Coleslaw: you either love it, or you hate it – there does not seem to be a middle ground here. You would think with my last name being “Cole,” it would be a staple for my family, but we are unfortunately the latter of this statement. Used as a topping for hot dogs, a side dish at picnics, and a staple with fried chicken fast-food meals, coleslaw is a crunchy salad, which can be served with, or without, a dressing. In it’s raw form, is it a gluten-free food?
Coleslaw is a gluten-free food. However, if you buy prepared coleslaw which contains added ingredients, be sure to look to review the ingredients label. If you have gluten intolerance or sensitivity, be sure to opt for a gluten-free certified brand. The best gluten-free alternatives to coleslaw include Eat Smart Broccoli Slaw and Wegman’s Creamy Broccoli Slaw.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some popular brands of store-bought coleslaw. We’ll also offer some alternatives to coleslaw, including nutrient-rich broccoli slaw mixes. Finally, we’ll provide you with a recipe to make homemade gluten-free coleslaw with healthy ingredients. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Raw vs Prepared Coleslaw
Coleslaw is usually known for its thick, tangy, mayonnaise-based flavored dressing. The crunchy texture of the raw vegetables and the sweetness of the mixed-in dressing, lends a great balance of textures when this salad mixture is paired with meats, like pulled pork, brisket or ribs. The dressing type varies depending on the region you’re in. Most southern U.S. states mayonnaise as their main dressing ingredient, while some coleslaw in North Carolina is made using ketchup. In England, mayo is completely left out of the mix, as it is considered too heavy for a BBQ meat dish.
In its raw form, and known as just “slaw” the salad is shredded cabbage, sometimes combined with carrots, red onions, celery, jicama, or snow peas. As a raw slaw, shredded cabbage and carrots make a great lettuce alternative for fish or shrimp tacos. Some brands of raw varieties add a small amount of vinegar and lemon dressing, to add in some tanginess.
Health Benefits of Coleslaw
Cabbage is part of the leafy green vegetable family which also includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. As a raw salad mix, the cabbage used in coleslaw has many health benefits, here are just a few of those.
- Aids in digestion: cabbage is a roughage vegetable, meaning it has a high fiber content. This high fiber can help prevent constipation and maintain a healthy digestive tract.
- Weight loss: cabbage has just 33 calories in a 1-cup serving and no fat. The high fiber content also helps here, as it is a very filling food.
- Lowers cholesterol: more of that beneficial fiber can help bind with the bile acids in the intestines and rid this from the body, instead of being absorbed into your blood.
- Fights cancer: cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and has been shown to help prevent some types of cancers. The bitter taste in these types of vegetables, sulforaphane, has been studied and found to inhibit the progression of cancer cells.
Coleslaw Nutritional Information
Fresh Express 3 Color Deli Coleslaw
Ingredients:
- Green Cabbage
- Red Cabbage
- Carrots
Nutrition Facts (for 85 gram serving):
- 25 – Calories
- 17 g – Total Fat
- 10 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 25 mg – Sodium
- 5 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 3 g – Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Bowl & Basket Coleslaw Blend
Ingredients:
- Green Cabbage
- Carrots
- Red Cabbage
Nutrition Facts (for 1 ½ cup serving):
- 25 – Calories
- 0 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 25 mg – Sodium
- 5 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 3 g – Sugars
- 5 g – Protein
Chef Buddy’s Southern Slaw, Diced Cabbage & Carrots
Ingredients:
- Cabbage
- Carrots
Nutrition Facts (for 1 cup serving):
- 20 – Calories
- 0 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 20 mg – Sodium
- 5 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 3 g – Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Prepared Coleslaw Nutritional Information
If you’re looking for a coleslaw that has been pre-made and packaged with the coleslaw dressing added, here are a couple of gluten-free brands you can try.
Market Pantry Homestyle Coleslaw
Found in Target stores, this readymade coleslaw is gluten-free, and does not contain any of the other food allergens.
Ingredients:
- Cabbage
- Sugar
- Mayonnaise (Soybean Oil, Water, Egg Yolks, Vinegar, Salt)
- Carrots
- Vinegar
- Onion
- Salt
- Ascorbic Acid
- Modified Corn Starch
- Sodium Erythorbate
- Citric Acid
- Xanthan Gum
- Sodium Benzoate (Preservative
- Potassium Sorbate (Preservative)
- Celery Seed
- White Pepper
Nutrition Facts (for 110 gram serving):
- 160 – Calories
- 9 g – Total Fat
- 1.5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 5 mg – Cholesterol
- 230 mg – Sodium
- 19 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 16 g – Sugars – Includes 14 grams added sugars
- 0 g – Protein
Freshness Guaranteed Amish Shredded Coleslaw
Made with fresh vegetables, including green and red peppers, this coleslaw mix has no artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup.
Ingredients:
- Cabbage
- Mayonnaise (Soybean Oil, Water, Egg Yolks, Vinegar, Salt)
- Sugar
- Carrots
- Red Bell Peppers
- Green Bell Peppers
- Water
- Salt
- Ascorbic Acid (Preservative)
- Black Pepper
- Citric Acid (Preservative)
- Modified Corn Starch
- Sodium Erythorbate (Preservative)
- Xanthan Gum
- Potassium Sorbate (Preservative)
- Sodium Benzoate (Preservative)
Nutrition Facts (for ½ cup serving):
- 180 – Calories
- 13 g – Total Fat
- 2 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 10 mg – Cholesterol
- 270 mg – Sodium
- 159 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 12 g – Sugars – Includes 10 grams added sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Alternatives to Coleslaw
Eat Smart Broccoli Slaw
Vegan, gluten-free, and kosher, the Eat Smart Broccoli Slaw is a great alternative to the typical high-cabbage-based coleslaw.
Ingredients:
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Red Cabbage
Nutrition Facts (for 3 ounce serving):
- 25 – Calories
- 0 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 25 mg – Sodium
- 5 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 2 g – Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Wegman’s Creamy Broccoli Slaw
Mixed with sweet onions and organic coleslaw dressing, Wegman’s offers a great recipe for making your own creamy broccoli slaw. Using Wegman’s brand of broccoli slaw provides you with 96% of the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin C, and 43% of the DVA of Vitamin A. That’s pretty impressive!
The products you will need for this are:
- 1 12-oz pkg Wegmans Broccoli Slaw
- 1/4 of a Wegmans Organic Sweet Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup of Wegmans Organic Coleslaw Dressing
Wegmans Broccoli Slaw Ingredients:
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Red Cabbage
Nutrition Facts (for 3 ounce serving):
- 25 – Calories
- 0 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 25 mg – Sodium
- 50 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 2 g – Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Wegmans Organic Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients:
- Water
- Organic High Oleic Sunflower Oil
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Organic Distilled Vinegar
- Contains 2% or less of each:
- Organic Egg Yolks
- Sea Salt
- Organic Spice (contains celery)
- Organic Poppy Seeds
- Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate
- Organic Corn Starch
- Xanthan Gum
- Organic Onion Powder
- Salt
- Organic Paprika
Pero Family Farms Vegetable Slaw, Organic, Green Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Broccoli & Carrots
The best of all worlds. The Pero Family Farms slaw mix contains cabbage, broccoli, and carrots. It’s gluten, soy, and wheat free, and certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF).
Ingredients:
- Green Cabbage
- Carrots
- Red Cabbage
- Broccoli
Nutrition Facts (for 3 ounce serving):
- 25 – Calories
- 0 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 25 mg – Sodium
- 5 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 3 g – Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Recipe for Lemony Brussels Sprouts Slaw Salad
If you’re looking for an even wilder alternative to cabbage-based coleslaw, here’s a recipe, adapted from Food and Wine, that you are sure to find tasty!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup low-fat, gluten-free mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chives, chopped
- 1/4 cup dill, chopped
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 pounds raw brussels sprouts
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons salted and roasted sunflower seeds
Directions:
- Make sure the Brussels sprouts you choose are firm.
- Add the sprouts to a food processor, and finely shred them. This should give you about 12 cups of slaw.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt and mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives and dill.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the brussels sprouts and toss them in the dressing mixture to coat evenly.
- Fold in the sunflower seeds.
Final Thoughts
Coleslaw is a naturally gluten-free food. It contains no wheat or gluten-containing ingredients. You’ll need to be careful, though, when purchasing coleslaw from a delicatessen, as the food can be cross-contaminated by other gluten-containing foods. If you are looking for an alternative to the regular cabbage-based coleslaw, check out some of the different brands of broccoli slaw available.
Related Questions
Is coleslaw vegan?
Coleslaw, in its raw state, is vegan-friendly. If you add a coleslaw dressing in order to make a creamy version, you’ll need to read label ingredients to verify if the dressing is acceptable to a vegan diet.
Is coleslaw paleo?
Coleslaw, with the ingredients of raw cabbage, carrots, and some broccoli varieties, is paleo-friendly, and is considered part of a healthy paleo diet.
Is coleslaw full of sodium?
The raw ingredients of coleslaw, the fresh vegetables, are not full of sodium. There is a minute sodium content in the raw vegetables. When you add in a coleslaw dressing, be sure to check the sodium content, as many salad dressings are high in sodium.