Coleslaw can tend to be soggy and boring, not this coleslaw with its surprise ingredient and zippy dressing this recipe will win over even the most skeptical eaters!

coleslaw in a white serving dish on a round wood cutting board

Why I love this coleslaw

When we vacation it’s all about the food. We all look forward to finding new and interesting places to eat, and often, if we find a good spot, we will keep going back! Last year we visited Indian Rocks Beach for the first time. It’s on the Gulf Coast of Florida. We fell in love with the beaches, the fantastic sunsets, and all the great places to eat within walking distance. We made a habit of walking down the beach at sunset to our dinner destination; then, we would walk the lighted sidewalk home, but not without a stop at the Kooky Coconut for ice cream. (by the way, they have a good lunch, too!) One of our absolute favorites is Keegan’s. If you are in this area, you must try this little joint. I could honestly eat there most nights! It’s so good! It’s not fancy, just tasty food at a reasonable price. Something else I love about not cooking and eating out for a week is that I get new inspiration, and I am always motivated to get back in my kitchen!

Ooh isn’t that purdy? The inspiration for this coleslaw is from The Pub. This restaurant is not my favorite, but their coleslaw makes it worth trying. They have a lovely deck; if the weather is good, sitting outside is nice; as long as the seagulls don’t steal your grouper sandwich, it can be a nice place to relax.

gulf coast coleslaw ingredients in small bowls on a round wood cutting board on a white countertop

Gather these ingredients

bag of slaw mix with carrots
red cabbage
Mandarin oranges
red sweet onion
mayonnaise
apple cider vinegar
sugar
yellow mustard
salt
black pepper
celery seeds
garlic powder
tabasco sauce

How to make Gulf Coast Coleslaw

glass bowl of slaw dressing in upper left corner, open can of mandarin oranges in upper right, bowl of salad ingredients in bottom half of the photo all on a white background

Wash and chop the cabbage and red onion finely. Open and drain a can of Mandarin oranges. Whisk together the gulf shores coleslaw dressing ingredients.

dumping can of mandarin oranges in with coleslaw ingredients

Add a can of mandarin oranges to cabbage and onions. The mandarin oranges give a burst of flavor that you are not expecting. Sweet, citrus, crunch, tangy, and slightly mustard sauce, this creamy coleslaw is quite honestly amazing!

adding salad dressing to coleslaw ingredients, glass bowl is in upper left hand corner pouring dressing on coleslaw

Thirty minutes before serving, pour the dressing on the coleslaw and fold the ingredients together. Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tips & Variations

Tip 1: Coleslaw always shrinks after mixing the dressing with the cabbage. Start in a large bowl; this will give you room to fold your ingredients together properly. Then, after mixing, move the coleslaw to a serving bowl.
Tip 2: Vinegar, orange, and lemon juice are acids. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar in the house, you can substitute either of these juices. You can also use Red Wine Vinegar.
Tip 3: Cayenne pepper, or your favorite hot sauce, can be used as a substitute for the Tabasco sauce. Add sparingly and taste the dressing before adding more.
Tip 4: This recipe makes approximately eight 1/2 cup servings. If you know people are going to be going back for second helpings, I would not hesitate to double this recipe.
Tip 5: I always mix all the vegetables and mandarins, cover the bowl, and refrigerate. Then, I make my coleslaw dressing and do the same. Then, I combine the two no more than 30 minutes before serving. This guarantees that the coleslaw will be fresh and crispy. You can even prep a day ahead.

gulf coast coleslaw on a white plate with green beans, bbq ribs, and a biscuit

Gulf Coast Coleslaw is close enough to your classic coleslaw recipe that if your people are not ones for trying new things, you could sneak it right in there on them! Go on! Do it! You will not regret it. Make Gulf Coast Coleslaw at your next backyard barbecue and report back to me, please.

My girls and their daddy walking along the gulf shore of Florida to dinner together. Sweet memories. Sigh, I wanna go back!

gulf coast coleslaw on a rust colored plate with baked beans and a sandwich in the background

Spring and Summer cookouts beg for this coleslaw to be on the table! I’m telling you, on its own or piled high on some pulled pork, this salad is tasty and toolicious! I hope you give this fantastic recipe a try. It is sure to be a hit! Please give it all the stars in the recipe card below and share it on your socials. Don’t forget to PIN it! XO, Sheila