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This easy jalapeno slaw recipe is fresh, has personality, and is bursting with lime juice! It’s fantastic anywhere you’d enjoy coleslaw and has refreshing and bold flavors.
You may also like my Easy Jalapeño Poppers or Best Coleslaw next.
Why you’ll love it
Whether you eat this jalapeño slaw as a side dish or on a burger, wrap, or tacos, it’ll be the star of the meal! For how simple it is to make, it really elevates anything you serve it with and adds an irresistible zip. Green jalapeno peppers give this slaw its signature zesty kick.
The dressing in this jalapeno coleslaw is creamy, a little bit tangy, and has so much brightness from the fresh lime juice. I don’t find jalapenos to be too spicy at all, and the creamy dressing has a wonderful cooling effect. It’s coleslaw but upgraded!
What you’ll need
- Dressing – mayonnaise, sour cream, freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt & pepper make up the tasty coleslaw dressing
- Coleslaw – for convenience I use a bagged coleslaw mix
- Red onions – they’re milder than other varieties, so they’re ideal eaten raw for a crunch
- Jalapeños – these popular green peppers fall on the lower range on the Scoville scale, so they’re manageable for most people
- Cilantro – this staple in Mexican food gives a pop of freshness and more bright flavor
Helpful tips
- Jalapeno peppers are not typically considered particularly spicy, depending on your tolerance, making them a great intro to hot peppers. They’re America’s favorite chili pepper for good reason — they’re very accessible!
- You can also make them milder by (carefully) removing the seeds and membranes if you prefer.
How to make jalapeno slaw
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a large prep bowl or salad bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients until smooth. Give it a taste, and make any adjustments.
Add in the remainder of the ingredients. Toss until evenly coated with the dressing, and chill for a bit if desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- When working with any hot pepper, I recommend wearing protective gloves.
- I love using one of these glass prep bowls for making coleslaw, and it’s easy to toss with a pair of kitchen tongs.
- Chop everything with ease using a sharp chef’s knife on a sturdy cutting board.
Substitutions and variations
- Subbing the mayo/sour cream for lower fat alternatives will change the texture and taste, so I don’t recommend it.
- You could substitute the red onions for scallions if you want.
- Save time by using packaged coleslaw mix, but you can shred your own cabbage. Green cabbage works great, but use whatever variety you prefer.
What to serve with jalapeno slaw
- This is great on/with anything you’d use coleslaw. It’s a great side dish for BBQs and cookouts, so serve it alongside favorites like my Easy Grilled Pork Chops and Best Ground Chicken Burgers.
- It’s especially tasty in Tex-Mex dishes. Pair it with my Santa Fe Chicken, use in tacos or in wraps. Top my Ground Turkey Tacos or Easy Shrimp Tacos with it!
- It’s awesome on my Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork sandwiches.
Leftovers and storage
- Store this slaw for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge, but the longer it sits, it will soften up more and might get a bit watery.
- As with any mayo-based salad, if it’s been sitting out for a while and getting warm, discard the rest for food safety reasons rather than storing it.
- I wouldn’t freeze any component of this one.
If you made this coleslaw with jalapenos, please leave a star rating and review below! What did you pair it with? Tag me on Instagram if you made this or any S&L recipe.
Jalapeno Slaw
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 14-16 ounces coleslaw mix or finely shredded cabbage
- 1/3 cup chopped red onions or to taste
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers chopped finely
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Add the slaw dressing ingredients (mayo, sour cream, lime juice, salt & pepper) to a fairly large prep bowl and mix together until smooth, then add in the coleslaw mix, onions, jalapenos, and cilantro. Toss until coated.
Notes
- You don’t need to be exact with the ingredient quantities. E.g. for the cilantro, eyeballing it is fine (I just roughly chop up one bunch).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I love a good coleslaw at a bbq but I’m tired of classic recipe. This recipe is perfect to satisfy those Mexican-inspired flavors. Personally I like a lot of spice but since I made this for a crowd I only used one jalapeño and I seeded half of it. The next time I make this for my spice-loving family I’ll do 2 jalapeños.
Thank you!! So happy you liked it! 😀