Easy Pineapple Coleslaw (No Mayo)

Pineapple coleslaw is the perfect side dish or even topping for tacos! This simple pineapple slaw is made without mayo and is slightly sweet, tangy, smoky and just a little spicy. This slaw with pineapple comes together in just minutes and goes perfectly with tacos but could also serve as a super simple side dish for any meal.

This pineapple slaw is a budget friendly side dish, made with simple ingredients like canned pineapple and cabbage, no mayo required. It comes together easily (the hardest part is shredding the cabbage!), and the recipe makes a large batch, so you’ll likely have leftovers for lunch. With just nine ingredients, it’s great for cookouts, potlucks, or summer dinners, and it holds up well in the heat.

Large silver bowl filled with pineapple slaw with tongs.
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Ingredient spotlight

  • Cabbage – finely slice the cabbage or buy coleslaw mix from the grocery store to save prep time.
  • Cilantro – the cilantro balances out the flavors of this slaw, don’t skip unless you don’t like cilantro.
  • Canned or fresh pineapple chunks – If using canned pineapple, be sure to drain it well. Be sure to cut down big chunks of pineapple so it can easily distribute into the slaw.
Ingredients to make pineapple coleslaw
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Pineapple coleslaw in a large bowl with tongs.

Pineapple Slaw (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
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Thinly slice the cabbage and add it to a large bowl.
    1/2 head cabbage
    Thinly sliced cabbage on grey cutting board.
  • Add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, cumin and red pepper flakes to the cabbage and stir well.
    2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
    Stainless steel bowl with shredded cabbage and spices.
  • 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.
    8 oz. container pineapple (drained)
    pineapple-coleslaw-how-to2
  • Thinly slice the onions and finely chop the cilantro (stems and leaves). Add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
    3 tablespoons cilantro, 1/4 cup red onion. sliced
    pineapple-coleslaw-how-to4
  • Stir everything together well, the cabbage will start to wilt.
    Serving of pineapple slaw being scooped from a bowl.

Notes

An 8oz container of pineapple chunks is about 2/3 cups of pineapple in cubes. 
    • 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!
You can also add:
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for a bold smoky flavor
  • 1/2 teaspoon. garlic powder or 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • 2-3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or sliced almonds for crunch
  • Sliced jalapenos or pickled jalapenos

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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How to serve coleslaw with pineapple

Pineapple slaw in a bowl with tongs in the bowl.

FAQs

How to prep this slaw ahead of time

  • If you need to prep more than 24 hours in advance:
    • 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).
  • If you need to prep within 24 hours of serving, you can simply make this pineapple cabbage slaw as written, making sure to stir the slaw well before serving.

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45 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wow! This looks awesome for fish tacos. I can’t wait to give this a try.

    Thanks for linking up on Share the Wealth Sunday. I hope we can continue to network!

  2. I love coleslaw, but have never made it with pineapples. My husband, however, does not like mayo so he doesn’t like coleslaw. I’m going to have to try this recipe and maybe he will like it. Thanks for sharing!

  3. This sounds good – and I think my kids might like to try it too! I love making my own coleslaw as shop bought has no taste and is COVERED with mayo! Great that you can leave it out for a bit too. #HHGN

  4. Oh yum, it looks totally refreshing. I could definitely think of a few dishes that this would compliment perfectly :-)

    Thanks for linking up to Marvelous Monday on Smart Party Planning.

    1. Dori, thank you!! I can’t wait to check out your tomato soup recipe , sounds so good on this rainy night!

  5. I love slaws in the spring and summer! This sounds perfect alone but on a fish taco I am sure it would be amazing! I will be adding this to my list of must makes for the summer barbeque season.

  6. Yum! The perfect side to any summer meal. Thanks for sharing at the This Is How We Roll Link Party! See you next week.

  7. Yum yum yum! Pineapple is one of my all-time favorite fruits too! Anything with pineapple is good in my eyes! This slaw recipe looks divine! What a perfect compliment to so many summer dishes! I am pinning this one and trying it out soon! Thanks for sharing!

  8. I love the idea of adding pineapple! I have had halibut with mango salsa and avocado and was totally obsessed, so I think this would be a perfect addition to fish tacos. My stomach HATES cabbage but I love it, so Beano is my best friend when I am joyfully partaking in coleslaw :P We will give this a shot soon!!

    Jill
    Latest Post – Out of the Office: Jewels and a Pencil Skirt for Everyday

  9. Wow! This coleslaw sounds great! I am such a huge coleslaw fan!
    Check out my new blog if you get a chance, hungrymountaineer.com tons of great healthy recipes and tales from the trail ( running) and travel. We even have a Facebook page now! Happy blogging!

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