As the weather gets warmer, I find myself craving lighter, picnic-style meals.
Like this authentic, creamy coleslaw.
Rather than using mayonnaise as a base, this dressing gets its creaminess from raw cashews, which promote heart health. Cashews are a great source of magnesium, which is essential for calcium absorption, known to improve bone health and keep our nervous system running smoothly. Insufficient magnesium in the body can lead to high blood pressure, migraines, muscle soreness and fatigue, so this salad is a delicious way to help boost your intake!
What I love about shredded cabbage salads, is the fact that they are perfect for packed lunches and meals on the go. The cabbage is sturdy enough to remain crunchy, even when marinated in dressing overnight. In fact, this salad is best when marinated for a few hours, to allow the flavors to develop. Feel free to add any toppings you like, such as a handful of raisins and crunchy pecans.
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Creamy Coleslaw Dressing (Dairy-free)
makes 1 cup of dressing
Inspired by this recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup diced red onion
3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender, starting with just 1 tablespoon of honey, and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Taste the dressing and add another tablespoon of honey to the mix, if desired, for a sweeter, more Southern-tasting coleslaw.
To assemble, toss the dressing over a mixture of shredded cabbage, carrots, and any other shredded vegetables you like (such as raw beets or broccoli stems). Allow to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge before serving.
You may not need all of the dressing for one batch, so leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Creamy Coleslaw Dressing (Dairy-free)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender, starting with just 1 tablespoon of honey, and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Taste the dressing and add another tablespoon of honey to the mix, if desired, for a sweeter, more Southern-tasting coleslaw.
- To assemble, toss the dressing over a mixture of shredded cabbage, carrots, and any other shredded vegetables you like (such as raw beets or broccoli stems). Allow to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge before serving.
- You may not need all of the dressing for one batch, so leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 123, Fat: 9g, Carbohydrates: 7g, Fiber: 0g, Protein: 3g
Enjoy!
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Reader Feedback: Are you a fan of coleslaw?
Coleslaw is wonderful so many different ways. Can’t wait to try this one Megan, thank you!
Coleslaw is one of those foods I just recently started to enjoy over the last couple years so I can’t wait to try this healthier version!
This sounds yummy. I might give this a try as a broccoli salad with raisins.
Not a coleslaw fan but I love the cashew cream recipes!
Great recipe, especially since you took out the mayonnaise. And yes, I just love coleslaw, its a really great afternoon salad-snack 🙂
I had some broccoli that I needed to use up so I made the dressing tonight for a broccoli salad. It’s fantastic! Can’t wait to try it with the shredded cabbage. Thanks Megan!!
Would I be able to substitute almond butter or would it give it too much of a different texture? I don’t have cashews but am doing the whole 30 so I would love to make this soon.
Any substitutions for cashews? My son has a peanut/tree nut allergy.
i am allergic to cashews can I sub with macadamia nut? Also when are you going to post the Vanilla Slushy recipe..
Thank you so much for all your great recipes! My father in law was diagnosed with esophogus cancer and is on a strict diet of mostly raw and is juicing so I always find great recipes to pass on to my mother in law on here! It is hard to go from typical “southern” homecooking to mostly raw so thank you for making the transition a bit more bearable!
I just made this using tahini instead of cashews over purple cabbage and carrots and it was AMAZING!!!!! I didn’t have honey either and it was still good. Love the inspiration 🙂
I am allergic to cashews can I sub with macadamia nuts.. Also when are you going to give us the measurements for the Vanilla slushy..
i am allergic to cashews can I sub with macadamia nut? Also when are you going to post the Vanilla Slushy recipe..
This was the best dressing I have ever made. I only used 1/2 the honey as I thought it was sweet enough. Totally yummy!
It was a little too sweet for my tastes. Next time I’ll use white vinegar and no honey, taste and adjust for sweetness. Great idea though.
Looks great! I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for posting this recipe. I love cabbage but so many coleslaw dressings are so unhealthy. I love all your recipes too!
Hi Megan today I got you a new fan: to lighten up the heaviness of our Bolognese with a light side salad I sliced up a small bunch of celery and an apple and grated carrot over that and then used your cashew nut dressing. My husband is now a believer too:-). I have yet to discover any recipe you give that is not only good it’s divine! Thanks again!
Hello, I just found your site and want to try your recipes. I am allergic to cashews and peanuts and wondered if you can use other nuts instead of the cashews that you use in your non-dairy recipes? Thanks, Lori
This is great! My family ate it up. I added some shredded apple and yellow beets and a pinch of cayenne. I hate normal mayo- based coleslaw, but I loved this. Thanks for a great dressing and slaw.
Love this recipe!! I sometimes add a little white miso paste to the dressing. Yummy!
This looks delicious. I’m new to your site and I love the recipes I tried so far! Can I use regular cashews instead of raw ones? I already have them in the house.
This was delicious!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
To everyone looking for substitution ideas: I replaced the cashews for a quarter cup each of walnuts and Brazil nuts, which I soaked for about twenty minutes to compensate for their crunchier texture. The consistency and flavor alike came out great. I found it a tad sweet for my taste, so I added a couple teaspoons of dijon mustard to balance the flavors. Topped with chia seeds and pecans, this was a delicious lunch! Thanks for another excellent recipe, Megan!
I was looking for an easy side dish to take to a party and I made this and it turned out really good. A few days later I made it again but I had some cilantro on hand and decided to through in a good handful of fresh cilantro and this turned out so delicious. I add a little more water to keep it the same consistency and even added an ice cube to chill the dressing so I could use it right away! This is my new favorite side dish and my husband suggested using it on a taco (shrimp or tempeh) for a topping.
How many heads of large cabbage does this dressing cover?
I just made this, it tastes amazing! Thank you so much =) the vegan version is much lighter on my tummy. Gonna try this with a vegan burger next!
Delicious recipe!!
Can you substitute white onion for the red?
Sure, I don’t see why not!
Can you just use the cashews as they are or do they have to be soaked first?
Great Job! Loved the dressing. It was nice and subtle and didn’t take away from the dish!
I am new to your site. The Cole slaw dressing was amazing. I had just made vegan sloppy Joe lentils and was craving a creamy slaw to top it. I honestly didn’t follow the directions and put all the sweetener in. Regardless, it was delicious!
This is sooooooooo delicious! Absolutely what I was looking for as I’m trying to eliminate oil from my diet and replace it with nuts and seeds. The only issue is with my BlendTec, it wasn’t quite enough volume to get the cashews super creamy, so next time I will double the recipe. If someone had a small blender or immersion blender I bet that would work great. I did skip the onion and added a tablespoon of whole grain mustard and it was so so good. Thank you!
Fabulous salad, we almost ate it all in one go. I made it with cabbage, carrots and apples. I also added some raisins for sweetness. Thanks!
Made the Creamy Coleslaw dressing for my cabbage salad & it was yummy. This is the first time I have used cashews for a sauce & it was really good. Still have some dressing left over so will make another salad up. Will try this again. I still what to make the Sesame-Lime coleslaw up.
Simple and spot on flavor!
This is our go to for a slaw dressing. Quick and easy. I add herbs, garlic, etc. to switch it up. I think of cabbage as a winter veggie and this makes a great crisp addition to a squash or other winter dish when tender summer greens are not available.. It also works as a sauce for roasted Brussel sprouts, wedge of cabbage, broccoli. A great dressing for roasted sweet potato and Brussel sprouts.