Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

Try this tangy, easy-to-make and budget-friendly cilantro lime coleslaw with all kinds of dishes. Whether using as a topping on slow cooker carnitas, or as a side for homemade fish sticks, this recipe will add crunch and flavor to any meal!

This cilantro lime coleslaw emerged as a result of my husband’s love for tacos and our obsession with my slow cooker carnitas, but it’s goodness reaches way past taco land. Serve it up with some Instant Pot whole chicken or carnitas, add some homemade flour tortillas or homemade corn tortillas, wrap it up and call it dinner! Or throw it on as a side with homemade fish sticks, Instant Pot BBQ Chicken sandwiches or a Rueben. The options are endless!

This recipe is also budget-friendly, which you might already know is pretty important to me if you’re familiar with my signature course Grocery Budget Bootcamp. I love discovering delicious recipes that save money and time too. And now I get to share one with you!

Here’s why I love this recipe:

• Tasty
• Simple ingredients
• Quick to make
• Adds great flavor to many different meals
• Budget friendly

Ingredient List

The ingredients for cilantro lime coleslaw are incredibly basic and cost-effective.

• Olive oil
• Water or apple cider vinegar or lime juice
• Green onions
• Cilantro
• Garlic
• Salt
• Limes
• Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, sour cream or mayo (or any combination of these)
• Green cabbage
• Carrot (optional)
• Red cabbage (optional)

Notes on Ingredients

• Cabbage. I used mostly green cabbage, with a little bit of red cabbage just for color. Honestly, pick whatever cabbage works for your budget and/or is on sale.
  • Napa cabbage is SO good, and great for those who typically don’t like cabbage in general.
  • Bok choy is also in the cabbage family. I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but if you like bok choy, I’m sure you won’t go wrong.

• Additional Vegetables. I added julienne carrots to my version, partly for color, but also because making cilantro lime coleslaw is an easy way to get the kids to eat more vegetables.
  • You can add julienne broccoli stems, which is a GREAT way to use those stems up if you tend to favor the florets.
  • You can also add shaved Brussels sprouts too, like I did in the Costco-copycat Sweet Kale Salad.

Or if the budget is tight and all you can swing is green cabbage, go for it!

Additional Ingredient Notes

It’s hard to attribute the flavor of this cilantro lime coleslaw to just one ingredient, so you’re going to have to trust me when I say everything together makes this amazing. Kind of like Thai peanut sauce.

With that said though, you still have substitution options:

• Green Onions: use white, yellow or red onions
• Cilantro Leaves: there’s flavor in cilantro stems, so if you want to save the leaves for topping, definitely use the stems in the slaw!
• Garlic: fresh will knock your socks off, but if you’re out (or don’t feel like peeling and chopping garlic), granulated garlic will work too.
• Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt means you’re getting a bit of probiotics in your dinner (and you can make Greek yogurt too), which is always a win, but you can substitute sour cream or mayo (my failproof homemade mayo recipe) as well. Note – if you use mayo or even sour cream, you might want to up the lime juice or add a splash of apple cider vinegar for the extra tart.
• Lime Juice: like garlic, freshly squeezed lime juice simply cannot be beat, but I’ve used bottled lime juice as well. The flavor is more muted with bottled, so you might want to add more here too.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1. Combine all ingredients except the water and cabbage (and carrots, if using) in a blender. Pulse until the ingredients are combined, yet some green leaves are still visible.

Step 2. Adjust the sauce. The consistency should be similar to salad dressing, so if you used Greek yogurt, sour cream or mayo, you might need to thin. Taste first, and thin using either water, apple cider vinegar or lime juice as desired starting with 1 tablespoon. Stir well after each addition and taste.

Step 3. Combine sauce and vegetables. When the sauce is ready, place the cabbage (and carrots, if using) in a very large bowl and add sauce.

Step 4. Stir well using two forks or a pair of tongs.

Step 5. Let the coleslaw sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes for the flavors to develop. Serve cold.

FAQs

What is cilantro lime coleslaw?
Cilantro lime coleslaw gets its distinctive flavor from two signature ingredients – cilantro and lime. Cilantro is an herb with a fragrant, citrusy flavor found often in Mexican food, which is why this coleslaw tastes so good with tacos! The lime gives it an extra sweetness and tang.

Is cilantro lime coleslaw keto friendly?
Yes! To make it keto-friendly, use full fat, plain Greek yogurt. All the vegetables and lime in this recipe are allowed on the keto diet.

How do I make cilantro lime dressing?
Cilantro lime dressing is easy to make! All you need to do is puree olive oil, green onions, cilantro, garlic, salt, limes, and Greek yogurt in a blender and pour over your coleslaw!

Recipe Ideas

Looking for other ways to dress up your tacos? Try these other Southwestern Ideas!

• Coconut Rice
• Southwestern Corn
• Easy Homemade Salsa
• Guacamole
• Homemade Frank’s Hot Sauce

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Watch How to Make Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 7 reviews

This tangy, easy-to-make and budget-friendly cilantro lime coleslaw adds crunch and flavor to all kinds of meals. Can be made without mayo and dressed up with a variety of add-ins for a twist!

• Author: Tiffany
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins
• Total Time: 5 mins
• Yield: 5–6 cups 1x
• Category: Sides
• Method: Bowl
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• up to 1/4 cup water or apple cider vinegar or lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions (4–5 whole green onions)
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves (about 1/2 bunch)
• 1–2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 limes, juiced (about 3 tsp lime juice)
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, sour cream or mayo (or any combination of these)
• 3–4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup julienned carrot (optional)
• 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except the water and cabbage (and carrots, if using) in a blender. Pulse until the ingredients are combined, yet some green leaves are still visible.
2. The consistency should be similar to salad dressing, so if you used Greek yogurt, sour cream or mayo, you might need to thin. Taste first, and thin using either water, apple cider vinegar or lime juice as desired starting with 1 tablespoon. Stir well after each addition and taste.
3. When the sauce is ready, place the cabbage (and carrots, if using) in a very large bowl and add sauce.
4. Stir well using two forks or a pair of tongs.
5. Let the coleslaw sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes for the flavors to develop. Serve cold.

Notes

Making cilantro lime coleslaw is an easy way to get the kids to eat more vegetables.

• • You can add julienne broccoli stems, which is a GREAT way to use those stems up if you tend to favor the florets.
  • You can also add shaved Brussels sprouts too, like I did in the Costco-copycat Sweet Kale Salad.

Nutrition

• Calories: 49