I’m always on the hunt for that perfect coleslaw recipe, you know? The kind that makes you want to go back for seconds (and thirds). We all know KFC has nailed it with their version, but who wants to drive there every time a craving hits? This homemade coleslaw recipe captures everything I love about the original. It’s got that tangy buttermilk kick balanced with just enough sweetness. The cabbage stays nice and crunchy, and there’s way less mayo than most recipes out there. Plus, the secret ingredient? A bit of onion that really brings all the flavors together. Whether you’re planning a backyard cookout, packing lunches for the week, or just want something refreshing alongside your fried chicken, this quick coleslaw recipe comes together in about 10 minutes flat. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill in the fridge! Trust me, this cabbage coleslaw recipe beats anything you’ll find in a store-bought tub, and it tastes remarkably close to what you’d get from that famous chicken joint. My family requests this healthy coleslaw recipe at every summer gathering, and I bet yours will too.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Copycat KFC Coleslaw Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Copycat KFC Coleslaw
- 4) How to Make Copycat KFC Coleslaw
- 5) Tips for Making Copycat KFC Coleslaw
- 6) Making Copycat KFC Coleslaw Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Copycat KFC Coleslaw
- 8) Try these Side Dish next!
- 9) Copycat KFC Coleslaw
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
- What makes KFC coleslaw different from regular coleslaw?
- Can you make coleslaw without a food processor?
- Why does my coleslaw get watery after sitting?
- What’s the secret to getting that perfect KFC coleslaw taste?
2) Easy Copycat KFC Coleslaw Recipe
Listen, I’ve tried countless coleslaw recipes over the years, but nothing quite hits like the one from that famous chicken place. You know the one I’m talking about. So I decided to crack the code and make my own version at home. This coleslaw recipe takes maybe 10 minutes of actual work, and most of that is just chopping vegetables.
What makes this coleslaw recipe stand out is the balance. It’s not swimming in mayo like some recipes I’ve seen. The buttermilk gives it this incredible tangy flavor that cuts through the richness perfectly. My kids actually request this stuff, which is saying something for a vegetable dish.
The texture here is key. We’re talking finely chopped cabbage that still has some bite to it, not that mushy mess you sometimes get from store bought containers. The carrot adds sweetness and color. The onion brings everything together with a subtle kick. Trust me, once you make this homemade coleslaw recipe, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with the drive through.
I love that this is the best coleslaw recipe for meal prep too. Make a big batch on Sunday, and you’ve got a healthy side dish ready to go all week long. It pairs perfectly with grilled meats, fried chicken, fish tacos, pulled pork sandwiches… honestly, I can’t think of a summer meal where this wouldn’t fit right in.
3) Ingredients for Copycat KFC Coleslaw
Cabbage forms the base of this whole operation. You’ll need about half a head of fresh green cabbage to get your 4 cups of finely chopped goodness. I always use my food processor for this because trying to chop it by hand takes forever and my knife skills aren’t what they used to be. The fine chop is what makes this taste authentic, so don’t skip that step. Fresh cabbage has this crisp, clean flavor that just can’t be beat.
Carrot adds that pop of orange color and a touch of natural sweetness. Just half a medium carrot, chopped really fine, does the trick. I usually peel mine first, but if you’re using organic carrots and they’re clean, you can skip that. The carrot flavor is subtle but it rounds out the whole dish. Plus, it looks way more appealing than just plain white cabbage.
Onion is the secret weapon here. Most people don’t realize there’s onion in their favorite chicken joint’s version, but there is! You want to mince it really fine, like tiny little pieces, so it blends into the dressing. About 2 tablespoons is perfect. It adds depth without being overpowering. My husband usually picks out raw onions, but he never even notices them in this cabbage coleslaw recipe.
Buttermilk is what gives this quick coleslaw recipe its signature tang. Just 2 tablespoons make a huge difference. The acidity brightens everything up and keeps the dressing from feeling too heavy. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by adding a splash of vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes. It’s not quite the same, but it’ll work in a pinch.
White vinegar brings the sharp, clean acidity that balances the sweetness. We’re using 4 teaspoons here. Don’t try to substitute apple cider vinegar or balsamic or anything fancy. Plain white vinegar is what you need for that authentic taste. It cuts through the mayo and brightens up the cabbage without making things taste pickled.
Milk helps thin out the dressing just enough so it coats every piece of cabbage without being gloppy. I use whole milk, but 2% works fine too. It’s only 2 tablespoons, so use whatever you’ve got in the fridge. This is one of those ingredients that seems minor but really does matter for getting the consistency just right.
Mayonnaise provides the creamy base, but we’re not going overboard here. Just a quarter cup for the whole batch. Use real mayo, not that whipped salad dressing stuff. Full fat mayo gives you the best flavor and texture. I’ve tried making this with light mayo before and it just wasn’t the same. Sometimes you gotta commit to the real deal.
Lemon juice adds a bright, fresh note that really wakes everything up. Two teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice works best. The bottled stuff is okay if that’s all you have, but fresh lemon makes this summer coleslaw recipe taste so much better. It’s worth squeezing one lemon, I promise. You’ll taste the difference.
Granulated sugar balances out all that acidity from the vinegar and lemon. We’re using 4 teaspoons, which sounds like a lot but it really just takes the edge off. The coleslaw shouldn’t taste sweet, just pleasantly balanced. This is what makes the flavors sing together instead of fighting each other. Don’t skip it, even if you’re trying to cut back on sugar.
Salt and black pepper season everything and bring out the natural flavors. A quarter teaspoon of each might not seem like much, but it’s just right. You can always add more at the end if you want, but I find this amount hits the sweet spot. Freshly ground black pepper tastes better than the pre ground stuff if you’ve got a pepper mill handy.
4) How to Make Copycat KFC Coleslaw
Step 1. Pull out your food processor and get to work on that cabbage. Chop it up nice and fine, along with the carrot. You want small pieces, not big chunks. Once everything’s chopped, dump it all into a large mixing bowl. Set this aside while you work on the dressing. The cabbage will just sit there patiently waiting, which is more than I can say for my kids at dinnertime.
Step 2. Grab a smaller bowl for the dressing. Toss in the buttermilk, white vinegar, regular milk, mayo, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Get your whisk out and start mixing. Keep going until everything looks smooth and creamy with no lumps. The sugar needs to dissolve completely, so give it a good 30 seconds of whisking. This is where all the magic happens flavor wise.
Step 3. Now comes the fun part. Pour that beautiful dressing right over your chopped cabbage and carrot mixture. Don’t be shy about it. Use a big spoon or spatula and really get in there, stirring everything together. You want every single piece of cabbage coated in that tangy dressing. Mix it more than you think you need to. I usually spend a solid minute just stirring and folding.
Step 4. Here’s where patience comes in. Cover your bowl and stick the whole thing in the refrigerator. You need to let it chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. I know it’s tempting to dig in right away, but this resting time is when the cabbage softens slightly and soaks up all those flavors. The dressing also seems to multiply somehow. It’s like coleslaw magic.
Step 5. After it’s been chilling, pull it out and give it another good stir. The dressing will have settled to the bottom, so you want to redistribute it. Check the consistency at this point. If it looks perfect, you’re done! If it seems dry, you can whisk up a small amount of extra dressing. But honestly, I’ve never needed to do this. The cabbage releases moisture as it sits, so it’s usually just right.
Step 6. When you’re ready to serve, I like to use a slotted spoon. This coleslaw is saucier than most, which is part of what makes it so good. The slotted spoon lets you scoop up the cabbage while leaving behind any excess liquid that’s pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Serve it cold alongside your favorite main dishes and watch it disappear.
5) Tips for Making Copycat KFC Coleslaw
The chop size really matters here. I can’t stress this enough. You want your cabbage and carrot chopped super fine, almost minced. If you try to take shortcuts and leave big chunks, it won’t taste right. The authentic version has this almost uniform texture where everything’s the same size. Use your food processor’s pulse function and check it frequently. You’re aiming for pieces about the size of a grain of rice.
When you first mix everything together, don’t panic if it looks dry. This happens to me every single time, and every single time I have to resist the urge to dump in more dressing. Give it that 30 minute chill time first. The cabbage will release moisture and soften up. The dressing will thin out and spread around better. If you add too much dressing at the start, you’ll end up with soup instead of coleslaw.
Fresh ingredients make a real difference. I used to think cabbage was cabbage, but using a fresh head that you chop yourself beats those pre shredded bags every time. The pre shredded stuff is often dry and has lost its crunch. Same goes for the lemon juice. Squeeze a real lemon. It takes 30 seconds and the bright, fresh flavor is worth it. These little things add up to make this a coleslaw recipe healthy enough that you won’t feel guilty going back for seconds.
Temperature matters when serving. This needs to be cold, straight from the fridge. If it sits out at room temperature for too long, the dressing gets runny and the whole thing loses its appeal. At parties, I keep it in a bowl over ice or bring it out in smaller batches. That way, it stays crisp and fresh looking the whole time. Nobody wants warm, wilted coleslaw.
6) Making Copycat KFC Coleslaw Ahead of Time
This is hands down one of my favorite recipes to prep ahead. I usually make it the night before any gathering or cookout. The flavors get even better after sitting in the fridge overnight. Something about that extra time lets everything meld together. The cabbage softens just a bit more, the dressing penetrates deeper, and the whole thing becomes more cohesive.
If you’re planning to make it more than a day ahead, I’d suggest mixing the vegetables and storing them separately from the dressing. Then combine them a few hours before serving. This keeps the cabbage from getting too soft. You can chop your veggies up to two days in advance and keep them in an airtight container. The dressing can be whisked together and stored for about three days.
When you’re ready to serve your make ahead batch, always give it a really good stir. The dressing settles and the cabbage absorbs some of it, so things can look a bit separated. That’s totally normal. Just mix it up well and maybe add a tiny splash of milk if it seems too thick. You want it to look fresh and appealing, not like it’s been sitting around.
Pro tip for parties and potlucks. Make one and a half times the recipe if you think you’ll need one batch. This stuff goes fast, and there’s nothing worse than running out of the good side dish while you’ve still got a pile of chicken or ribs left. People always come back for more coleslaw. It’s just one of those things that disappears faster than you’d expect.
7) Storing Leftover Copycat KFC Coleslaw
Leftovers keep beautifully in the fridge for up to five days. I use an airtight container, something with a good seal that won’t let any air in. Glass containers work great for this. The coleslaw might look a little watery after a day or two, but that’s just the cabbage continuing to release moisture. Give it a good stir and drain off any excess liquid if needed.
Each time you serve leftovers, use a clean spoon. Don’t double dip or use a spoon that’s been sitting out. This helps prevent bacteria growth and keeps your coleslaw fresh longer. I learned this the hard way after a batch went bad sooner than expected. Now I’m careful about keeping things clean, and my coleslaw lasts the full five days no problem.
You might notice the flavor gets more intense after a few days. The onion flavor can become more pronounced, and the tanginess from the vinegar and buttermilk really develops. Some people actually prefer it this way. I think it tastes best on day two or three, when everything’s had time to really come together but it hasn’t been sitting so long that the texture suffers.
Don’t try to freeze this. I know it’s tempting when you’ve made too much, but coleslaw with mayo and dairy doesn’t freeze well at all. The texture gets completely ruined when you thaw it. The dressing separates, the cabbage gets mushy and watery, and you’ll end up throwing it out anyway. Just make what you’ll eat within five days and call it good. Better to make fresh batches than to deal with freezer burned disappointment.
8) Try these Side Dish next!
9) Copycat KFC Coleslaw
Best Coleslaw Recipe (Just Like KFC!)
Ingredients
- 4 cups finely chopped cabbage
- ½ medium carrot, very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 4 teaspoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Grab your food processor and finely chop the cabbage and carrot. Toss them together in a large mixing bowl and set aside for now.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, white vinegar, milk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Keep whisking until everything looks smooth and well combined.
- Pour that creamy dressing right over your cabbage and carrot mixture. Give it a really good stir so every bit of veggie gets coated.
- Pop the whole thing in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives the cabbage time to soften slightly and soak up all those delicious flavors.
10) Nutrition
Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe | Calories: 72 | Sugar: 4 g | Sodium: 132 mg | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 5 g | Fiber: 1 g | Protein: 1 g | Cholesterol: 4 mg
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