If you’re looking to make the very best coleslaw recipe, this copycat Chick-fil-A Cole Slaw is made for you! Creamy and delicious, it’s the perfect potluck recipe.
When Chick-fil-A discontinued their coleslaw and shared the original recipe, you better believe I had to make it at home! I’ve made it many times since, and it’s everything I remember. Creamy, tangy, a little sweet, and so good piled onto a pulled pork sandwich. I’ve also learned that the two-hour chill time isn’t just a suggestion. It gives the cabbage time to soften slightly and lets that sweet and tangy dressing mellow into the perfect flavor.
I love taking a restaurant favorite and figuring out how to make it easy and dependable at home, and this one couldn’t be simpler. I use bagged coleslaw mix as a shortcut, which means the whole thing takes about five minutes to put together. Readers have been making this recipe for years too, and I love seeing so many of you call it a go-to and a crowd-pleaser. That’s exactly the kind of recipe worth keeping around!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe for Coleslaw
Thanks to Chick-fil-a sharing their discontinued recipe, I know you’ll love this classic coleslaw.
Fresh ingredients, tangy and flavorful, and only 5 minutes to prepare.
Want to make it even easier? Ditch shredding the cabbage yourself and use two bags of pre-shredded slaw mix from the grocery store.
Best Coleslaw Recipe Ingredients
- Cabbage- for an easy shortcut, I buy the already shredded cabbage mix for coleslaw. If you’re making your own, you can use green cabbage or a combination of red and green cabbage.
- Mayonnaise- this is what gives this coleslaw it’s creaminess.
- Vinegar- Chick-fil-a uses white vinegar, but you could also swap it out for apple cider vinegar. The vinegar adds the zesty tangy flavor to the dressing.
- Sugar- just a touch of sweetness for the best coleslaw recipe!
- Dry Mustard- adds a little flavor and spice to the recipe.
Be sure to scroll down past the recipe card to get more tips and tricks, serving suggestions, and process photos.
How to Make this Recipe for Coleslaw
Making coleslaw is so easy.
Step 1: Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, and salt in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy!
Step 2: Add in shredded coleslaw mix and fold over until completely coated.
PRO TIP: The Chick fil A coleslaw recipe calls for two bags of shredded cabbage and 1/4 cup shredded carrots. I bought shredded coleslaw mix instead! Huge time saver.
Step 3: Cover and refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight. Serve and enjoy!
The flavor of this coleslaw is perfect. Not too sweet, not too vinegary…it’s JUST RIGHT. Try it. You’ll see.
Best Coleslaw Recipe Variations
Transform this classic coleslaw into new flavors with easy swaps!
- Hawaiian Slaw– adding in crushed pineapple gives a tropical flavor that pairs perfectly with my Kalua pork recipe.
- KFC Coleslaw– chop the cabbage in tiny bits and increase the sweetness using my KFC coleslaw recipe as a guide. You’ll love the familiar flavor.
- Apple Coleslaw– use half diced apples and cut the cabbage amount in half. This is a sweet slaw that goes well with sandwiches and pork.
- Broccoli Slaw- swap the cabbage for broccoli stems that have been shredded using a food processor. Hearty and crunchy.
- Make it Healthier- Substitute half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt. Still creamy, but adds a tang with protein.
Best Coleslaw Recipe Tips
- For the best texture, combine the cabbage with the dressing and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This gives the cabbage time to soften slightly.
- Use a food processor to shred the cabbage if you don’t want to use a knife. Just be sure whichever method you choose, the cabbage is cut as thin as possible.
- Taste before serving. Adding a pinch of salt can bring out more flavor if the slaw has been sitting in the fridge for too long.
How to Serve Chick fil A Cole Slaw
Creamy coleslaw is perfect on a pulled pork sandwich! It’s also a great side dish for Instant Pot Hamburgers, Baked pork chops, and bbq chicken.
Swap out the lettuce on your sandwiches for a spoonful of homemade coleslaw. It’s a delicious addition, and a classic side.
Add some mix-ins. Sliced almonds, cranberries, and poppyseeds are great additions to coleslaw to give it a unique flavor!
Chick fil A Cole Slaw Storage
Keep coleslaw in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing coleslaw. The cabbage becomes wilty and watery!
More Potluck Recipes
Need more potluck recipes? We love bringing this easy fruit salsa to parties, served up with our homemade cinnamon chips!
- Broccoli Salad
- Pistachio Salad
- Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Potato Salad
- Chinese Coleslaw
- 7 Layer Salad
The BEST Copycat Chick fil A Coleslaw recipe. Creamy and zesty just like you expect it to taste!
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Chick fil A Coleslaw Recipe (Best Coleslaw Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons white vinegar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 bags shredded cole slaw mix 14 ounce each
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, and salt until smooth.
- Add in shredded cole slaw mix and fold over with spatula until completely coated. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make in advance. If you're shredding your own cabbage and carrots, you can do this a day in advance. You can make the dressing several days in advance and store it in the refrigerator separately from the cabbage.
- Refrigerate Coleslaw before serving. By combining the slaw with the dressing for two hours in the refrigerator, it allows the cabbage to soften slightly to make it the perfect texture!
- Hawaiian Slaw. Try our delicious Kalua pork with homemade hawaiian slaw. SO GOOD.
- To make coleslaw healthier, swap out the half mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt.
- Chop it small. Love the small pieces of cabbage in your slaw? Make it your own by chopping all the cabbage and carrots into small pieces. This will make it more similar to KFC Coleslaw.See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Not even close to being enough dressing. Maybe for one bag but definitely not two. I made a double batch of the dressing.
But I loved the taste of the dressing and even though it’s not used at Chic fil A I did add black pepper.
Once mixed, the vinegar and salt draws the moisture out of the cabbage so there’s more dressing
If you make and let it sit – 2 bags does work. I had my doubts, too.
Super yummy! I switch out vinegar for Apple cider vinegar! I also use this base in my chicken salad recipe along with dried cranberries and candied nuts and whatever you might like then put it on a great roll for chicken salad sandwiches 😉
Love this recipe. Was so disappointed when chick fil let quit serving coleslaw!
Loved it! Tastes a lot like the coleslaw at Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop that they put in their sandwiches:)
So easy!
Delish! Perfect balance of flavor – tangy and sweet. I did lighten up a bit by using 1/2 regular Mayo and 1/2 light Mayo and I sweetened with Swerve instead of white sugar. This is a keeper.
Great tips, thank you Tracey!
Hands down , the absolute best coleslaw I’ve ever eaten! I followed the directions exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. I did use the ACV because I like the flavor. I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks for the recipe !
We loved it with 1/2 the sugar! Yum!
I am a Chik-Fil-A coleslaw enthusiast and aficionado. To properly recreate their slaw you must use minced or diced cabbage and carrots instead of the shredded form. It makes a huge difference in taste and texture. Furthermore, it becomes more of a condiment or relish that eats well on a chicken sandwich.
Here’s to happy eating!
Chop chop Thomas!!!
I really like your Cole slaw dressing it is good.k
This recipe is a winner!
Thank you!
This dressing is delicious! I made too much and will be using the remainder for a raw broccoli salad with cashews and dried cranberries. This recipe is simple and delicious! Thank you!
I enjoy cooking a wide variety of cuisines but in truth Cole Slaw is probably the only thing I have never made from scratch. I will most certainly be making this recipe from now on!
This recipe is a keeper.
The best colesaw recipe ever! We love it!
This was so simple and delicious, loved it! Saving to make again soon.
I didn’t actually know chick-fil-a had cole slaw!! Tried this though and it was amazing! loved it!
I only had one bag. I halved the ingredients. I used Apple Cider Vinegar, no mustard, truvia as sweetener (2 tsp) and I always add either fresh or dried dill. Delicious and easy to make!
I love this recipe, I will no longer buy slaw dressing at the store.
What brand of Mayo does Chick-fil-A use in there’s?
Could I sub regular or Dijon mustard for dry? The grocery store is out. 🙁
You can skip the dry mustard, it will still taste amazing.
Thank you so much! I’ll go for it.
I have tried many coleslaw recipes and this one is excellent. It’s an excellent base to start with if you want to put your own spin on it.