Pickle Slaw

Coleslaw with pickle juice instead of vinegar for pulled pork, fish tacos, and more.

By
Nick Evans
Nick Evans
Nick Evans

Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 15 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.

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Updated February 25, 2025
Nick Evans
pickle slaw in a white bowl
Nick Evans

This is a twist on the classic coleslaw. Rather than use vinegar, I use a little pickle juice to give my slaw some tang and stir in some chopped pickles as well. It cuts through the richness of a BBQ chicken sandwich!

A plate with pickles, chips and shredded bbq chicken sandwich with pickle slaw and topped with bbq sauce. A second plate with two sandwiches and sarrano mayo are behind the plate.
Nick Evans

Ways To Use This Slaw

In addition to using pickle juice in place of the traditional vinegar for this slaw, we also add about a half-cup of chopped pickles. It's like coleslaw and pickle relish all in one!

Serve this slaw on top of fish tacos or hot dogs, or alongside burgers, grilled steak, or grilled fish.

pickle slaw
Nick Evans

The Best Cabbage for Slaw

For this recipe, we use green cabbage. It has the perfect texture and flavor for coleslaw. You'll need about half of a medium head.

Make-Ahead Instructions

This slaw can be made up to 2 days in advance. It will also keep for up to 5 days, but the texture diminishes over time.

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From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Pickle Slaw

Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/4 cup pickle juice

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1/2 green cabbage, thin shredded (about 4 cups)

  • 2 medium carrots, grated (about 1 cup)

  • 1/4 cup chopped dill pickles

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Make the dressing:

    In a mixing bowl, whisk the mayo, pickle juice, and sugar until combined.

  2. Add the vegetables:

    Stir in the cabbage, carrots, and pickles.

  3. Taste and season:

    Taste the slaw. Season to your liking with salt and pepper.

    Pickle slaw can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
131 Calories
10g Fat
9g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 131
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 6mg 2%
Sodium 398mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 29mg 145%
Calcium 46mg 4%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 203mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.