali
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 0 mins
  • Total Time: 10 mins
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

Description

This Cilantro Lime Slaw recipe is easy to make in just 10 minutes, it tastes extra fresh and light, and it can work great as a zesty side dish or as a topping for tacos, burgers, sandwiches and more.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1cup plain Greek yogurt*
  • 1/2 cup tightly-packed fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 3 green onions(just the green parts)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • (optional) 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, stemmed and cored
  • 1 (14-ounce) bag cole slaw mix*(about 78 cups)

Instructions

  1. Combine the Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt, black pepper, green onions, garlic and jalapeño (if using) in a blender or food processor*. Pulse briefly a few times until the mixtures is combined.
  2. Place the cole slaw mix in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the sauce on top of the cole slaw, then toss until the mixture is evenly combined. Season with extra pepper and/or lime juice if needed.
  3. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Notes

*Greek yogurt:I used plain full-fat Greek yogurt for this recipe. But if you prefer a mayo-based slaw, you are welcome to use mayo instead, or a 50/50 blend. Or you could do a blend with sour cream if you would like an even tangier slaw.

*Cole slaw mix:If you would like to make homemade cole slaw mix, just combine about 7 cups of shredded cabbage (green, red, or a mix) and 1 cup of shredded carrots.

*Skip The Blender:If you would like to skip the blender/food processor step, you’re also welcome to make this coleslaw dressing recipe entirely by hand. Just finely chop the cilantro, jalapeño (if using), green onions and garlic, and whisk them all together with the other dressing ingredients until combined.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

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posted on July 1, 2019 by Ali

4th of July / Memorial Day / Labor Day, Gluten-free, Mexican-Inspired, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

87 Comments »

Cilantro Lime Slaw Recipe - Gimme Some Oven (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between coleslaw and slaw? ›

The real difference is that the raw, chopped vegetables in coleslaw are primarily cabbage: Napa, red, savoy, or bok choy. Slaw without the cole can feature any crunchy veggie in place of cabbage, including chopped or shredded broccoli, carrots, snow peas, jicama, and more.

How do you keep coleslaw from getting soggy? ›

Salting the cabbage should be step one of any coleslaw recipe. With the shredded cabbage in a colander, mix in a tablespoon of salt per head of cabbage till it's evenly distributed. The salt will draw out excess water from cabbage while helping preserve the crispiness.

Why is it called coleslaw and not cold slaw? ›

The term "coleslaw" arose in the 18th century as an anglicisation of the Dutch term koolsla ("kool" in Dutch sounds like "cole") meaning "cabbage salad". The "cole" part of the word ultimately derives from the Latin caulis, meaning cabbage.

How do you make Alton Brown coleslaw? ›

Thoroughly rinse the cabbage under cool running water for at least 1 minute. Transfer the cabbage to a salad spinner to dry thoroughly. Whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt, mayonnaise, pickle juice, mustard powder, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the cabbage, carrot, and chives, and toss to combine.

Why is KFC coleslaw so good? ›

Fresh ingredients are key to a good slaw, and KFC does alright for a fast food restaurant. You won't find any wilted cabbage pieces, and the carrots are nice and hard as well. What's more, KFC finely dices everything so you don't have to chew that much, and all the flavors and textures blend perfectly.

Why did KFC stop selling coleslaw? ›

The fast food chain was forced to stop selling its coleslaw tubs when a supply issue meant the slaw would have to be served up without the dressing. “We are currently experiencing a supply issue with our KFC coleslaw dressing,” a KFC spokesperson said. The slaw is made up of cabbage and carrots coated in mayonnaise.

What can I add to store bought coleslaw to make it taste better? ›

<br/><br/>Adding horse radish or onion or celery seeds or bacon bits or some other tasty flavors to make it your own is a really good idea.

Why soak cabbage in salt water? ›

The salt pulls moisture out of the cabbage, seasons it, and leaves you with a super-crunchy texture that isn't raw or tough-tasting. Rinse! Rinse well to purge the salt.

Why do you soak shredded cabbage in water? ›

Keep it bright: Red cabbage retains that vivid purplish color when you slice it with a stainless steel knife (rather than carbon steel), use a nonreactive pan (rather than cast iron or aluminum), and add an acid, like vinegar or lemon juice. Crisp it up: Shredded cabbage stays perky if it's soaked in cold water.

Why did Chick Fil A stop selling coleslaw? ›

"But as our sales volumes grew, it just wasn't feasible to keep adding to the menu without taking anything away." Chick-fil-A cut cole slaw from the menu in January to make room for a new "superfood" side of kale and broccolini in a maple vinaigrette dressing.

What ethnicity is coleslaw? ›

The dish was initially created in the Netherlands. In fact, the term coleslaw originates from the Dutch expression koosla, which means “cabbage salad.” Recipes similar to coleslaw have been found and used in American homes from as early as 1770.

What is a coleslaw slang? ›

In a bizarre new trend sweeping online forums and apps, cheaters have taken to calling their affair partners 'coleslaw' because they are a 'side dish'. While most people are familiar with the terms 'ghosting' and 'love bombing', the little-known new term has left many in the dark.

What is the white sauce on fish tacos made of? ›

That tangy, slightly spicy white sauce that often accompanies Baja style fish tacos is usually made with sour cream, mayonnaise, and lime juice. Some variations have more ingredients, often including things like cumin, cilantro, or hot sauce.

What is the least fishy fish for tacos? ›

Tilapia – tilapia is arguably the mildest tasting fish there is. It's not fishy at all and has a mild sweetness. Tilapia is easy to prepare and goes well with a variety of different flavor profiles. Cod – cod has a mild flavor that's slightly sweet like tilapia.

What is the best cheap fish for tacos? ›

For fish tacos, you want a white fish that is firm and mild in flavor. For this recipe, we are using cod, but other good options would be tilapia, halibut, or mahi mahi. If you're not in the mood for fish, shrimp would work great for this recipe too!

What is in Mary Brown's coleslaw? ›

If you're in the mood for something creamy, sweet, and tangy, coleslaw is an excellent option. Mary Brown's shreds fresh cabbage and carrots in house, and tops it with a creamy dressing.

Should you wash bagged coleslaw? ›

Bagged or ready-to-eat, fresh-cut produce

If the product is not labeled "washed," "triple washed," or "ready-to-eat," it must be washed before eating.

When did coleslaw become slaw? ›

So, for a little over 225 years, and slaw was used interchangeably with coleslaw almost as soon as the two words appeared in English, but slaw could also be used more generically for any type of salad.

What does "slaw" mean? ›

Slaw is a cold salad commonly made from sliced or chopped raw vegetables, especially cabbage or carrots, mixed with a dressing made with mayonnaise or vinegar.

Is slaw a southern thing? ›

If you come down South, you'll likely hear it referred to simply as “slaw,” though there are a handful of folks who will never stop calling it “cold slaw.” When mayonnaise was invented in the 1800s, Southerners were impressed with its versatility and started making it for all kinds of dishes, including coleslaw.

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