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Home » Recipe Index » Caribbean

Jamaican Coleslaw

Published: Apr 27, 2023 by Tanya · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

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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.

A bowl of Jamaican coleslaw with serving spoons.


 

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks 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.

A bowl of Jamaican coleslaw with serving spoons.

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
jamaican coleslaw ingredients.

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.

cabbage, carrots and pepper shredded in a food processor.

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

Dressing mixed together in a large bowl.

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

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

Jamaican coleslaw all mixed together with the dressing.

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 coleslaw all mixed together with the dressing.

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

What is the best tool for shredding cabbage and carrots?

Any of these tools will shred cabbage; each might offer a different texture, however:
-Mandolin
-Food processor
-Manual press chopper
-Box shredder
Whichever tool your use, take care to use it safely to avoid any unnecessary cuts.

What cabbage is best for coleslaw?

Green, red, napa, or savoy cabbage are all great options for coleslaw. Using red cabbage may result in some color bleeding into the dressing, but is great for added color contrast. Purely preference or what you have access to with do.

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!

A bowl of Jamaican coleslaw with serving spoons.
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4.75 from 8 votes

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.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Jamaican
Keyword Jamaican Coleslaw
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Resting 1 hour hour
Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 178kcal
Author Tanya
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • ½ head Medium cabbage shredded, about 4 cups
  • 2 Carrots shredded
  • ½ Scotch bonnet pepper seeds removed and shredded
  • ¾ cup Mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup White vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons Brown sugar packed
  • ½ teaspoon Ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, and scotch bonnet pepper. Set 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.

Video

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 159mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2625IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

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Comments

    4.75 from 8 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Joey says

    March 22, 2025 at 6:52 pm

    This came just as good as the Caribbean restaurant I go to.. maybe better! Bless up!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      March 23, 2025 at 7:33 am

      Thanks Joey! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  2. Ameara says

    June 29, 2024 at 11:16 am

    Which mayo do you find is the best to you use with this? Is Hellman's good or more like a miracle whip mayo (can't recall if you have miracle whip in the States).

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      June 30, 2024 at 9:35 am

      Hi Ameara, I usually use Dukes mayo, which is a heavier kind of mayo but so good. I think Hellman's would be the next best thing.

      Reply
    • Ameara says

      July 01, 2024 at 3:21 pm

      @Tanya, thanks for replying! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Marlene says

    February 05, 2024 at 7:49 pm

    Hi. Can I 1/2 this recipe, as It’s only for my hubby and me. I’m making other Jamaican dishes to serve with this…Jamaican beef patties, jerk chicken, rice and peas and Rum cake.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      February 06, 2024 at 5:02 pm

      Hi Marlene, Yes, you sure can halve this recipe. It'll taste just the same.

      Reply
  4. Teddi says

    June 20, 2023 at 9:41 am

    Made this for Father’s Day to accompany grilled shrimp with mango salsa. Nice flavors and I love the ability to raise the heat level by keeping in a few pepper seeds😊

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      June 20, 2023 at 1:10 pm

      Thanks Teddi! So happy you liked the recipe 🙂

      Reply

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Welcome to My Forking Life! Hi, I'm Tanya, attorney, busy wife and mom, and lover of quick, easy, and delicious meals.

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