Hawaiian Coleslaw
This take on tropical coleslaw uses no mayo. Rather, we're using a vinegar-based dressing and bright fruit to create a coleslaw that is as bright colorful as the Hawaiian Islands themselves.
I miss a lot of things about spring and summer during the winter months, but one of them is eating outside. Tim and I love to pack up dinner and go on a bike ride or hike.
It's a perfectly relaxing end to the day.
And then, there are the family picnics. The loud and boisterous pot luck cook outs where people always seem to be in the best of spirits because they are outdoors, enjoying company, and eating some really good food.
And, if your family's anything like mine, there's always ample coleslaw.
Our Lightened Up Hawaiian Style Coleslaw Recipe
We're bringing a twist to the classic coleslaw today with this tropical coleslaw.
While many traditional "Hawaiian coleslaw" recipes will have a creamy, mayo-based, sauce, our version skips the mayo and comes closer to your classic vinegar slaw than the creamy version.
We're calling it Hawaiian because the bright tropical flavors were inspired by the islands!
Pineapple and Mandarin oranges give this dish sweetness, while soy sauce and a hint of liquid smoke bring the flavors of the Pacific.
Enjoy!
Hawaiian Cole Slaw
Ingredients
- 4 c cabbage, finely cut or shredded (about ¼ of a large head)
- 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
- ½ green pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, sliced and quartered
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (11oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 c pineapple chunks, roughly chopped with liquid reserved
- 1 tablespoon pineapple juice (reserved from the can, above)
- 3 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 dashes liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ c whole or slivered almonds, unsalted (for topping)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, carrots, green peppers, onions, garlic, oranges, and pineapples.
- In a small bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, vinegar, oil, soy sauce, liquid smoke and ginger.
- Pour sauce over veggies and toss until well coated.
- Top with almonds if desired.
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Eating outside is without a doubt one of the highlights of spring and summer. I´m loving this coleslaw! And very intrigued with the dashes of liquid smoke...
Delicious and refreshing salad.
I have got to try this salad, it sounds amazing and I love the liquid smoke in there.
I love this Hawaiian twist on cole slaw !!
I think I would really enjoy this version. I'm kind of picky about my coleslaws, but this seems like it would be just right!
Oh I love this version! This is one of my favorite dishes to make for a picnic. Never thought to add liquid smoke. YUM!
Pineapple and oranges in cole slaw???? Pass me a HUGE bowl!
This looks super tasty. I love the addition of mandarin and pineapple!
What a fun twist on coleslaw! I love the addition of mandarin oranges, sounds so fresh and fruity with the pineapple and ginger soy dressing!
I'm always happy to see new cole slaw recipes that don't use mayo (hate the stuff!). This one looks exceptionally delicious. I can just picture the soy sauce, liquid smoke, and pineapple flavors mingling. Yum!
I'd take this over regular coleslaw any day!
Interesting combo. I never thought to pair pineapple with a smoky undertone, but I do like grilled pineapple!
Oooh, I really like the sound of this slaw! It sounds like the perfect combo of textures and flavors. YUM!
You know, coleslaw gets a bad rap, but I love ALL coleslaw...the vinegary AND the creamy. Yours sounds fresh and flavorful! Love it!
What a fresh and pretty coleslaw - thank you for sharing!