Cranberry Apple slaw can be enjoyed all through the year. Sweet apples tossed with fresh crunchy cabbage, carrot, and celery along with tart dried cranberries, chopped almonds, and green onions. This apple coleslaw is creamy, sweet, and delicious!
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Apple coleslaw
Traditional coleslaw has a mix of shredded cabbage and carrot sticks. Adding sweet apple slices and tart-dried cranberries adds a pop of color and flavor to the salad. What takes this salad to the next level is the creamy salad dressing.
Adding mustard and apple cider vinegar to Greek yogurt-mayonnaise dressing helps cut the rich creaminess of the dressing and adds a hint of savory touch to the salad to balance it.
A salad that can I enjoy all year through. It’s a great summer salad for picnics, potlucks, or BBQ parties and a great side dish during fall with any roast meat or pulled pork or pulled chicken sandwich with cool creamy apple slaw.
Love how the summer classic salad fits for winter with the use of two of the fall’s favorite fruits apples and dried cranberries. A mix of both green cabbage and red cabbage in the apple slaw recipe makes this salad more bright and beautiful.
The Apple slaw recipe is one of the easiest side dishes that you can make ahead. A fantastic option for last-minute stress-free cooking if you are pressed for time. You’ll need only 15 minutes even if you plan on slicing cabbage, carrots, and apples on your own instead of buying pre-made coleslaw mix from the store.
Ingredients needed
Here’s what you’ll need-
Coleslaw
- ½ head small green cabbage, shredded
- ½ head small red cabbage, shredded (about 5-6 cups of mixed shredded cabbage)
- 1 ½ cups carrot, sliced into matchsticks
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 gala apples, sliced into matchsticks
- ½ cup green onion
- ¾ cup almonds, sliced
- ¾ dried cranberries
Dressing
- ¾ cup fat free Greek yogurt
- ½ cup low fat mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Cabbage – you can use just green cabbage or use a mix of both green and red cabbage. Slice the cabbage thinly or use a mandolin slicer to shred the cabbage.
- Carrot – use one large carrot to slice into matchsticks. If you don’t have time to slice cabbage or carrots you can buy pre-made coleslaw mix from the store.
- Apples – use any apple of your choice. I used gala apple, you can use Granny smith, and Honeycrisp varieties too.
- Celery – adds crunch to apple slaw. Dice celery into small bite sizes.
- Green onion – adds crispiness and freshness to the salad that helps balance the flavors.
- Dried cranberry – not only does it add a pop of color to the apple cranberry slaw it also helps with flavors. The tartness of dried cranberries helps balance the creamy sweet dressing of the salad.
- Almonds – extra crunch and added nutrition.
- Greek yogurt – I prefer to use fat-free Greek yogurt to keep the salad light.
- Mayonnaise – you can use homemade or store-bought mayonnaise. Use the best quality mayonnaise for the best taste.
- Apple cider vinegar – balances the richness of the salad dressing.
- Dijon mustard – enhances the flavors. Choose between creamy mustard or grainy mustard.
- Honey – swap honey with maple syrup. Honey adds a subtle sweetness to the slaw. Feel free to adjust the amount of sweetener to suit your taste, I like to add subtle sweetness by using little honey or maple syrup.
- Season – season as per taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
How to make apple slaw recipe
Prepare coleslaw ingredients – shredded green & red cabbage, slice carrot into matchsticks, dice celery, slice apple into matchsticks).
Whisk together coleslaw dressing by mixing Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a measuring cup or jar.
Toss all coleslaw ingredients together in a large salad bowl.
Pour salad dressing over the salad. Gently toss everything.
Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Tips to make best apple coleslaw
- Use both green cabbage and red cabbage for a pop of color.
- Use pre-made coleslaw mix from the store if you are pressed for time.
- To prevent apples from browning, soak diced apples in the lemon-water marinade until ready to use. Drain the soaked apple and dry it completely using a kitchen towel and then use it in making the salad.
- Coleslaw tastes delicious when served right away or after chilling in the fridge for some time.
Serving suggestion
You can pair this side dish with any meal of your choice, BBQ meat, use it in pulled pork or pulled chicken sandwich, or use it as a holiday side dish with ham or turkey; it is also great for summer picnics and potlucks.
It pairs beautifully with grilled meat, roasted meat, pulled meat, with burgers, sandwiches, have it as salad.
FAQS
Yes, you can use other dried fruits like dates, currants, dried raisins, or dried cherries.
Yes, feel free to use whatever nuts are available. You can use chopped walnuts, and chopped pecans instead of almonds. Seeds like pumpkin seeds and melon seeds can be a great addition to this salad.
Yes, you can make this dish in advance. Just chop all ingredients a day ahead and store them in the fridge.
Store any leftover apple slaw in airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. It’s best enjoyed right away. Before serving, make sure to stir the slaw well and then serve.
I won’t not recommend freezing. Diary products like yogurt and mayonnaise does not freeze well. The texture will change entirely.
LOOKING FOR MORE VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES?
Check these side dishes:
- Creamed Spinach
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Cheddar Drop Biscuits
- Smashed Sweet Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes
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📋Cranberry Almonds Apple Slaw
Ingredients
Coleslaw
- ½ head small green cabbage shredded
- ½ head small red cabbage shredded (about 5-6 cups of mixed shredded cabbage)
- 1 ½ cups carrot sliced into matchsticks
- 2 stalks of celery diced
- 2 gala apples sliced into matchsticks
- ½ cup green onion
- ¾ cup almonds sliced
- ¾ dried cranberries
Dressing
- ¾ cup fat-free Greek yogurt
- ½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare coleslaw ingredients – shredded green & red cabbage, slice the carrot into matchsticks, dice celery, slice apple into matchsticks).
- Whisk together coleslaw dressing by mixing Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a measuring cup or jar.
- Toss all coleslaw ingredients together in a large salad bowl.
- Pour salad dressing over the salad. Gently toss everything.
- Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use both green cabbage and red cabbage for a pop of color.
- Use pre-made coleslaw mix from the store if you are pressed for time.
- To prevent apples from browning, soak diced apples in the lemon-water marinade until ready to use. Drain the soaked apple and dry it completely using a kitchen towel and then use it in making the salad.
- Coleslaw tastes delicious when served right away or after chilling in the fridge for some time.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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Jyothi Rajesh is the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail. She lives in Bangalore, India and is the mom of two beautiful kids. Her passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. She’s been blogging since 2007 and many of her recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
Comments & Reviews
Ernesto culig says
Good.i like Apple slaw