Jamaican Coleslaw

My love for Jamaican cooking and Caribbean cuisine runs deep, inspiring this fresh Jamaican coleslaw salad! A creamy and crunchy combination of sweet, tangy, and spice.

 

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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

A take on fresh coleslaw, Jamaican style! Hints of delicious jerk spice you love in Jamaican food. Jamaican coleslaw is a simple recipe that's easy to make and can be served with a variety of different main dishes, including meat, fish, and vegetable-based dishes.

Some of my favorite dishes to pair with our Jamaican coleslaw are my Jamaican Oxtails, Baked Jamaican Jerk Shrimp, or this Jamaican Escovitch Fish.

Jamaican Slaw Ingredients

• Green cabbage - Shred yourself, or buy pre-shredded cabbage.
• Carrot - I'd shred large carrots yourself; pre-shredded carrots tend to be too thick.
• Scotch bonnet pepper - If you’re not a fan of spice, leave the scotch bonnet pepper out. If you can't find scotch bonnet pepper, habanero or jalapeno peppers are a good substitute for them in this recipe.
• Mayonnaise - Use your favorite brand of mayo here.
• White vinegar - Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will both work if you don't have any white vinegar.
• Lime juice - Fresh lime juice or bottled will work.
• Brown sugar - Light brown sugar, packed.
• Spices - Ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground nutmeg will all be required. All can be found in the spice aisle. Try this homemade Allspice Substitute if you don't have a jar.
• Salt - Add salt to taste

Tools needed for this recipe

• Food processor – Makes quick work of shredding vegetables. If you don’t have a food processor, a sharp knife and a cutting board, or cheese/vegetable grater will be necessary for breaking down the veggies.
• Mixing bowl

How To Make Jamaican Coleslaw

After shredding, combine the cabbage, carrots, and scotch bonnet pepper. Set them aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, white vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar, ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground nutmeg.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

How to Store Jamaican Coleslaw

Keep your coleslaw stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

While you can serve our coleslaw right away, making this the day before and storing it in the fridge will allow the flavors to meld together.

How far ahead of time can I prep coleslaw? Shred your cabbage and carrots for at most, three days before mixing your coleslaw mixture. Keep them in a storage bag or container in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.

Jamaican Coleslaw Salad Variations

Less cream, more tang! - Swap out all or half of the mayonnaise for Dijon mustard.

More sweetness - Cut the spice with sweet bits of pineapple, mango, or sweet peas.

Jamaican Slaw Serving Suggetions

Coleslaw is a great side dish for Sunday dinners around the BBQ. Creamy coleslaw salad can be served next to, on top of, or as part of many dishes. Especially when you're grilling, coleslaw provides that crunch, zest, and creamy component some meals need. Serve our Jamaican coleslaw salad with any of these dishes:

• BBQ Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
• Braised Short Ribs
• Jamaican Oxtails Recipe
• Shredded Italian Beef Sandwiches

Jamaican Style Slaw FAQ's

Notes

• Use a food processor for easy shredding of the vegetables. 
• If you’re not a fan of spice, leave the scotch bonnet pepper out. If you can't find scotch bonnet pepper, habanero, or jalapeno peppers are a good substitute for them in this recipe.
• Use this homemade Allspice Substitute if you don't have any available.

Looking for more amazing recipes? Try out these tasty Jamaican recipes:

• Jamaican Curry Chicken
• Jamaican Rice and Peas
• Baked Jamaican Jerk Shrimp
• Jamaican Cabbage
• The Most Popular Jamaican Herbs and Spices and How to Use Them

 If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!