Easy Pineapple Coleslaw (No Mayo)

Pineapple coleslaw is the perfect side dish or even topping for tacos!

This simple slaw is made without mayo is slightly sweet, tangy, smoky and just a little spicy and comes together in just minutes! Made with a Mexican twist, this pineapple slaw goes perfectly with tacos but could also serve as a super simple side dish for any meal!

Ingredients to make pineapple coleslaw

• Cabbage – I default to green cabbage here because it’s budget friendly and I always have some on  hand. You could also use red cabbage, napa cabbage or even broccoli slaw.
• Red onion – I’m not sure why but the red onion elevates the flavors of this entire dish. The acid helps to cut through the harsh onion flavor and mellow out the onion. I highly recommend red onion unless you cannot tolerate it.
• Cilantro – the cilantro really balances out the flavors of this slaw well. Unless you think cilantro tastes like soap, don’t skip this ingredient!
• Canned or fresh pineapple chunks – Be sure to drain the canned pineapple well. I like to break down the pineapple chunks with my knife, as I find that crushed pineapples are a bit too mangled, but the big chunks of pineapple do not allow the flavor to be distributed well.
• Apple cider vinegar – the vinegar gives the slaw a bit of a tang and is perfectly balanced against the sweetness from the pineapple.
• Olive oil – olive oil provides some fat which also helps to reduce the acidity from the apple cider vinegar. I have omitted the oil in the past and think it’s necessary for balance in the dish.
• Salt – salt helps to elevate all the flavors, making the pineapple even sweeter and the other flavors pop more.
• Cumin – this adds a smoky flavor to the slaw without overpowering the pineapple.
• Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper – adding some heat is optional but if you can tolerate a bit of heat, I highly recommend adding it.

How to make pineapple slaw

1. Start by thinly shredding the cabbage. Start by removing the core then thinly slice the cabbage using a sharp knife. Add the cabbage to a large bowl.
2. Thinly slice the onion and add it to the bowl with the cabbage.
3. Finely chop the cilantro – I use both the stems and leaves as the stems are full of flavor as well. Add the cilantro to the bowl.
4. Roughly chop the pineapple chunks – run your knife over them to break them up from the larger chunks. Add chopped pineapple to the bowl with the rest of the veggies.
5. Pour the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and cumin on top of the cabbage and stir well 2-3 minutes to fully incorporate.
6. Sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes and stir again.
7. Enjoy immediately or allow to sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours before serving.

Top tips

Time saving tip: If you want to save time, you could also buy coleslaw mix at the store. It’s typically very inexpensive and an easy time saver! This may have sliced carrots or red cabbage in it as well, which is totally fine for this dish!

Toss the slaw before serving: No matter when you make this, the dressing tends to sink to the bottom of the bowl pretty quickly. Because of this, I recommend that you stir the slaw well (I use tongs) to make sure all the veggies are well coated before serving.

Great for meal prep! This recipe holds up well in the fridge for 2-3 days, making it perfect for meal prep! You can easily double or triple this recipe and use is as salad for lunch and serve with your favorite protein!

Other add-in’s

I love the simplicity of this dish. However, you can easily change up the ingredients based on what you have on hand. Some other great additions include:

• Sliced jalapenos or pickled jalapenos
• Thinly sliced radish (or chopped into thin matchsticks)
• Shredded carrots
• Broccoli slaw
• Red cabbage
• Shredded kale
• Shredded brussel sprouts
• Chopped mango slices
• Mandarin oranges
• Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or sliced almonds for crunch

What to serve with pineapple coleslaw

• Shrimp tacos or fish tacos
• Shrimp fajitas
• Vegan tacos
• Burgers or sandwiches
• Serve as a side dish for any meal. This would go great with air fryer salmon or juicy baked chicken.
• Make a fun weeknight meal for the kids with chicken drumsticks and fries.

FAQs

How much pineapple do you need

This recipe uses about 2/3 cup of pineapple chunks. I always buy canned pineapple in juice (not in syrup). You can save the juice for other recipes like this sweet and sour chicken.

How to prep this slaw ahead of time

• Shred the cabbage, slice the onion and chop the cilantro ahead of time. Roughly chop the pineapple and add it to the top of the cabbage mixture. Store this in the serving bowl (covered).
• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, olive oil, salt and cumin.
• Right before serving (up to an hour before) pour the dressing over the slaw and stir well (1-2 minutes to really incorporate the dressing over the slaw).

How to store pineapple coleslaw

Fridge: Store leftover pineapple slaw in the fridge for up to 4 days. The slaw will start to wilt, so if you are serving this to a crowd, you likely want to make it the day of.

If you love this recipe, you should try

Asian Broccoli Slaw

Avocado Ranch Broccoli Slaw

Creamy Cilantro Lime Slaw

Spicy Asian Slaw

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Pineapple Coleslaw (No Mayo)

$3.90 Recipe/$0.65 Serving

Pineapple coleslaw (no mayo) is the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, tangy and a bit spicy. It's a simple weeknight side dish or would be great served in fish tacos or with any Mexican style dish! Great for summer cookouts too!

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: pineapple coleslaw, pineapple slaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Author: Samantha Rowland

Ingredients

• 1/2 head cabbage - $1.65
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar - $0.12
• 1.5 tbsp. olive oil - $0.33
• 1/2 tsp. salt - $0.03
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin - $0.05
• 1 8 oz. container pineapple (drained) - $1.00
• 1/4 cup red onion. sliced - $0.17
• 3 tbsp. cilantro - $0.50
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper - $0.05

Instructions

• Thinly slice the cabbage and add it to a large bowl.
• Add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and cumin to the cabbage and stir well.
• Thinly slice the onions and add them to the cabbage.
• Drain the liquid from the pineapples. Roughly chop the pineapple so they are in small chunks. Add to the bowl with the cabbage and onions.
• Finely chop the cilantro (stems and leaves) and add the cilantro to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
• Stir everything together well, the cabbage will start to wilt.
• Add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional) – if you don't love heat start with a very small pinch of cayenne.

Notes

An 8oz container of pineapple chunks is about 2/3 cups of pineapple in cubes. 

Store leftover slaw in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

You can also add:

• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika for a bold smoky flavor
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder or 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 2-3 tbsp. pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or sliced almonds for crunch

See how I calculate food cost.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Amount per Serving

Calories

70

Fat

 

4

g

Carbohydrates

 

9

g

Fiber

 

2

g

Sugar

 

4

g

Protein

 

1

g

Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.

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