Creamy Coleslaw Recipe (Small Batch Coleslaw)

This Creamy Coleslaw recipe is a classic picnic side dish with a tangy mayonnaise dressing. Serve it as the perfect small batch side dish for summer cookouts or use it as an ingredient for BBQ sandwiches.

When I have summer cookouts, there are three essential side dishes I need to have.

Macaroni salad, which I alternate between Amish macaroni salad and Caesar pasta salad.

Potato salad, which I alternate between Amish potato salad and Italian potato salad.

And last but certainly not least my Creamy Coleslaw recipe.

It’s old-fashioned coleslaw with shredded cabbage and carrot then mixed with a tangy mayonnaise dressing. I even threw in a little horseradish for a zesty kick.

I’ve shared this recipe before as an ingredient for my slow cooker shredded beef sliders and pulled pork for two.

But this is my first time sharing my creamy homemade coleslaw as a classic summer side dish.

Now I’ll admit one of the most challenging recipes to make when cooking for two is coleslaw.

Not because it’s complicated (it’s not when you use a food processor!). But rather there really is no such thing as a small head of cabbage. The smallest ones I find still leave me with enough cabbage for 2-3 recipes.

Sure I can buy the pre-shredded coleslaw mix and make my own creamy coleslaw dressing for it, but that’s usually not the most budget-friendly way to make homemade coleslaw.

Although if that sounds good to you, you can still make the dressing from my coleslaw recipe and mix it into your shredded veggies.

That’s why I made this small batch coleslaw recipe for you! I did my best to scale it down without being too ridiculous about it (I mean, you could cut it in half even more but sometimes I like the option of making it once and being good for another meal).

You’re still going to have some leftover coleslaw, but the good news is you can make it once then eat it as a side with your BBQ bacon burgers or air fryer fried chicken.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Coleslaw Recipe

• Very easy to make! Using a food processor means it’ll only take a few minutes to shred the cabbage and carrots. Of course you can still shred everything by hand with a knife or grater.
• Make it ahead of time! In fact, I highly encourage you making homemade coleslaw the day before so the flavors have time to meld together.
• Makes a small amount! This small batch coleslaw recipe makes enough for 1-2 meals so you’re not stuck eating it all week.

Ingredients For Creamy Coleslaw

Here’s what you need to make the best creamy coleslaw recipe:

• Cabbage: I use my food processor to finely shred the cabbage, but you can also finely chop it (Need help? Learn how to cut cabbage!)
• Carrot: You can shred carrots with a food processor or with a grater.
• Onion: I personally love the bite of raw onion in coleslaw as it adds texture and flavor.
• Mayonnaise: Only real mayonnaise will do! Do not substitute Miracle Whip as it’s much sweeter than mayo.
• Milk: Thins out the dressing to make it creamy
• Vinegar: Adds acidity to balance the fat and sugar
• Sugar: Balances the dressing. Otherwise it would be too tart.
• Prepared horseradish: Optional but adds a zesty kick!
• Salt: Helps bring out the flavors. It also brings out moisture from the cabbage, which helps make the dressing even creamier.

What To Do With Leftover Cabbage

One of the most challenging ingredients to use when cooking small batch recipes is cabbage because there’s no such thing as a small head of cabbage.

Even the smallest head of cabbage at the grocery store still makes about 2-3 meals worth!

Sometimes the one local farm sells halved heads of cabbage wrapped in plastic wrap, but I’m rarely over there.

That’s why I made a list of what to do with leftover cabbage including haluski, stuffed cabbage soup, and stove top corned beef and cabbage.

How To Make Creamy Coleslaw Recipe

Here’s how to make the best creamy coleslaw recipe ever:

1. Add cabbage, carrots, and onion to a large bowl.
2. Whisk together mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar, horseradish, and salt.
3. Pour dressing over the cabbage mixture and stir to mix thoroughly.
4. Chill for a minimum of 1 hour (preferably overnight) before serving.

Refrigerate leftover coleslaw for up to 5 days.

What To Serve With Creamy Coleslaw

I mentioned a few recipes to serve with coleslaw in the intro including fried chicken and pulled pork. Here are a few more recipe ideas:

• Avocado Burger
• Pesto Burger
• Teriyaki Turkey Burger
• Fried Egg Burger
• Grilled Shrimp Kabobs