This Apple Cranberry Coleslaw is the perfect combination for fall and the holidays, with its delicious crisp cabbage slaw, fresh Honeycrisp apples, dried cranberries, and a slaw dressing that's creamy and absolutely incredible!
It's not only refreshing and crunchy, but it's super versatile too, and goes well with just about any dish! This truly makes it the perfect side for all occasions, even potlucks and birthday parties!
What's best is that you can also make this delicious side ahead of time, making it perfect for busy holidays when there's just so much to cook and the pressure is on! Trust me you're going to fall in love with this recipe.
Want to learn how to make this delicious Apple Cranberry Coleslaw? Then keep on reading!
Table of Contents
- What is an Apple Cranberry Coleslaw?
- What Makes This Apple Cranberry Coleslaw Recipe Special?
- What to Need to Make Apple Cranberry Coleslaw at Home
- How to Make Apple Cranberry Coleslaw (Step-by-Step)
- What to Serve with Apple Cranberry Coleslaw
- Can You Make this Sidedish Ahead of Time?
- How to Store Leftover Apple Cranberry Coleslaw
- Similar Salad Recipes
- Recipe Card
- Comments
What is an Apple Cranberry Coleslaw?
An apple cranberry coleslaw is a delicious side dish that can be made really easily. It’s perfect for the holidays and any time of year!
This slaw will give you holiday vibes with its delicious flavor combination! It's truly the perfect representation of a quintessential fall side dish and I'm absolutely sure you're going to fall in love with this cranberry apple coleslaw recipe.
Have this perfect side with some pulled chicken, or make it ahead of time for a special occasion (especially a holiday dinner!).
What Makes This Apple Cranberry Coleslaw Recipe Special?
You've got the chops, my friend! This easy Apple Cranberry Coleslaw Recipe is a must-have on your holiday table. There is nothing quite like a refreshing fresh and crunchy salad like this, bursting with tasty Fall flavors to accompany that scrumptious main dish on your plate.
If you are as busy a meal planner and prepper for the upcoming holidays as I am, you will certainly appreciate dishes such as this one. Unique, beautiful, inviting, and incredibly tasty made super easy. With so many other complex and time-consuming dishes to make, how do you fit it all into one day?
Well, you don't, my friend. You can actually prep this dish in advance! Just chop everything in the days ahead of the holiday, and make the dressing in advance as well! Then refrigerate everything in separate bowls covered with a plastic wrap unit it's needed, or for up to six hours before serving.
When ready to serve, combine the dressing with the chopped apples and the vegetables. As a final touch, add the toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries right before serving. And salt and pepper to your liking.
So show your holiday chops with this unique tasty blend of sweet and sour apples, and dried cranberries, combined with savory green and red cabbage, carrots, green onions, fresh parsley, and mixed in a tangy Greek yogurt mayonnaise pumpkin dressing for a crisp, refreshing dish your guests will devour!
Can I Use Another Dried Fruit Instead of Cranberries?
Yes, you absolutely can! Though the combo of cranberries in apple coleslaw is, by far, the best one! If you do use any other dried fruit, make sure to chop it up into smaller pieces.
You can also dry your own fruits, as I taught in my apple chips recipe! Check it out to learn how to make some dried fruit at home.
What to Need to Make Apple Cranberry Coleslaw at Home
All you need are some simple ingredients to make this delicious apple slaw recipe. Let's look at each of them in more detail:
For the Coleslaw:
- Cabbage: We can't have a slaw without some cabbage! We'll be using both green and red cabbage for this recipe. Not only will it add a beautiful color and look appealing, but it'll taste even better too!
- Carrot: We'll also need one large carrot to add to our coleslaw. You can also use a coleslaw mix instead of cabbage and carrots if you have that at home already.
- Apples: Next, we'll obviously need some apples to make our apple cranberry coleslaw! I've used the Honeycrisp variety, but you can also use gala apples or granny smith apples for this recipe.
- Fresh parsley: We'll also need some fresh, chopped parsley to add to our delicious and perfect side!
- Green onions: For an extra crisp flavor, I highly recommend adding green onions because the sharp flavor perfectly balances out the apples, cranberries, and cabbage!
- Pumpkin seeds: Not only will they add a delicious flavor, but they're incredibly good for you as well!
- Dried cranberries: And of course, we'll also need some dried cranberries to add to our apple coleslaw to turn it into a delicious apple cranberry slaw!
For the Slaw Dressing:
- Greek yogurt: To make it delicious, yet healthier than other coleslaws we'll be using some greek yogurt as the main base for our slaw dressing.
- Mayonnaise: Next, we'll add some mayo to it to make it creamier and richer, and add a delicious flavor to our classic cranberry apple coleslaw. I've used homemade mayonnaise to make it not only taste better but to make it more healthy too!
- Apple cider vinegar: To balance out all the flavors, we'll also be adding some apple cider vinegar to our dressing.
- Maple syrup: You'll also need some maple syrup for the dressing! It's my secret ingredient to elevating the flavor to the next level with its subtle, yet delicious sweetness!
- Pumpkin puree: For the perfect fall combination, I've also added pumpkin puree to this dressing. It makes a massive difference to the flavor and I'm sure you'll fall in love with it! I've used homemade pumpkin puree in my recipe.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Let's take it to the next level even further with a little pumpkin spice to balance everything out!
- Seasonings: Last, but not least, we'll need some salt and black pepper in our delicious dressing to make sure it's just right!
How to Make Apple Cranberry Coleslaw (Step-by-Step)
Making this tasty, perfect side is easier than you think! Here's what you'll need to do step by step to make it at home:
In a small bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, sea salt, and pepper.
Refrigerate until ready for use. This will give the dressing some time for all the flavors to perfectly mingle and blend together.
Next, rinse and shred or chop all the fresh ingredients, namely green and red cabbage, carrot, apple, parsley, and green onion.
Now place all chopped veggies into a large bowl. Then add the pumpkin seeds to it. Personally, I like to toast the seeds in advance and cool them completely before adding them to the salad.
Pour the dressing over the coleslaw salad and mix to coat evenly.
Cover and chill for an hour or so before serving to allow the flavors to absorb. Your delicious Apple Cranberry Coleslaw is ready to be served! Enjoy this salad alongside your favorite main dish.
What to Serve with Apple Cranberry Coleslaw
You can pair apple cranberry slaw with just about any summer potluck, BBQ, or even with any holiday dish!
It also goes incredibly well with burgers, sandwiches, pulled chicken or pork, grilled chicken, or even roasted meat. You can also add some protein to it to make it a light salad on its own, or use it as a sandwich filler with some cheese and cold cuts.
Can You Make this Sidedish Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can actually prep this dish in advance! Just chop everything in the days ahead of the holiday, and make the dressing in advance as well! Then refrigerate everything in separate bowls covered with a plastic wrap unit it's needed, or for up to six hours before serving.
When ready to serve, combine the dressing with the chopped apples and the vegetables. As a final touch, add the toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries right before serving. And salt and pepper to your liking.
How to Store Leftover Apple Cranberry Coleslaw
Store leftover coleslaw in an airtight container for up to three days in the fridge. Make sure to toss your salad thoroughly before serving it again.
Fresh ingredients tend to break down and let out juices that change the taste and texture of coleslaw, so it's best to eat it right away.
It's definitely not recommended to freeze this delicious side because the texture will entirely change, thanks to the high water content in many of the ingredients.
Similar Salad Recipes
- Red and Green Cabbage Cucumber Salad
- Purple Cabbage Tomato Salad
- Carrot Cabbage and Peppers Salad
- Cabbage and Cucumber Salad
- Cabbage Bologna and Cucumber Salad
Check out all the Salads Recipes.
Recipe Card
Easy Apple Cranberry Coleslaw (Perfect Holiday Side Dish)
Ingredients
Fresh Coleslaw Ingredients
- ½ regular – organic green cabbage
- ½ regular – organic red cabbage
- 1 large (or 1 ½ cup grated) – organic carrot
- 2 – organic honey crisp apples
- ¼ cup – chopped organic parsley
- ½ cup – chopped organic green onions
- ½ cup – toasted sprouted organic pumpkin seeds
- ¾ cup – organic dried cranberries
Coleslaw Dressings Ingredients
- ½ cup – organic Greek yogurt plain
- ⅓ cup – mayonnaise (I used homemade mayonnaise)
- 1 tbsp. – organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp. – organic maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. – pumpkin puree (I used homemade pumpkin puree)
- 1 tsp. – Redmond sea salt (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp. - pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp. – freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
How to Make Apple Cranberry Coleslaw
- Making this tasty, perfect side is easier than you think! Here's what you'll need to do step by step to make it at home:
- In a small bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, sea salt, and pepper.
- Refrigerate until ready for use. This will give the dressing some time for all the flavors to perfectly mingle and blend together.
- Next, rinse and shred or chop all the fresh ingredients, namely green and red cabbage, carrot, apple, parsley, and green onion.
- Now place all chopped veggies into a large bowl. Then add the pumpkin seeds to it. Personally, I like to toast the seeds in advance and cool them completely before adding them to the salad.
- Pour the dressing over the coleslaw salad and mix to coat evenly.
- Cover and chill for an hour or so before serving to allow the flavors to absorb. Your delicious Apple Cranberry Coleslaw is ready to be served! Enjoy this salad alongside your favorite main dish.
Notes
- After shredding red cabbage I like to soak it in ice-cold water for a couple of minutes, then use a salad spinner to the moisture. This prevents the red cabbage juices from bleeding over and discoloring the rest of the veggies
- For the chopped apple not to darken in the salad, I like to soak it in a lemon-water marinade prior to mixing it in. Combine a couple of cups of water with a couple of tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Soak, then dry apples using a paper towel or give them a few spins in the salad spinner.
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Holly says
This is a fabulous salad! How much pumpkin pie spice for the dressing? I didn’t see the amount to use in the recipe. I added a small dash, anyways. Turned out so good!
Valya's Taste of Home says
In the recipe printable part, it says 1/4 tsp or you can add it to taste. I'm glad you like the recipe.
Thank you for your feedback!