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My Apple Coleslaw with Cranberries is vibrant, crunchy, and makes such a gorgeous side dish for all your grilled or roasted meats. We use sweet and tart apples, cabbage, carrots, crunchy sunflower seeds, and sweetened cranberries. Then we mix it all with a swangy mayonnaise-and-apple-cider dressing. You’ll love how easy this apple slaw is to make, and it keeps for days.

A bowl of coleslaw with shredded red cabbage, apples, carrots, and a creamy dressing, garnished with thin apple slices.
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We eat a lot of salad, so I like to mix it up and have coleslaw some days. This apple slaw is one of my favorites. The red cabbage gives it such an intriguing color — I really like to serve this around Christmas because it looks so festive. But this slaw is also good year-round.

It’s great when you throw some chicken on the grill in the summertime, and it’s also perfect with your Easter ham.

Testing results for apple coleslaw with cranberries

  1. We like this apple coleslaw with sunflower seeds, as I’ve listed here, or with roasted pumpkin seeds.
  2. We have found that submerging the apple slices in a bowl of cold water will keep them from turning brown while mixing the rest of the slaw. I don’t like using lemon juice because the apples absorb the flavor.
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I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!

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A plate of creamy coleslaw with shredded red cabbage, carrots, and green apple, garnished with a thin apple slice, with a fork on the side.

Ingredient notes

Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.

➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.

Apples: I like to mix tart Granny Smith sweet Fuji or Honeycrisp.

Cabbage: You can shred your own with the food processor or just buy a couple of bags of shredded cabbage. I have a hard time finding a bag of just purple or red cabbage, so when making this recipe, I usually take the time to shred it myself.

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How to make apple coleslaw

  1. Mix up the dressing first so the flavors have a little time to blend.
  2. Shred the cabbage and carrots, then add them to a large bowl.
  3. Chop the apples into thin slices and add them to the bowl along with the remaining vegetables and ingredients.
  4. Stir in the dressing until the slaw is well mixed.
A bowl of apple coleslaw made with purple cabbage, carrots, and seeds, garnished with apple slices, on a marble surface with apples, seeds, and dried cranberries beside it.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!

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Apple Coleslaw with Cranberries

A crunchy, colorful slaw with sweet apples, cabbage, and tangy creamy dressing is easy, refreshing, and perfect for any meal.
Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
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A plate of creamy apple coleslaw made with shredded cabbage and carrots, garnished with two thin slices of green apple, served with a fork.

Equipment

food processor
food processor
large mixing bowl
large mixing bowl

Ingredients 

Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Apple Coleslaw

  • 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
  • 2 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 2 apples (I like to mix 1 tart Granny Smith and 1 sweeter Fuji), thinly sliced
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • ½ cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
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Instructions 

  • In a medium-sized bowl, mix 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons grainy mustard, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Using a small whisk, mix until combined. Set aside.
    A glass bowl with mayonnaise, chopped herbs, whole grain mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice on a marble countertop, surrounded by a whisk, a strainer, and a squeezed lemon.
  • Shred the cabbage using your food processor with a grating attachment, or hand-cut into thin slivers and add to a large bowl. You can also purchase pre-shredded cabbage.
    2 cups shredded purple cabbage, 2 cups shredded green cabbage
    A glass bowl with shredded purple and green cabbage, mixed with a wooden spoon. Surrounding bowls contain shredded carrots, apples, and beets.
  • Cut apples into thin pieces; I prefer to cut them in half so they don’t roll away while I’m cutting. Then cut the halves into thin slices, and then into thin slivers. Add to bowl. How thick or thin you make the pieces is a personal preference.
    2 apples (I like to mix 1 tart Granny Smith and 1 sweeter Fuji), thinly sliced
    A glass bowl of julienned green apples on a marble surface, surrounded by bowls of shredded carrots, seeds, dressing, and chopped green onions.
  • Add 1 cup shredded carrots, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, and 2 green onions, thinly sliced to the bowl.
    A glass bowl containing shredded carrots, dried cranberries, chopped green onions, sunflower seeds, and julienned green apple on a marble surface.
  • Drizzle with dressing and mix until well-combined and cabbage and apple pieces are coated with the dressing.
    A bowl of salad with shredded carrots, green onions, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and apple slices being topped with creamy dressing from a white pitcher.
  • Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
    A spoonful of apple coleslaw with shredded red cabbage, carrots, and dressing is held above a bowl filled with more coleslaw.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 283kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 214mg, Potassium: 242mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 3099IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 283
Keyword: coleslaw with apples and cranberries
Leave a comment and ★★★★★ rating below!
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About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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