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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Creamy Tahini Coleslaw (Mayo-Free and Vegan)

    Published: Mar 28, 2019 · Modified: May 25, 2023 by Cassidy Reeser · This post may contain affiliate links.

    657 shares
    • 1
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    Overhead view of coleslaw in a medium sized bowl sitting on a blue cloth.
    Side view of white bowl filled with tahini coleslaw. A glass bowl of coleslaw is seen in the background.

    Creamy tahini coleslaw is a fun vegan alternative to classic mayo-based coleslaw. It's a little spicy, tangy, and perfect for summer barbecues!

    Overhead view of coleslaw in a medium sized bowl sitting on a blue cloth.

    Coleslaw (aka slaw) is probably one of the most spring/summer recipes ever. It's the perfect addition to burgers, tacos, or just enjoyed on a plate of macaroni salad and with BBQ tofu!

    Coleslaw haters beware, this tahini coleslaw recipe is mayo-free and packed with nutrition!

    Crunchy cabbage is tossed in a tangy, creamy tahini sauce, then topped with pumpkin seeds for this twist on the classic recipe.

    Jump to:
    • What is tahini?
    • How to make tahini coleslaw
    • Cabbage and nutrition
    • More ways to use tahini
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What is tahini?

    Tahini is made from toasted ground hulled sesame. It's the same seed that you see on burger buns, but this time the seeds have been toasted and ground up to form a nutty, flavorful, and creamy spread.

    Tahini is used in hummus, salad dressings, and even works well as a pasta sauce.

    Tahini is a flavorful and healthy swap for mayo in creamy recipes. Sesame seeds are high in healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, zinc, and copper.

    Using tahini in place of mayonnaise is a healthy and fun way to amp up your classic coleslaw recipe!

    Soom makes my favorite tahini, but you can also find tahini at most grocery stores in the International or sauce aisle.

    How to make tahini coleslaw

    Lucky for us, coleslaw is very simple to make. I use prepackaged coleslaw mix, but you can chop up a head of cabbage yourself if you prefer.

    One head of cabbage makes a lot more shredded cabbage than is needed for one batch of tahini coleslaw, so plan for leftover cabbage to be used in fried rice or even vegetarian reubens.

    Tahini sauce in one glass bowl and shredded coleslaw mix in another bowl.

    Start by mixing the tahini dressing ingredients together in a large bowl until creamy. The goal is to have a salad dressing consistency, like ranch dressing.

    Add the coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage to the tahini dressing. Then just mix, stir, and toss with pumpkin seeds.

    Tahini coleslaw in a large glass bowl on a marble background. A wooden spoon is resting in the bowl.

    And that's it: spicy tahini coleslaw! Cover and chill until ready to serve.

    Cabbage and nutrition

    Did you know that cabbage is packed with nutrients? Cabbage belongs to the cruciferous vegetable category alongside nutrition powerhouses like kale and broccoli.

    This inexpensive veggie is high in vitamin K, vitamin C and fiber, which are all important to a healthy diet.

    Side view of white bowl filled with coleslaw. A glass bowl of coleslaw is seen in the background.

    More ways to use tahini

    • Close up of double layered sandwich with chickpeas, lettuce and tomato.
      Vegan Chickpea Salad
    • Large glass bowl filled with kale salad and metal tongs next to bowl of lemons
      Everyday Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
    • Tahini dressing dripping off of spoon into a glass jar of dressing.
      Goddess Style Tahini Salad Dressing (Vegan)
    • Cracker resting in a bowl of yellow and creamy hummus.
      Spicy Jalapeño Hummus

    Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card or a review down in the comments section. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow along on my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest or sign up for my newsletter!

    📖 Recipe

    Close up of creamy texture of coleslaw in a bowl
    Print Recipe
    4.75 from 8 votes

    Creamy Tahini Coleslaw (Vegan)

    A fun vegan twist on classic coleslaw, this flavorful side dish is made with creamy tahini and tangy apple cider vinegar.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time10 minutes mins
    Servings: 8 servings
    Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

    Ingredients

    • 14 ounce coleslaw mix
    • ½ cup tahini
    • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ¼ cup water
    • 1 tablespoon brown mustard
    • 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
    • 2 teaspoons white sugar choose vegan sugar as needed
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds

    Instructions

    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: tahini, apple cider vinegar, water, brown mustard, hot sauce, sugar, salt. Stir until creamy.
    • Add coleslaw mix to the tahini dressing. Stir with a wooden spoon until the cabbage is evenly coated in dressing. Toss with pumpkin seeds. Enjoy cold.

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    Serving: 1servingCalories: 122kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 64mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 19.1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1.2mg

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      Balsamic Cherry Tomato Galette
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      Veggie-Packed Vegetarian Macaroni Salad
    657 shares
    • 1

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alexandra

      June 23, 2022 at 6:34 pm

      Super delicious with the bbq tofu!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        June 24, 2022 at 10:06 am

        Thanks for the review!

        Reply
    2. Milt

      June 08, 2021 at 2:04 pm

      Since we went vegan a few months, my wife has been after me to find a good coleslaw (one of her favorite sides). This recipe is awesome! Thank you! (I did add a teaspoon of ground black pepper, and I used Texas Pete hot sauce.)

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        June 08, 2021 at 2:24 pm

        Awesome, so happy to hear that! Thanks for trying the recipe 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nicole

      March 03, 2021 at 10:46 pm

      SO GOOD! I do not like regular coleslaw so I was kind of hesitant trying this but I’m so glad I did. It was a hit with the whole family. Will definitely make this again!

      Reply
    4. Sarah Winner

      September 23, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      Delicious! I paired this with your BBQ Tofu Sandwich. I love tahini and the crunchiness of cabbage, so this made a perfect vegan coleslaw topping/side dish. I didn't have mustard, but added a few dashes of garlic and cumin.

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        September 24, 2020 at 11:14 am

        So glad you liked the slaw! Thanks for making it.

        Reply
    5. Seva Reilly

      June 23, 2020 at 12:52 pm

      This is so, so good! I used about 8 oz more coleslaw mix in the recipe, but it is perfect. Haven't had coleslaw since I was a kid, and this brought back happy memories. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        June 23, 2020 at 4:04 pm

        So glad to hear that you liked it! Thanks for making it.

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Cassidy! I’m the registered dietitian behind Cozy Peach Kitchen, a food and nutrition blog sharing easy vegetarian recipes for every occasion.

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