This is a basic, low-fat coleslaw that’s lightened up by homemade vegan mayo and plant-based yogurt. It’s oil-free and whole foods plant based!
There’s been a surprising development in the V family kitchen. My daughter E has actually been asking for coleslaw, a food she used to have to be bribed to eat.
This phenomenon began after I stopped buying bagged coleslaw and starting using fresh heads of cabbage. I could say that E likes the fresher taste of home-shredded cabbage, but that’s not it at all. The truth is that there’s something about pushing a wedge of cabbage through the shredding blade of a food processor that she enjoys, so I let her have her fun. It gets her eating more coleslaw and, with her help, makes preparing it almost as easy as buying it in bags.
This is the basic, no-frills way we make coleslaw when we need a side dish with a sandwich or a salad to take to a potluck or picnic. Soy yogurt stands in for some of the mayo usually used in coleslaw, and agave nectar adds a hint of sweetness without a lot of sugar (though you can use a pinch of stevia to eliminate the sugar completely). Lately I’ve been seasoning it with fresh dill weed, but you can use the other herbs listed below or add your favorite.
If you can’t find plain plant-based yogurt, feel free to replace it with more of my homemade Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise. Both it and vegan yogurt are much lighter options than traditional coleslaw dressing. Whichever you use, let your children help in the preparation and soon they will be asking for this low-fat coleslaw.
More Cabbage Recipes
Cabbage is high in nutrients, red cabbage even more so than green. Here are a few of my family’s favorite cabbage recipes:
Basic Low-Fat Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 1/4 head green cabbage
- 1/4 head red cabbage
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayo (use a low-fat one like my Tofu-Cashew Mayo)
- 2 tablespoons soy yogurt (or additional mayo)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon dill weed, caraway seed, or celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Remove the hard core from the cabbage quarters. Shred each quarter using the slicing or shredding disk of a food processor or shred thinly by hand. Place into a large bowl. Shred carrot and add to cabbage.
- Combine remaining ingredients and whisk well. Pour over cabbage and toss to coat. Best if allowed to chill for at least 30 minutes but can be eaten right away.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Lydia
July 16, 2011 at 1:22 pmAnother winner recipe! Thank you Susan my husband said it was good! I even used frozen cabbage and carrots that I shredded and then didn’t use previously so I froze them, then thawed overnight in the fridge – although I don’t recommend this, I’m sure it’s better fresh. I omitted the yogurt, substituted maple syrup 1 to 1 for the agave and used crushed red pepper instead of dill / caraway. I should have used my celery seed but forgot I had it, oh well. Your recipe is awesome!
Karen Kunik
May 29, 2012 at 12:26 pmHi Susan,
I am very new to Vegan Eating (2nd week!) and started after watching “forks over knives” and reading the E2 diet. I like the recipe you have for low-fat creamy coleslaw and was wondering if a silken tofu would work as well as the Vegan Mayo and/or the soy yogurt. I am really glad I found this web site as I have found it kind of difficult to find recipes that don’t use added oil.
thanks again!
Laurel
August 19, 2012 at 6:13 pmThis was amazing. I actually just made the dressing and used broccoli slaw instead. I used half celery seed, half caraway seed. I usually do not like creamy dressings, and my husband does not like vinegar dressings. This was a nice, meet me half way. And we were both delighted! I love this site.