• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Southern Kissed logo
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Privacy Policy
×

Home » Recipes » Southern Vinegar Coleslaw

Southern Vinegar Coleslaw

Published: Aug 30, 2021 · Modified: Nov 19, 2022 by Lynda · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Vinegar coleslaw is a staple of the southern table and this easy-to-make vinegar slaw recipe will satisfy your taste buds. This dish has three main ingredients, cabbage, sugar, and vinegar-all you have to do is add them together in a bowl and enjoy! It’s delicious with BBQ chicken or fish for dinner and makes an excellent side dish. Give it a try today!

Spoon with vinegar slaw being held over a glass bowl.

A go-to favorite to serve with barbecue is coleslaw. But the question in my family is whether or not it should be creamy coleslaw or vinegar slaw. Personally, I prefer creamy. My husband likes his made with vinegar. Either way, both versions are the quintessential side for all things barbecue.

This recipe for vinegar coleslaw is based on my dear sweet mother-in-law’s recipe that she used for years. The recipe is simple and as basic as can be. No mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, or celery seed in this version.

🥘 Ingredients

For this super simple coleslaw recipe, you need the following ingredients:

  • shredded cabbage
  • sugar
  • vinegar
  • water
Measuring cup with vinegar on a black surface.

🔪 Instructions

To make it, combine the sugar, vinegar, and water in a saucepan and heat over low-medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes. Place shredded cabbage in a large bowl and pour the vinegar mixture on top. The heat from the warm liquid slightly wilts the cabbage.

Glass bowl filled with angel hair cabbage.
Sugar and vinegar being poured over shredded cabbage.
Bowl of shredded cabbage with vinegar covered with plastic wrap.

Put the coleslaw in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before serving.


Like BBQ? Be sure to check out these other delicious recipes at Southern Kissed that are great for grilling/BBQ season:

  • BBQ Baked Beans
  • The Best Smoked Ribs
  • Easy Alabama White Sauce
Spoon with vinegar slaw being held over a glass bowl.

Vinegar Coleslaw

This dish has been around for years throughout the south as one of our favorite side dishes with BBQ chicken or fish.
4.39 from 34 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dishes
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 134kcal
Author: Lynda

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 package coleslaw blend or shredded cabbage

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients except for coleslaw blend in a small saucepan and heat on medium setting until sugar has dissolved.
  • Remove from heat and pour over coleslaw blend in a large bowl.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Video

Notes

I like to use a bag of Angel Hair cabbage to make this dish.  
You don’t have to use a bag of prepared cabbage or coleslaw mix.  You can shred or thinly slice cabbage and use that in its place.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 218mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g
Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SouthernKissedBlog or tag #southernkissed!

This coleslaw is good paired not only with barbecue but on it, too! That’s right – place a nice, large spoonful on top of your shredded barbecue chicken, beef, or pork. Take a hamburger bun, add a layer of barbecue meat, add a little bit of barbecue sauce, a layer of slaw, perhaps a pickle, and then the top bun.

Scoop of vinegar coleslaw.

Be sure to come back and tell us how your vinegar slaw turned out!

More Get Cooking With Our Delicious Recipes!

  • Southern Chocolate Gravy Recipe
  • Tequila Sunrise Recipe
  • Pommes Duchesse Recipe
  • Instant Pot Popcorn

Sharing is caring!

451 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Yummly

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Talk To Us Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. ROBERT R STREET says

    June 29, 2021 at 1:07 pm

    Ingredients in recipe does not say how much water

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      June 29, 2021 at 1:36 pm

      Great catch! Thank you so much for pointing that out to me. I edited the recipe and added 1 cup of water to the ingredients list.

      Reply
  2. JAB says

    May 22, 2020 at 3:18 am

    When I was little (under 10) there was a seafood place near us that people came to on the weekends from 50 miles away. I never liked seafood much, but they had the best spaghetti a girl could ask for, with a deep dark red tangy sauce. It also came with coleslaw that was made with vinegar. It was my absolute favorite! It squeaked on your teeth as you ate it, lol! I have never known how to make it and don’t know any places around me that have anything like it. That particular restaurant closed down many, many years ago. I’m going to try this recipe because it sounds like it might just be right. Thanks for posting it!

    Reply
  3. Lee Gresham says

    July 06, 2016 at 6:21 pm

    I grew up eating the vinegar based coleslslaw in Tennessee-my absolute favorite.on a chopped pork.sandwich. I have lived in Texas for a long time (great state!) but can’t seem to acquire a taste for the creamy, mayo.based slaw–

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      July 06, 2016 at 8:40 pm

      I like them both; however, my favorite is KFC’s cole slaw.

      Reply
  4. patti says

    August 10, 2015 at 8:16 am

    i am picky about coleslaw……creamy for me with just a little vinegar as well.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Lynda and Johnny statue

My name is Lynda and I am a recovering sugar addict and travel junkie. I'm also a mom of two children & 2 dogs, wife of 1....and a messy cook taking life one bite at a time.

More about me →

Chicken 🐓 Recipes

  • Chick-Fil-A Nuggets Clone Recipe
  • Southern Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini
  • Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
  • Cajun Chicken Recipe

See All Chicken Recipes

Popular Recipes

  • Quick and Easy Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
  • How To Make Alabama White Sauce
  • Paula Deen’s Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
  • The Best Brown Sugar Glazed Meatloaf Recipe

Footer

↑ back to top

ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

COPYRIGHT © 2021 SOUTHERN KISSED