Healthy Coleslaw (Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing)

Name: Healthy Coleslaw (Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 cups shredded green cabbage; 2 cups shredded red cabbage; 2 carrots (shredded); ½ cup thinly sliced red onion; ½ teaspoon celery seed; ½ cup plain Greek yogurt; 1 tablespoon mayonnaise ((adds flavor, but you can leave it off)); ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons honey (OR maple syrup or cane sugar); ½ teaspoon Salt (or to taste)

This healthy coleslaw is creamy without the half cup of mayo, at 69 calories per serving. Greek yogurt does the work, Dijon and celery seed bring the classic flavor, and the cabbage stays crisp instead of going soggy. Ready in 10 minutes.

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Low calorie coleslaw made with Greek yogurt, shredded cabbage, carrots, and red onion in a wooden bowl.

Creamy Healthy Coleslaw At A Glance

✅ Recipe Name: Healthy Coleslaw (Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing)
🕒 Ready In: ~10 minutes, plus a 30-minute chill
👪 Serves: 6 as a side
🍽 Calories: ~69 per serving
🥣 Main Ingredients: Green and red cabbage, carrots, red onion, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, celery seed
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, vegetarian, low carb, no refined sugar
⭐ Why You'll Love It: A creamy coleslaw that uses one tablespoon of mayo instead of the half cup most recipes call for, so it tastes like classic deli slaw at a third of the calories.

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Why This Healthy Coleslaw Works

Greek yogurt has been my go-to swap for mayo for years. Healthy ranch dip first, then healthy chicken Caesar pasta salad, then my crispy potato salad. In all three, I dropped the mayo completely and never missed it.

Yogurt gives you the same creaminess with a fraction of the fat. It also holds up better to acid than people expect, which matters here because this dressing contains apple cider vinegar.

But yogurt on its own tastes like yogurt. It needs help. Dijon adds a savory note, and celery seed adds the flavor that makes your brain say "coleslaw." Leave either one out and you get a tangy cabbage salad instead.

Coleslaw is the one recipe where I did not go all the way to zero. I add one tablespoon of a good avocado oil mayo for flavor, and it makes a difference in a way it did not in the others. Leave it out if you want. The slaw still works; it just tastes a little more like yogurt and a little less like the deli version.

Jump to:

Creamy Healthy Coleslaw At A Glance
Why This Healthy Coleslaw Works
Is Coleslaw Healthy?
Ingredients You'll Need
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make Healthy Coleslaw (Step-by-Step)
Healthy Coleslaw Dressing (Greek Yogurt Based)
My Tips for the Best Coleslaw
What to Serve With Healthy Coleslaw
Make It Ahead and How to Store It
Healthy Coleslaw FAQs
More Healthy Side Dishes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Is Coleslaw Healthy?

It depends entirely on the dressing. Cabbage and carrots are low in calories and high in fiber and vitamin C. Classic deli slaw buries them in a half cup of mayo and a few tablespoons of sugar, which is where the calories come from.

The vegetables do real work. A serving of this slaw covers about 75% of your daily vitamin A and 35% of your vitamin C, almost entirely from the cabbage and carrots.

Swap the base and the math changes. This version uses Greek yogurt with one tablespoon of mayo and comes in at 69 calories a serving. Same vegetables, same crunch, very different label.

Ingredients You'll Need

This healthy coleslaw uses two kinds of cabbage, carrots, and a creamy Greek yogurt dressing made with dijon, apple cider vinegar, and celery seed. Everything is a grocery store staple, and nothing needs cooking.

Labeled ingredients for healthy coleslaw including green cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, red onion, Greek yogurt, mayo, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and honey.

Green cabbage: The base. Shred it thinly so the dressing coats evenly rather than sliding off in chunks.
Red cabbage: Mostly for color, but it also holds its crunch slightly longer than green. Use all green if that is what you have.
Carrots: Shred them on a box grater or buy them pre-shredded. Pre-shredded is drier and holds up better in leftovers.
Red onion: Slice it thin. Most coleslaw recipes skip it, but the sharp bite is what keeps the creamy dressing from feeling flat.
Greek yogurt: The base of the dressing. Full fat gives you the richest texture, but any plain Greek yogurt works. I use it the same way in my healthy Caesar dressing.
Mayonnaise: Just one tablespoon. I use a good avocado oil mayo for flavor. See the note above if you want to leave it out.
Dijon mustard: Adds the savory depth that yogurt alone does not have. Yellow mustard works but tastes sharper.
Apple cider vinegar: The tang. Lemon juice works in a pinch, but the flavor is brighter and less classic.
Honey: Balances the acid. Maple syrup or regular sugar both work here.
Celery seed: Do not skip this. It is the flavor that makes coleslaw taste like coleslaw, and it is the thing most lightened-up versions are missing.
Salt and black pepper: Both go into the dressing. Taste again after chilling, and add more if needed.

Scroll to recipe card for quantities!

Substitutions and Variations

No mayo: Leave it out and add an extra tablespoon of Greek yogurt. The slaw still works; it just tastes a little more like yogurt and a little less like the deli version.
Bagged coleslaw mix: Swap the cabbage and carrots for a 14 to 16-ounce bag. You lose some crunch since pre-shredded cabbage sits longer, but it cuts prep time to about 3 minutes.
Make it dairy-free: Use a plain unsweetened coconut or cashew yogurt; make sure it has NO FLAVORING! Check that it is thick, since thin yogurt makes a runny dressing.
No celery seed: Celery salt works, but cut the added salt in half. There is no real substitute for the flavor, so if you have neither, add a little more dijon.
Sweetener: Maple syrup or regular sugar both work in place of honey. Maple is slightly less sweet, so start with the same amount and taste.
Add heat: A thinly sliced jalapeño or a teaspoon of hot sauce whisked into the dressing.
Make it a meal: Toss in shredded chicken or chickpeas, or pile it on pulled chicken sandwiches, tacos, or burgers.

How to Make Healthy Coleslaw (Step-by-Step)

This healthy coleslaw comes together in one bowl in about 10 minutes. Whisk the dressing, toss it with the shredded vegetables, then chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Shredded green cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, and red onion tossed together in a white baking dish.

Step 1: Shred the vegetables. Add the green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, and red onion to a large bowl or dish. Toss with the celery seed so it distributes evenly before adding the dressing.

Creamy Greek yogurt dressing spooned onto the shredded cabbage and carrots with tongs resting in the dish.

Step 2: Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, mayo, dijon, apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt until smooth and creamy with no streaks.

Healthy coleslaw tossed until every strand of cabbage and carrot is coated in the creamy dressing.

Step 3: Toss and chill. Add the dressing to the vegetables and toss until everything is evenly coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then toss again, taste, and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.

Healthy Coleslaw Dressing (Greek Yogurt Based)

The dressing is the whole recipe. It is Greek yogurt for creaminess, dijon for savory depth, apple cider vinegar for tang, and honey to balance the acid. Whisk it in under a minute.

Start with the yogurt. Add it to a small bowl first, so you have room to whisk without splashing.
Add everything else and whisk until smooth. You want no visible streaks of mustard or yogurt. If it looks broken or grainy, keep whisking.
Taste before it hits the cabbage. The dressing should be slightly sharper than you want the finished slaw to be, because the cabbage will mellow it. Adjust the honey or vinegar now, not after.

This dressing also works on shredded Brussels sprouts, broccoli slaw, or as a sandwich spread.

My Tips for the Best Coleslaw

Taste again after chilling. Cold dulls flavor. What tasted balanced when you mixed it will usually need a little more salt or a splash of vinegar after 30 minutes in the fridge.
Shred thin and shred evenly. Long, thin ribbons hold the dressing better than chunks. A mandoline or the slicing disk on a food processor keeps every strand the same thickness.
Thirty minutes, not three hours. Long enough for the dressing to soak in, short enough that the cabbage has not started releasing water. This is the difference between creamy and soupy.

Overhead view of healthy coleslaw with Greek yogurt dressing.

What to Serve With Healthy Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a side, a topping, or both. It works anywhere you want something cold and crunchy against something warm and rich, which is most of what comes off a grill.

On sandwiches and tacos: Pile it directly on pulled chicken or pulled pork, or on these Baja shrimp tacos. The cold crunch against warm meat is the whole point.
With grilled chicken: Try it with these crispy grilled boneless chicken thighs or my air fryer chicken thighs (for an indoor version).
With burgers: I love these grilled turkey burgers and these juicy bison burgers.
At a cookout: It travels well and does not need reheating, which makes it one of the few sides you can make the morning of and forget about, alongside my healthy cornbread recipe.
With anything fried or breaded: My air fryer chicken cutlets, fish, or a chicken sandwich. The acid cuts through the richness.

Make It Ahead and How to Store It

Coleslaw is make-ahead friendly, but only up to a point. The components keep well separately. It is the two together that has a clock on it.

To make ahead: Whisk the dressing and store it in a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shred the cabbage, carrots, and onion and keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Toss the two together 30 minutes before serving.
To store leftovers: Keep dressed slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will soften and release liquid as it sits, so pour off any water at the bottom and give it a good toss before serving. Day one is the best, day two is still good, day three is noticeably softer.
Freezing: Do not. Cabbage turns to mush when it thaws, and the yogurt dressing separates.

Healthy Coleslaw FAQs

Can I make this coleslaw without any mayo?

Yes. Leave it out and add an extra tablespoon of Greek yogurt. The slaw still comes together and tastes good; it just leans a little more tangy and a little less like classic deli slaw.

Can I use a bagged coleslaw mix?

Yes. Use a 14 to 16 ounce bag in place of the cabbage and carrots. You lose a little crunch since pre-shredded cabbage has been sitting, but it cuts the prep down to a few minutes.

Why is my coleslaw watery?

Cabbage releases water as it sits, and salt speeds that up. If it has been in the fridge more than a few hours, pour off the liquid at the bottom and toss again. Chilling for 30 minutes instead of overnight prevents most of it.

Can I make it the night before?

Not fully dressed. Store the dressing and the shredded vegetables separately and toss them together 30 minutes before serving.

Does coleslaw need celery seed?

Not technically, but it is what makes coleslaw taste like coleslaw rather than a cabbage salad. Celery salt works as a substitute if you cut the added salt in half.

Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.