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Your tacos will thank you for this Mexican Slaw! Fast and easy, this vegan taco slaw with cabbage, jalapeno, and lime can be whipped up in just 15 minutes and keeps for 3 days in the fridge! Serve it up with tacos or as a delicious vegan side to your Mexican Feast! With a video!
Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right. ~Henry Ford
Here’s a simple recipe for Mexican Slaw that comes in handy during the week. It can be used on all sorts of things like fish tacos, black bean burgers, wraps or burrito bowls and keeps for several days in the fridge.
I love the crunchy texture and zesty flavor it adds to meals as well as all the healthy nutrients and fiber. It adds an element of freshness that I crave- even in the cold months.
This version contains no mayo– keeping it light, healthy and totally vegan.
Plus it is cabbage season, so why not take advantage of all the beautiful cabbages right now?
Mexican Slaw | 45-sec video
The Mexican Slaw is made with shredded cabbage but what I love about his recipe is how you can add all sorts of other crunchy veggies to the mix- like grated radishes ( yummy!) jicama, kohlrabi or carrots (so pretty!).
You get the idea! Clean out your fridge. 😉 And if short on time, YES, store-bought, packaged slaw mix is totally fine!
Fresh jalapeno (or serranos) and lime zest give it a nice kick.
Pair this Mexican Slaw with:
- Chicken Carnitas
- Jackfruit Carnitas
- Baja Bowls!
- Vegan Portobello Tacos
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Mexican Pinto Beans
- Oaxacan Lamb
- Birria!
TIP: If you are sensitive to onions, soak them in a bowl of salted water for 15 minutes, before draining and adding to the salad. This will remove the bitterness. You can also sub green onion for the red onion.
If you are not a cilantro fan, no problem, simply leave it out and sub green onions.
The Mexican Slaw will keep up to 4 days in the fridge!
Enjoy!!!
More slaw recipes you may enjoy:
- Lebanese Slaw
- Mexican Brussel Sprout Salad with Cilantro and Lime
- Curtido -Cultured Salvadoran Slaw
- Easy Crunchy Asian Slaw
- Everyday Kale Slaw (Vegan)
- JICAMA MANGO SLAW WITH CILANTRO AND LIME
- Kohlrabi Slaw with Cilantro, Jalapeño and Lime
- Warm Red Cabbage Slaw
Mexican Slaw with Cilantro and Lime
- Prep Time: 20
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: salad, vegan
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Mexican Slaw with jalapeño and lime- perfect for tacos or a vegan side to your Mexican Feast. Fast and easy and Vegan!
Ingredients
- 1 pound thinly sliced or shredded cabbage ( 1/2 a large head, 4–5 cups shredded – purple is pretty, or green or use a mix)
- 1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion, more to taste ( or sub 1/2 cup green onion)
- 1 cup chopped cilantro ( packed, thin stems ok!)
- 1/4 –1/2 – one whole jalapeño, finely chopped, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, more to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- pepper to taste
Instructions
Shred the cabbage by very thinly slicing or use a mandolin. If making an extra-large batch using your food processor with grater attachment is a good option. See notes for adding other veggies.
Add the cilantro, onion (see note), jalapeno, lime zest and lime juice, olive oil, salt, cumin, coriander and pepper.
Toss well. Taste and adjust salt and lime to your liking. Add extra jalapeno if you like.
Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
Feel free to add other shredded or thinly sliced veggies: red bell pepper, carrots, kohlrabi, radish, etc.
If you are sensitive to onions, soak them in a bowl of salted water for 15 minutes, before draining and adding to the salad. This will remove the bitterness.
This salad will keep up to 4 days in the fridge!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 108
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 189.3 mg
- Fat: 7.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.6 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 2.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Mexican slaw, taco slaw, Mexican salad, cilantro lime cabbage slaw,
Made as written except I had to leave out the jalapeno and the lime zest as I didn’t have those on hand. Used bottled lime juice. Still excellent! I can only imagine it would be even better with the jalapeno and real lime juice and zest.
★★★★★
great to hear Dani!
Made it – simple and delicious!
★★★★★
Awesome!
Didn’t know if the dressing would be enough for this slaw, but was pleasantly surprised that it was plenty. This is spicy, light, and refreshing. Will definitely be making again!
★★★★★
Great Abby!
This is easy and so good. Light and refreshing. We use it on tacos of all varieties. It’s great on its own too. Thanks for such a great recipe!
We love this one too Margaret!
Great slaw. I was so tempted to add some yogurt or sour cream to make it creamy but I didn’t. It’s light,crisp and fresh just the way it is. Lovely side to the enchiladas.
★★★★
Glad you enjoyed.
Perfect with pork tacos
★★★★★
Thanks Karen!
This is one of my favourite recipes of yours! It has a lot of components but they work so well together 🙂
★★★★★
Great to hear!
So fresh and delicious with a little spice! I like my slaw a little sweeter and slightly creamy so I added not quite a tablespoon of sugar and some plain yogurt. Yummy!
★★★★★
Sounds great Anne, love that you adapted to your taste!
Looks so yummy, i have made something similar in the past, can’t wait to try this one. I plan on taking it to a BBQ potluck, with another side. Happy to bring something tasty and affordable. People really enjoyed it the last time, it is different, not the normal same old thing.
★★★★★
Awesome Lisa!
Sylvia, this Mexican slaw is delicious. I topped off my short rib tacos with it and everyone loved it. Thank you for another great recipe!
★★★★★
Awesome Jan!
Made it with recc’d ingredients, super with tacos, thanks! I did put the salt directly on the sliced cabbage and let it drain in colander, then dabbed with paper towel. Did mix liquid and spice/zest together separately to pour over the cabbage/cilantro/jalapeno. Oh, did add a carrot for nice contrast to the purple cabbage. Thanks for your efforts
★★★★★
Glad you enjoyed this Julie!
This is PERFECT!!! So excited to have this with carnitas tonight.
★★★★★
Awesome Kaela!
I’ve made this a few times, and it’s consistently so good! Thanks for the quick recipe that brightens up our week.
Great to hear Amyu!
Very clean, fresh slaw. I made it with super fresh Purple Cabbage and the presentation was lovely. Will make this again, while being careful to cut half-moon onions, and smaller bits of shredded cabbage. Rather eat with a fork then a fork and knife
★★★★★
Glad you enjoyed it!
First time making this tonight along with the cilantro lime rice (I swapped cilantro for fresh parsley) I am not dissapointed and neither was my partner. So fresh tasting and full of goodness. A lovely change from salad.
We had this with chorizo chicken with tomatoes and peppers in tacos. Will definitely be making this again. Benefit made this all on a work night and didnt take long. Also goes nice with a glass of sauvignon blanc.
★★★★★
Thanks Amy, sounds perfect!
Love it, I make a half recipe that we can eat at one sitting. I use just a bit of oil, (1/2 teaspoon,) but add all the rest, like to make with scallions, or like trick of soaking onion to take the bite out of it, had some pickled jalapeno, and added just a teaspoon chopped, pumpkin seeds raw shelled too. So pretty and complements any Latin type dish.
★★★★★
Thanks Frances!