A few times a year I make a bunch of good ol’ classic cole slaw, for a burger & dog barbecue, or with tacos, a pulled pork sandwich, that kind of thing. It’s always delicious; this is my own recipe from scratch and is exactly how I make it.
Cole slaw may get a bad rap. Mayonnaise doesn’t exactly jump out as a health food. Mayo usually uses an unhealthy oil and has added sugar, and slaw often has yet more sugar added. But actually, let’s not forget slaw is almost entirely cabbage and carrot and most certainly can be a healthy option. This recipe can even be made AIP friendly depending on which level of food re-entry you’re up to.
If you’re already living your best paleo or keto life, you may have a quick mayo recipe without added sugar. I plan to add just such a recipe soon and will update this post then. But mayo in and of itself doesn’t have to be unhealthy. It’s basically oil (which can be a healthy option like avocado or EVOO), egg yolks, lemon and/or vinegar. My recipe also uses a decent amount of mayo but unlike so many other slaws I’ve had, it’s far from drowning in it.
After extensive searches all over the internet, I have only ever found one mayonnaise brand which has zero added sweetener and also utilizes a Paleo-friendly oil. It is Primal Kitchen Mayo with Olive Oil. Another option but which uses some coconut sugar (still Paleo friendly), is BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil Mayo.
You can follow my recipe whether you’re using a Paleo/Keto friendly mayo or good old Hellman’s, or any of the million variants in between. The added sugar in this recipe of course is optional. If you’re on Paleo and fine with other sugar sources, you could also just replace the TBSP sugar with honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, or another acceptable choice.
This recipe will make about 8 servings
You will need:
- Knife & cutting board (if hand cutting the cabbage, otherwise food processor using the shred disc)
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Lemon (citrus) press/juicer (suggested)
- Grater for carrot (or use food processor)
Ingredients:
- Half a large head of cabbage, peeled and cored (net weight going into recipe is about 1.75 – 2 lbs.)
- 1 large carrot (or two smaller carrots)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (one large lemon should suffice if fully extracted)
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise (just choose a suitable option if Paleo/Keto)
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (Bragg’s is a classic ACV)
- 1 TBSP sugar or maple syrup (use syrup or omit sweetener entirely for Paleo & other low-carb diets)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black or white pepper
Directions:
1.) Finely cut the cabbage into 1/2″ strips, or use the shred disc option on a food processor (if using a processor, you can also shred the carrots this way)
2.) If you don’t have a food processor, grate the carrots with the grater or use a spiralizer and then cut down into 1/4″ or 1/2″ pieces (this is my method).
3.) In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage and carrot with the lemon juice, mayo, vinegar, sugar (optional), salt, and pepper.
4.) Mix thoroughly and then (for best results) refrigerate overnight.
