This sweet citrus slaw is a deliciously crisp, tangy and lightly sweet mix of green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots topped with a bright blend of orange, lime, and lemon juice, olive oil, and maple syrup. This recipe has been a family favorite for folding into fish and shrimp tacos, layering into wraps and bowls, or pairing as a tart side with grilled burgers, chicken, or steak.
This recipe for sweet citrus slaw was originally published in July 2021. In May 2024 we made some upgrades to the blog post to include an ingredients list, storage tips, recipe variations, and a FAQ section! We also updated photos to let the ingredients shine. We hope you enjoy these updates and find them useful!
Ingredients
- Green and red cabbage – the base of any good slaw is freshly shredded green and red cabbage. Feel free to use all green or all red or sub in a bagged coleslaw mix to reduce prep time.
- Carrots – a classic crunchy adder in coleslaw recipes.
- Red onion – for an extra bit of crunch and tang.
- Citrus juices – a blend of orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice give this slaw a bright, tangy punch of flavor.
- Maple syrup – to lightly sweeten.
- Extra virgin olive oil – to balance the tanginess and sweetness of the citrus juices.
- Salt and pepper – to enhance the other flavors in this dish.
How to Make Sweet Citrus Slaw
Thinly slice or shred the green cabbage and red cabbage. Shred the carrots. Thinly slice the red onion. If you are using a bagged coleslaw mix, skip this step.
Juice orange, lime, and lemon half using a small juicer or by hand. Whisk together orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, maple syrup, and olive oil.
Combine the cabbage, carrots, and red onion in a medium bowl. Pour the juice mixture over the cabbage and toss well to coat. Season with salt and toss again. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Chill the slaw in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.
Shortcut: I use a 16oz bag of tri-colored coleslaw mix in this recipe all the time, especially when I’m in a hurry or don’t have a use for the extra cabbage that isn’t used in the slaw.
I also love swapping out classic cabbage coleslaw mixes with broccoli slaw mixes. It has a nice crunch and unique flavor profile.
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How to Store
Store leftover citrus slaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. We don’t recommend keeping citrus slaw beyond this point as it tends to sour and the red cabbage will bleed, turning the liquid a purple-red hue. However, this slaw is still safe to eat beyond 4 days since this recipe does not contain any dairy or mayo and citrus juice acts as a natural preservative.
Recipe Variations
- Slaw mix – we love to use green and red cabbage in this recipe, but you can make this with just red or just green cabbage. Sometimes we like to use broccoli slaw mix instead of cabbage for an easy change.
- Veggies – we keep this recipe simple with red and green cabbage and carrots, but add in more veggies like shredded zucchini or yellow squash, julienned bell peppers, green onions, or jalapenos for a little spicy kick.
- Sweetener – this recipe calls for maple syrup, but sub in date syrup, honey, or agave to change things up.
- Fresh herbs – add some fresh herbs, like cilantro or parsley to pack in even more flavor.
- Oil – try toasted sesame oil or avocado oil for a more unique slaw.
- Toppings – top this slaw with crumbled feta, green onions, or chopped almonds for a little variety.
How to Use Citrus Slaw
- Layer it into crispy fish tacos or shrimp tacos
- Pile juicy chicken burgers, air fryer hamburgers, or turkey burgers on top of a bed of slaw
- Use it as a classic side to chicken tenders, grilled chicken, fried chicken, or chicken sandwich
- Form the base of a summery dinner bowl, like our herb chicken and peach bowls or mango chicken bowls
Frequently Asked Questions
This citrus slaw will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator. However, it is best enjoyed in the first 24 hours for optimum freshness.
Yes! If you want to cut down on preparation time, use pre-packaged coleslaw or broccoli slaw in place of fresh green and red cabbage and carrots.
Red cabbage has a water-soluble pigment called anthocyanin that turns red when mixed with an acid, like lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, and vinegar. This discoloration does not indicate that coleslaw has gone bad. If the red staining bothers you, feel free to use only green cabbage in your slaw.
Check out these other yummy side dishes
- Brown sugar roasted sweet potatoes
- Summer strawberry couscous
- Peach pasta salad
- Cilantro lime brown rice
- Tofu spring rolls with miso peanut sauce
- Stovetop white cheddar mac and cheese
Let us know what you think about our recipe for sweet citrus slaw by dropping a comment, star rating, and/or sharing on Pinterest/social media! We really appreciate your help in sharing and rating our recipes, as it allows us to continue to bring delicious and healthy recipes to our community!
Sweet Citrus Slaw
Ingredients
- 2 c shredded green cabbage (or sub red cabbage)
- 1ยฝ c shredded red cabbage (or sub green cabbage)
- ยฝ c shredded carrots (about 1 small carrot)
- ยผ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1 lime, juiced
- ยฝ lemon, juiced
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- ยฝ tsp sea salt
- ยฝ tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Thinly slice or shred the green cabbage and red cabbage. Shred the carrots. Thinly slice the red onion. If you are using a bagged coleslaw mix, skip this step.
- Juice orange, lime, and lemon half using a small juicer or by hand. Whisk together orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, maple syrup, and olive oil.
- Combine the cabbage, carrots, and red onion in a medium bowl. Pour the juice mixture over the cabbage and toss well to coat. Season with salt and toss again. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Chill the slaw in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can use all green or all red cabbage in this recipe to make it simpler.
- You can use a bagged coleslaw mix to cut down on preparation time. However, we recommend cutting your own fresh cabbage, as it has much more flavor and tends to last longer.ย
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