Cilantro lime slaw is fresh, light, crunchy, and zesty — making it the perfect pairing for dishes like tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and barbecued meats. This side dish is also quick and easy to make in about 5 minutes!
Plus, this cilantro lime coleslaw is healthy and loaded with fresh vegetables, Greek yogurt, herbs and aromatic seasoning, which add nutrients and antioxidants to the mix.
Why You'll Love Cilantro Lime Slaw
- It’s quick and easy. This cilantro lime slaw is ready in just 5-10 short minutes. You’ll love how quickly this side salad comes together, especially since we use a coleslaw salad mix to make things super quick.
- The yogurt dressing is healthy and creamy. Most coleslaw recipes use mayonnaise as it’s main creamy base, but it’s not always the healthiest option. This recipe does use a bit of mayo (which is totally optional) and a heaping cup of plain Greek yogurt. Not only is it lower in fat, it's also packed with essential nutrients and incredibly delicious!
- The zesty spice blend. Cilantro and lime aren’t the only spices you’ll find in this quick and easy 5-minute slaw. You’ll also get a kick from cumin and garlic.
- It’s the perfect pairing for proteins. I love making cilantro lime slaw to put on top of tacos, and it’s also the perfect side to burgers, sandwiches, and grilled meats.
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Cilantro Lime Slaw, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- coleslaw mix - you can also substitute this with shredded cabbage (green, purple, or a combination of the two).
- Greek yogurt - or substitute with sour cream.
- mayonnaise - I like the extra creaminess that the mayo add, but you can leave it out. It's completely optional.
- cilantro
- garlic
- lime juice
- seasoning - ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
Cilantro Lime Coleslaw Variations
Mix things up by adding in different ingredients into the lime cilantro slaw:
- Add in more veggies such as thinly sliced bell peppers, avocados, and red onions.
- Add in some spice with jalapeños or chipotle peppers.
- Sweeten it up with fresh fruit like mangos or pineapples.
How to Make the Best Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Make dressing. In a medium mixing bowl, add yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir well until smooth. You can also combine the dressing ingredients in a blender and pulse mix a couple times until combined (do not overmix or the dressing will be too watery).
- Assemble. In a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix with the dressing and toss well to coat evenly.
- Serve. Serve immediately. Store any leftover slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How to Serve
Serve cilantro lime slaw as a side salad on its own, or serve it as a topping for burgers, tacos, and sandwiches. It’s especially great with:
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Make ahead instructions: Prep the veggies and dressing ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers. Toss them together just before you are ready to serve.
- How to store: Keep leftover cilantro lime slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-2 days. The acid in the slaw mixture will start to break down the cabbage as time goes on, eventually making it soft, soggy, and not as crunchy anymore.
More Creamy Salad Recipes
- 40 Best Salad Recipes
- Classic Coleslaw
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Mexican Caesar Salad
- Kani Salad
- Shrimp Taco Salad
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
Recipe
Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Cilantro lime slaw is fresh, light, crunchy, and zesty. Ready in 5 minutes, it’s the perfect pairing for tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and barbecued meats.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (optional)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from ½ lime)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
- 3 cups coleslaw mix (or shredded cabbage) (about 200 grams)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, add yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir well until smooth. You can also combine the dressing ingredients in a blender and pulse mix a couple times until combined (do not overmix or the dressing will be too watery).
- In a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix with the dressing and toss well to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately. Store any leftover slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Notes
Make ahead instructions: Prep the veggies and dressing ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers. Toss them together just before you are ready to serve.
How to store: Keep leftover cilantro lime slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-2 days. The acid in the slaw mixture will start to break down the cabbage as time goes on, eventually making it soft, soggy, and not as crunchy anymore.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: Mexican
Food Blogger Business School
A step-by-step program that teaches food bloggers how to grow and scale their blogs into a full-time business
in less time and without posting endless content until you burn out.
John says
Cilantro (Coriander) is disgusting stuff.
I am one of a minority of the population with a genetic alteration which causes Coriander to give any dish in which it is an ingredient to taste like soap!
Any Recipe listing it as an Ingredient should come with a 'taste' warning!
Leslie cotton says
Hi John, I’m just the opposite, I think cilantro (coriander) is wonderful in smell and taste. However, I have a brother-in-law, who also thought it tasted like soap - suddenly, 20 years later, he now loves it. You might want to try it occasionally give it a go and see if maybe your taste buds change.
KayeD says
People for whom cilantro tastes like soap already know who they are; therefore, if said people see it as an ingredient in a recipe they should already know to omit the cilantro or just not make the recipe. It's not the recipe author's responsibility to put a taste warning. If you know, you know. I tasted the dressing before adding the cilantro just because I was curious and it is a good dressing even without it.