Cilantro Lime Coleslaw – deliciously light and refreshing, this twist on your traditional coleslaw is absolutely perfect for tacos, barbecues or as a salad.
This Cilantro Lime Coleslaw is an easy coleslaw recipe made with red and green cabbage, cilantro, green onion, and limes proves that cabbage can be the star of any meal. Whether you are serving this up for an outdoor barbecue, quick easy meal or at a fiesta, everyone will love this coleslaw.
So I can’t even begin to tell you how much our family loves this Cilantro Lime Coleslaw recipe. It truly is a big deal for me even to post a coleslaw recipe on my blog because I typically hate coleslaw. My personal opinion is that it tends to be overdressed.
Way too creamy that it ends up taking away the crisp to the cabbage. It is like a watered-down drink that just isn’t right. Now don’t get me wrong I love the dressings on coleslaw, that is if it isn’t too much and it has big flavor.
Best Cilantro Lime Coleslaw
This coleslaw recipe was first published back in May 2014 and every time I make it I am always amazed how much I love it.
It’s not your average store-bought coleslaw and you can thank me later for that. It’s packed with flavor thanks for the addition of lime and cilantro, of course, salt and pepper help out too!
It’s just stunning – I love the color that the purple “red” cabbage brings to the dish and the dark green contrast of the cilantro and green onions to the green cabbage is just gorgeous. This is always a crowd pleaser whenever I take this somewhere not only because it is delicious but because it is a stunning side dish.
Typically my husband who hates anything resembling coleslaw loved it the first time I made it. Now I will admit he was hesitant to try it, but he loved it. He loves the coleslaw dressing, which is made with a combination or mayo and sour cream, because it is not too tangy.
I love to play around with the amount of dressing – I can make it a little more dry or creamy depending on what I am making. So whether I am making barbecue chicken sandwiches, tacos or subs I can adjust it, but more often than not I just follow the recipe.
Ingredients
- Thinly sliced green cabbage
- Chopped purple cabbage
- Scallions
- Roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Sugar
- Lime juice and zest
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
How to Make It
Combine the green cabbage, purple cabbage, scallions and cilantro in a large salad bowl.
Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar and zest in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lime juice from. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.
You can serve it right away or chill it to serve later.
Recipe Tips
Make-Ahead: You can make the salad a day in advance and keep it in the refrigerator.
Prep Tip: Use a sharp knife to slice the green cabbage or use a mandolin which makes it even easier.
Serving Tip: Because this salad has mayonnaise, don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours. If you’re serving it outside during the summer you will want to refrigerate it sooner.
Leftovers: If you have leftover coleslaw, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
This Cilantro Lime Coleslaw is a must make for spring and summer months. Whether your hosting a party or having dinner with your family, whip up a batch of this coleslaw and you will have everyone oohing and aahing. Enjoy friends! XOXO San
More Summer Side Dishes
Don’t forget to pin this recipe for Cilantro Lime Coleslaw to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage thinly sliced
- 1/4 purple cabbage chopped
- 4 scallions
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 limes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cut the green cabbage using a sharp knife or I used my mandolin to make thin ribbons. Roughly chopped the purple cabbage until you have 1 cup. Chop the scallions Toss the green cabbage, purple cabbage, scallions and cilantro in a large salad bowl.
- Make the dressing by combining the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar and the zest from one of the limes in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lime juice from the remaining lime. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.
Nutrition
Original post image isn’t too shabby and I actually like it but just wanted to bring more life the colors of the coleslaw.
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I am pretty picky with my coleslaw, too, but I like Mexican-ish kick to this recipe!
Thanks Robin. xo San
This is really beautiful and I love that it’s not overly creamy!
Thanks Jennifer. xo San
Sandra, I’m totally with you on being against gloopy coleslaw. Your version looks so fresh and tasty!
Great taste girl! xo San
Looks So Pretty I Bet Its Delicious!!!Thank You Will Be Making!
YAY! Lisa, let me know what you think, I love things like that. xo San
Yum! I am definitely pinning this to keep in mind for summer BBQs! Your photos are beautiful!
Thanks Sarah! xo San
This looks really good and refreshing – Especially for summer! I might have to replace the cilantro, but I’d love to try this.
Thanks, come back and let me know what you think. xo San
I’m not a fan of coleslaw but Hubby is. I bet he would love this!
Holly he would! xo San
I just made a cilantro lime rice yesterday and this would have been a perfect pair! I just love lime on almost anything
Yes it would, will have to try that soon. xo San
Cilantro and lime are some of my favorite flavors. I am definitly pinning this to make in the future!
Thanks for the pin Jessica. xo San
served alongside of grilled chicken, mmmm this looks good
You are so right! xo San
This looks so good! I love coleslaw too, but the creamy overdressed kind just doesn’t do it for me.
Thanks Pam, you will love it. xo San
I am also very picky when it comes to cole slaw. I am feeling quite certain that I would love this recipe.
You are gonna love it. xo San
Like your hubby, I am not a coleslaw fan but I think I’m going to try this recipe! It looks delicious, plus I love cilantro.
Girl, you have got to try this it is amazing! xo San
Always looking for a good coleslaw, this looks amazing, love the combination of ingredients that you used.
Thanks Cheri! xo San
Oh my goodness, this sounds amazing. My MIL loves cilantro, so this would be great as a side on Mother’s Day. Thanks so much
Thanks Shauna. xo San
I’m not a fan of coleslaw but willing to try your recipe it looks scrumptious!
Thanks Maria, hope you love it too! xo San
This looks and sounds delicious – way better than over-mayonnaised coleslaw. You make the best dishes!
Completely agree. xo San
What a great compliment for BBQ
Thanks Robin it is. xo San
G’day! Looks delicious Sandra! LOVE the combination of ingredients!
Cheers! Joanne
Thanks Joanne! xo San
Looks gorgeous!
Thanks! xo San
This looks delicious! I don’t know if I’ve ever made my own, but if I were to attempt, I know now what I’m going to try!
You and Jason will love it. xo San
simple, wonderful colors, and nutri packed! i can do this…thank you for sharing. will definitely try come weekend.
This is very easy and I like coleslaw on my burger but this can be serve as a side dish.
Super easy! xo San
I generally stay away from cole slaw because of the mayo–I am not a big fan of mayo! This recipe sounds great-I do happen to love cabbage and cutting that mayo with sour cream is a really great idea.
Michele – you’ll like this you can’t tell there is mayo in there at all. xo San
My son is a big Cole slaw fan- I never make it- but I’ll have to try this recipe- look like the kind he would like. Thanks!
I am really picky about coleslaw, this recipe sounds really good and refreshing!
Beautiful display. I bet this would pair nicely with a cold beer and my husband would LOVE it at our next bbq.
You’re so awesome.xo San
Ooh I LOVE coleslaw! I never thought to make this flavor though!
Thanks girl you will love it. xo San
This looks fantastic and so refreshing. I love everything with cilantro in it! Never can have too much. 😉 I’d love to try this along side our fajitas. Yum!
Me too!!! xo San
I think cilantro tastes great in everything – what a cool idea!
Thanks and me too! xo San
Cilantro and lime were meant to be married. This sounds wonderful.
Agreed! xo San
That looks so refreshingly delish!
I’m just as fussy with coleslaw!! I hate the overdressed kind, so this looks perfect to me 🙂
You will love it. xo San
I wonder if this is tangy at all. Looks like it would be great with some chicken! Yum!
No tangy here at all…xo San
That looks beautiful. I will keep this.
This Coleslaw sounds like the perfect side dish for summertime grilling! Love the fresh flavors paired together! I’d be thrilled for you to share this at my all new Creative Ways Link Party that’s live right now. I hope to see you and your slaw there! 😉 Have a wonderful rest of the week!
Blessings,
Nici
Thanks Nici! xo San
This sounds so fresh tasting!! I need to try this soon! 🙂
It’s so refreshing. xo San
I love that this has cilantro in it. We love cilantro. Can’t wait to try this!
Enjoy! xo San
This is my kind of coleslaw! Delicious! I just might sub orange juice for lime juice since limes are so pricey now.
This looks like it would be perfect with fish tacos! We go through a ton of limes and cilantro here.
This looks delish! Thank you so much for sharing on Flaunt It Friday! Hope to see you back this Friday with more yummy recipes!
thanks for coming by! xo san
Yum! Pinned! Congrats on being featured this week on The Winthrop Chronicles!
Thank you! xo San
This sounds gorgeous!
This looks and sounds delicious. I have a bunch of cilantro in my garden and have been making lots of homemade salsa with it – this gives me something new to try. I might half the recipe though since I am the only coleslaw eater in my family. Pinning this.
Thanks for the pin! xo San
Hmmmm I have 3/4 of a bag of slaw cabbage mix left from another recipe and everything else needed. Since it would just be my husband and I eating it, I think I will make 1/2. Recipe of everything and figuer out how much cabbage Inneed as I god 🙂 looks great and will go great with out refried bean, mushroom, chicken quasidillas I’m planning on serving 🙂
Great looking recipe! Going to make it tonight with my shredded BBQ beef slow cooker sandwiches. I am going to sub the mayo with non fat greek plain yogurt for a healthier twist, hoping it’s just as good!
This is nothing fancy, but spot on for a great, throw together side dish.
Hate it when people say that they are going to change the recipe, but here I am saying that I am adding something to this amazing looking recipe! I was looking for a coleslaw to go with my shrimp tacos and cilantro rice and black beans tonight. this looks perfect! but!!! here we go! I am going to kick it up a notch by adding some jalapenos. Hope you don’t mind and I promise to let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the recipe!
I love the idea – let me know!
This is a great coleslaw! I will definitely be making this again. The lime and cilantro are a great addition and it really is crisp and not overdressed. I too have a husband that isn’t a fan of coleslaw and he really enjoyed this, thanks for a great recipe!
Did you use “traditional” mayonnaise? Or “salad dressing” (aka M.W.) Just wondering because both have very distinct flavors. We love slaw and you definitely had me at cilantro and lime!
You just made my day! My family loves tacos and my side dishes are always a little plain jane 🙁 This sounds absolutely the opposite!!
I’m so glad this could help, enjoy!
Such wonderful flavors! I bet this is delicious!
It totally is, I hope you enjoy!
I want a big scoop of this slaw right on my taco!
I hope you enjoy it!
I definitely love this on tacos and pulled pork sandwiches — always! And a great side that’s so crunchy and colorful!
I’m so glad you enjoy it, thanks!
I NEED to try this coleslaw!! It looks SO good!!
I hope you like it, thanks!
This slaw sounds perfect as a side to grill chicken this weekend! Looks so yummy too!
It definitely would go great with grilled chicken, hope you enjoy!
I made this for Taco Tuesday, and it was so perfect with our tacos. The cilantro and lime are such a great Tex-Mex twist on an old favorite.
I love cilantro and coleslaw, so I cannot wait to make this!
I just love this! No doubt, this is really amazing!
All the ingredients that I love! I will make this recipe next time!
My mom would surely love this! Can’t wait to try this with her <3
This has all of my favorite flavors!!