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Cranberry Apple Coleslaw

Cranberry apple coleslaw with creamy poppy seed dressing coats finely shredded green and purple cabbage, plus crisp julienned apples, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. A 30-minute chill helps the flavors meld for a crisp, tangy, sweet bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Slaw base
  • 4 cup green cabbage finely shredded
  • 2 cup purple cabbage shredded
  • 2 crisp apples julienned or thinly sliced
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • 1.5 cup pecans roughly chopped
Poppy seed dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 0.5 tsp celery seed
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Method
 

Build the slaw
  1. Combine both cabbages, julienned apple, dried cranberries, and green onions in a large bowl.
  2. Arrange the mixture so the cabbage and apple are evenly distributed for consistent dressing coverage.
Make the dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, poppy seeds, celery seed, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  2. Whisk for 30-60 seconds to fully dissolve the salt and evenly disperse the poppy seeds.
Coat and chill
  1. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss well to coat.
  2. Fold in pecans so they’re distributed throughout the slaw.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes so the flavors meld, then proceed to serving.
Finish and serve
  1. Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning to taste.

Notes

For best crunch, refrigerate in an airtight container and serve within 2 days. The coleslaw can be frozen (texture softens after thawing), so it’s not ideal for freezing. Swap for a lighter option by using light mayonnaise; keep the honey and lemon for the same sweet-tang balance.