This is a true Coleslaw for Pulled Pork recipe I have made for over 20 years. Everything about this coleslaw just screams to be paired with some delicious pulled pork, so be sure that you have some on hand. When the two come together, how well they work is just magical. Don’t believe me? Give it a try, and let me know what you think.
This recipe is: Low Carb, Keto-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo and Vegetarian
Table of Contents
8 Reasons to Make Coleslaw for Pulled Pork:
- This coleslaw recipe is the ULTIMATE sidekick to pulled pork or barbecue.
- It is incredibly quick and easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Very easy to customize to put your signature spin on it.
- Completely keto and low-carb recipe!
- Easy to make ahead and serve when ready.
- A real winner at any gathering where BBQ might be served.
- An inexpensive side dish item to bring to a potluck!
- The perfect balance of sweetness and acidity makes this recipe craveable.
Is my Coleslaw for Pulled Pork Recipe Low Carb?
I’ve modified my original recipe with low carb ingredients so that each serving has around 3g net carbs. Considering that traditional coleslaw recipes using similar ingredients is about 9g net carbs per serving, this is a great low carb alternative!
Pulled Pork Slaw Recipe Ingredient List
For the Coleslaw Veggies:
4 cups green cabbage, shredded
½ cup carrots, shredded
¼ cup green onion, sliced (green part only)
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
For the Coleslaw Dressing:
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar substitute
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground
Ingredient Substitutions
- Green cabbage: You can substitute purple cabbage for the green. I don’t typically use it because, once stored, it turns the entire salad purple.
- Red onion: use shallots or yellow onion.
- Apple cider vinegar: swap out for red or white wine vinegar. I’ve also used fresh squeezed lime juice, which tastes great.
- Brown sugar substitute: if you don’t have this on hand, you can use granulated allulose, granulated xylitol, granulated erythritol, or monkfruit sweetener (typically cut with erythritol).
- Dijon mustard: use whole-grain mustard or brown mustard. I’m not too fond of the flavor of yellow mustard in this recipe.
- Celery seed: Swapping out celery salt for celery seed is fine, but you must reduce the amount of kosher salt added to the recipe.
Additional Ingredients
- Veggies: You can add julienned jicama for crunch, red bell peppers for sweetness and color, or even shredded kohlrabi for a unique flavor.
- Fresh herbs: Over the years, I’ve added chopped cilantro, chopped parsley, sliced chives, or even some chopped dill for brightness and a pop of freshness.
- Texture: Add some sliced roasted almonds (my Rosemary-Roasted Almonds recipe pairs perfectly), toasted pine nuts, or roasted pepitas. All of these add an earthy flavor that is just amazing.
- Heat: I love adding heat to all of my recipes. Toss in ¼ teaspoon of ground cayenne, ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or 2 tablespoons of chopped pickled jalapenos. If you haven’t tried my Pickled Jalapeno recipe, the crispness of the jalapeno works exceptionally well with this coleslaw recipe.
Cooking Tools
To make this coleslaw for pulled pork recipe, you will need the following cooking tools:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Box grater
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Silicone Spatula
How to Make Coleslaw for Pulled Pork: the Complete Cooking Guide
Making this low carb coleslaw recipe is incredibly easy… particularly if you purchase sliced cabbage from the store. Let’s walk through the recipe together in these images:
Cooking Methods:
- No Cook
- 30 minutes
Preparation Steps:
- Shred the cabbage using a food processor, box grater, mandolin, or a sharp kitchen knife.
- Transfer the shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the coleslaw dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed—it might taste slightly salty, but the cabbage will absorb it.
- Pour the coleslaw dressing over the shredded cabbage and mix until well combined.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill and allow the flavors to meld. This step is essential!
- Remove from the refrigerator, toss gently, taste again, adjust the seasoning if needed, and serve cold.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, layer the shredded green cabbage, grated carrots, chopped red onion, and sliced green onions.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar substitute, celery seed, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Step 3: Use a spatula to combine the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables in the mixing bowl.
Step 5: Use a large wooden spoon or spatula to mix the vegetables and dressing until everything is evenly coated and well combined.
Step 6: Adjust the seasoning to taste with additional salt or pepper, if needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
💡 My Pro Tip
The resting time for my coleslaw for pulled pork recipe is important. It allows the flavors to pull together, particularly the garlic powder. It just takes time for this process to occur, and there is no real way to speed the process up.
I suggest making the coleslaw for pulled pork and tasting it immediately. It will taste great, but when you taste it again in a minimum of 30 minutes, it will taste even better. All those flavors will have formed together in perfect harmony, ready to be plunked down on top of a heaping mound of pulled pork. Yum.
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
- Buy pre-shredded coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage. I’m not a huge fan of shredding cabbage in my kitchen. No matter which way I slice or shred it, it just makes a mess. Save a ton of time and frustration by just buying it from the store. Sometimes, the mixes come with carrots already added, so omit them from the recipe if this is the case.
- Make the coleslaw for pulled pork ahead of time. This keto coleslaw recipe stores incredibly well in the fridge. Make it a couple of days ahead and serve when your guests arrive.
- Double the batch of low carb coleslaw. Nobody will know that it is low carb coleslaw and everyone will want seconds. Make sure that you double the batch so there is enough to go around.
What to Serve with Coleslaw for Pulled Pork:
Well, as the name suggests… it should be served with pulled pork! Also, some keto buns and other delicious recipes.
- Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork: ready in a fraction of the time as regular pulled pork and with all the flavor you want.
- Easy Pulled Pork Recipe: as the name implies, I use this easy pulled pork recipe consistently!
- Keto Hamburger Buns: The perfect transport medium for pulled pork smothered in coleslaw to get to your face. These buns are a winner.
- Quick Pickled Red Onions: Ready in under 5 minutes, these pickled red onions add an impressive pop of flavor to pulled pork sandwiches.
Storage and Reheating
It’s important to store the coleslaw for pulled pork recipe in a container in the fridge to maximize its shelf life. Let’s take a look at my tips for keeping it fresh.
Storing Coleslaw for Pulled Pork:
- Once you have made the coleslaw recipe, toss it into an airtight container or leave it in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Because this is a mayonnaise-based recipe, I always store it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator since it is the coldest. Once refrigerated, this low carb coleslaw will stay fresh for about 5 days. After that, the dressing will thin as the moisture is released from the veggies. Drain off and add more mayonnaise. This will get you another day or two at most. After a week, any leftovers should be discarded.
Recipe Conclusion
I created the original recipe for this post in my late 20s when I smoked meat and made barbecue regularly. My pulled pork game was strong, and it always leaned toward a smokey, chipotle flavor profile. That’s why I created a coleslaw recipe that would pair nicely, showcasing sweetness balanced by a pleasant acidity.
Fast forward to 2017, when I started my low-carb journey, and I thought this type of sweetened coleslaw recipe was a thing of the past… it saddened both my pulled pork and myself. Once more low carb sweeteners came onto the market, I revisited some of my trusted favorite recipes. This coleslaw for pulled pork recipe works exceptionally well with a brown sugar substitute…that’s for sure.
This was one of our showcase recipes at my catering company. It’s been served to tens of thousands of people. I know you will love it, too, whether you’re following a low carb or keto diet or just looking for the perfect coleslaw to pair with pulled pork.
Please write in the comments any questions or suggestions you may have. You can also find me on Facebook or Instagram.
Other Cold Salad Side Dishes To Try
Here is a small sampling of some of my favorite low-carb and keto cold salad side dishes. I know you'll love them all.
- Low-carb Cauliflower Salad Recipe: Light and refreshing with completely unique flavor combinations.
- Keto Cauliflower “Loaded Potato” Salad: Just like biting into a loaded baked potato salad, but made with cauliflower. So good.
- Greek Salad (Horiatiki): Chunks of herbed tomatoes and marinated feta make this a winner at any barbecue or gathering.
- Fresh Summer Broccoli Salad: Despite its name, you can make this recipe any time of the year! It's so good with the classic flavor profile of broccoli and cheddar... give it a try!
- The Easiest Coleslaw Recipe: This is one of my original recipes that put this blog on the map. Delicious and ready in just minutes.
FAQs
People put coleslaw on pulled pork to balance the flavors of the smokiness from the pulled pork with a touch of tangy sweetness in the coleslaw. There is also a nice interplay of temperatures that enhances the overall eating experience. In addition, coleslaw provides a textural contrast and some crunch to the otherwise soft pulled pork.
A good rule of thumb is ¼ cup coleslaw per pulled pork sandwich. This provides enough coleslaw to add moisture and allow the flavors to intermingle.
Absolutely. Coleslaw on pulled pork is a tradition rooted in Southern barbecues, where paring a sweet and tangy coleslaw with smoked meats has been the practice for decades.
Coleslaw for Pulled Pork
Ingredients
For the Coleslaw Veggies:
- 4 cups green cabbage shredded
- ½ cup carrots shredded
- ¼ cup green onion sliced (green part only)
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
For the Coleslaw Dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar substitute
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper ground
Instructions
- Use a food processor, box grater, mandolin, or sharp knife to shred the cabbage.
- Place the shredded cabbage into a large bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste—it may seem salty, but the cabbage will balance it out.
- Drizzle the dressing over the shredded cabbage and mix thoroughly to coat.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to cool and let the flavors come together—this step makes a big difference!
- Once chilled, give it a gentle toss, taste again, tweak the seasoning if necessary, and serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”
2 Responses
Simple to make and tastes amazing—this coleslaw was the perfect fresh and tangy side for our pulled pork!
Thanks Max- it's a delicious recipe that I love too!