I used to really hate coleslaw until I made my own homemade coleslaw. It’s so fresh, crunchy, and creamy, and not at all gloppy or heavy like the storebought stuff. AND you can make it different flavors to suit your meal! This Cumin Lime Coleslaw has a bright and sunny dressing made with fresh lime juice, earthy cumin (which has always smelled kind of lemony to me), and a small pinch of cayenne. Green onions and shredded carrots add color and flavor to the crunchy cabbage and round out this easy, breezy coleslaw.
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How to Serve Cumin Lime Coleslaw
As with any coleslaw, this one makes a great side dish for things like Cilantro Lime Chicken, Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas, or Turkey Taco Skillet. But you can also pile it onto a sandwich, use it to top tacos, or even use it as a base for a bowl meal! And last week, I served it as a side to some tacos made with my Chili Rubbed Pulled Pork and Pickled Red Onions. That combo was to die for!
Take a Short Cut
If you’re short on time, you can skip shredding your own cabbage and carrots and use a bag of coleslaw mix (pre-shredded cabbage and carrots). You’ll want one bag (14-16oz.) for this recipe.
How Long Does it Stay Fresh?
This cumin lime coleslaw stays good in the fridge for about 2-3 days. It does soften a bit as it refrigerates, but it’s still quite tasty. You’ll want to give it a good stir before serving each time to redistribute the dressing.
Cumin Lime Coleslaw
Servings 6 3/4 cup eachIngredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise ($0.80)
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime) ($0.50)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.01)
- 1 tsp sugar ($0.02)
- 1/2 head green cabbage (about 6 cups shredded) ($0.68)
- 2 carrots ($0.16)
- 4 green onions ($0.22)
Instructions
- Prepare the coleslaw dressing by stirring together the mayonnaise, lime juice, cumin, salt, sugar, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.
- Remove the core from the cabbage and then finely shred. Peel the carrots, then use a large holed cheese grater to shred the carrots. Thinly slice the green onions.
- Combine the shredded cabbage, carrots, and green onions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over top, then stir until everything is well coated in dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. After refrigerating, make sure to stir the slaw well before serving.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Cumin Lime Coleslaw – Step by Step Photos
Begin by making the dressing so the flavors have a little time to blend. Combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Finely shred 1/2 of a head of cabbage (about 6 cups), shred two carrots using a cheese grater, and slice four green onions. Add the cabbage, carrot, and onions to a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and then stir until everything is well coated. Serve the Cumin Lime Coleslaw immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. As will all slaws, the salt in the dressing will cause the cabbage to slowly soften and let off a little water, so be sure to stir the slaw before serving to redistribute the dressing.
But if you need to prepare it ahead of time, go ahead and make the dressing and prep the vegetables, but combine the two just before serving for the crunchiest coleslaw possible.
This is AMAZING! So different from standard slaw. It’s light, tangy, and just the right amount heat. It’s got it all!
I make a lot of your recipes and found this one awhile back and it is DEFINITELY in my top 5. It’s a staple in my meal planning rotation. It is just sooo delicious!! I use bagged coleslaw mix which makes it super quick and easy and oh so fresh. I made it last night to go along with enchiladas. It’s the perfect side dish and my whole family gobbles it up. I don’t comment online often but just had to let you know how much I LOVE this recipe. P.S. I recommend your blog/site to EVERYONE that is looking for quick, simple, yummy recipes. Lots of love from Alabama.
We never, ever get sick of this! So delicious. We often add finely sliced red capsicum or other veges we have.
This is sooooo good! Originally made it to go with your fish taco recipe. Have made it twice since just to eat it on its own. Made exactly as your recipe, this is a keeper!
I’m curious, why peel the carrots? Why not just shred them with the skin on?
Made today and it’s an excellent version of coleslaw. Only had 1 TBSP lime juice so used 1 Tbsp rice vinegar and that worked okay. Used a shredder to make 3 carrots worth of shreds. I’ve found that most deli type salads taste better after being refrigerated for a while. Mellows onions and allows flavors to combine. Had it with chicken cooked in a seasoned liquid and then shredded. Added cream cheese to the cooking liquid – an idea I got from another BB recipe for a chicken in a creamy spicy sauce. Thank you BB for so many great tasting and simple recipes. I use other sites other recipe sites but BB is my favorite and used most often.
This is sooooo tasty! I don’t like my coleslaw very sweet, so I used 1/2 tsp of sugar and 1 tsp of salt instead of the other way around. I also used 1/4 of a red cabbage and 1/4 of a green cabbage for more color and nutrients. I used vegan mayo instead of regular mayo, and my partner and I put this in tacos with vegan “crab” cakes (using hearts of palm instead of crab), and it was TO DIE FOR. I would expect to pay $10-15 per serving for this dish in a restaurant and I’d think it was a great deal. I ended up chopping up the other 3/4 head of green and red cabbage and chucking it in the freezer. Now I have cabbage ready to go next time I make soup or stir fry! This recipe is a winner all around.
Replying to add a rating which I forgot to do the first time around XD
Made this to serve along side my teriyaki grilled chicken thighs. Bagged salads are hard to find during the pandemic, but I have been creative with cabbage, thanks to you, Beth! I had carrots, and added a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro. Yum!
I made this to go with fish tacos. I used packaged coleslaw mix and added the green onions. I found it a bit too salty so added more cumin and cayenne pepper. It worked perfect!
Made this to go along with carnitas, so good!
Love this recipe! I’m cutting out added sugars so I went without, doubled the cumin, and also added in some apple cider vinegar
Put them on some black bean and vegan patties, had to resist eating the slaw by itself before my burgers were done….
i thought it needed slightly more sugar, so added a teaspoon. otherwise, delicious!
I live coleslaw but have never made it. Made this and OMG, is so good. My only request is would love to see some more coleslaw recipies eventually. My Dad was famous for a vinegar coleslaw he made. Is my all time favorite but never got the recipe from him. My life would feel complete if I ever tasted something similar again. 😄
Just an idea, I hate grating carrots. it seriously hurts my fingers and takes FOREVER. However there is a spiffy little bag in my grocery stores (Winco and Stater Bros) called broccoli slaw. it has some carrots already shredded and well broccoli is so darn good for you! Just an idea for anyone else who hates to shred the hard veggies.
Another winner! This paired perfectly with your fish taco recipe! Nice choice! I used a bad of coleslaw and just added the green onions. I love that this is low on sugar. My dad used to make a coleslaw that had like a whole cup of sugar! so bad…