Go Back

Cranberry Apple Coleslaw

Cranberry apple coleslaw with crunchy shredded green and purple cabbage, julienned apples, and dried cranberries. Tossed in a creamy poppy seed dressing and chilled so the flavors meld.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cabbage
  • 4 cup green cabbage, finely shredded
  • 2 cup purple cabbage, shredded
Fruit and add-ins
  • 2 crisp apples, julienned or thinly sliced
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup pecans, roughly chopped
  • 3 green onions, sliced
Dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 0.5 tsp celery seed
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Method
 

Make the slaw base
  1. Combine both cabbages, julienned apple, dried cranberries, and green onions in a large bowl. Toss to distribute the colorful mix evenly.
Mix the poppy seed dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, poppy seeds, celery seed, salt, and pepper until smooth. Stop when the dressing looks glossy and fully combined.
Coat, chill, and serve
  1. Pour dressing over the slaw and toss well to coat. Keep tossing until every cabbage strand looks lightly dressed.
  2. Fold in pecans — refrigerate 30 minutes for the flavors to meld. Chill uncovered or loosely covered, and look for the slaw to settle slightly.
  3. Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning. Taste and add a pinch of salt or pepper if needed for balance.

Notes

For the best crunch, shred the cabbage finely and slice the apples thin so they mix quickly without watery pools. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the cabbage and apples soften. For a lighter version, use light mayonnaise (or half mayonnaise/half Greek yogurt) to keep the creamy texture while reducing fat.