Easy cole slaw recipe for pulled pork or serve as a side dish for the perfect dinner. Using only a few ingredients it’s great! You can use our mayonnaise sauce here or a simple Asian blend to make a shredded cabbage salad that goes well with any main dish.

We made bbq pulled pork sandwiches the other day. What goes better with that meal than an easy cole slaw recipe!! (originally published 10/15, affiliate links present)
Easy Cole Slaw for Pulled Pork
Typically the type you buy in the store is a bit limp and has too much dressing for us so I just whip up this easy cole slaw recipe I put together so it’s nice and fresh for our meal. Here is how you make it.
Ok so I love easy recipes I can throw together and are vibrant in color especially when I am bringing a dish to someone’s house. I came up with a great and colorful pasta salad recipe here you’ll love, and this easy cole slaw recipe is great as a side dish for dinner/BBQ.

Cole Slaw Recipe for Pulled Pork
Ok so I cheat when it comes to the cabbage part. It is so cheap to buy a bag already shredded with the carrots and all already done that it doesn’t make sense to buy all the ingredients. I have done this with brocco slaw mix (yes there is such a thing), and a traditional bag of ready cut cole slaw mix and both work great.
I use 3 cups to make this dressing, of course you could double everything to make more. If you like a drier version you could add less mayo as well, I like a lot of “dressing” on ours. There are tons of variations you can make to this like including salt and black pepper to taste. Dice red onion and add that in, etc…
4 Ingredient Cole Slaw
- You’ll want a large bowl to mix it up and small bowls to serve on the side if you want separate
- Coleslaw mix (I used bagged but could cut your own cabbage)
- Mayonnaise for it to become creamy coleslaw mixture
- White sugar
- Rice vinegar
- Optional – 1 c. pineapple tidbits to make Hawaiian cole slaw

Cole Slaw for Pulled Pork Sliders
You can certainly slice and dice your own heads of red and green cabbage to make this as well. As far as cooking the protein to make these you have a few options as well. Doesn’t have to be pig either, you can load up your Hawaiian rolls with tender bbq chicken pulled too if you like. We have all sorts of pulled pork recipes on our site to choose from.
- The easiest is to make boneless pork shoulder for about an hour to get it to break down nicely. Easy peasy with sauce of your choice. Make spicy or use a brown sugar variety for sweet.
- If you are forgetful, this is how to cook frozen pork shoulder until tender and fall apart delicious too.
Once that is done to your liking you just slice your buns and pile on the coleslaw for pulled pork on top. Season with some ground black pepper if you like and bite in!! YOu can also try our red cabbage coleslaw recipe for another treat.

What Can You Add into Coleslaw
The first thing I think about is how to integrate more produce, not just vegetables. If you want sweetness pineapple is always a great choice if you can find it fresh. Canned tidbits work well too, just about 1/2 a cup drained is best so you don’t thin out the sauce. You want it to maintain the thick creamy texture overall.
- Cole slaw with shredded carrots adds a nice sweetness and color to your cabbage recipe.
- Diced apples can add a refreshing crunch and sweetness to your mix.
- Raisins add a sweet and chewy texture to with a dried fruit kick.
- While cabbage is the main ingredient, using different varieties such as red cabbage or napa cabbage can add some variety in texture and flavor.
- Diced onions in different colors can add a savory flavor and crunch to this.
- Diced peppers of different kinds add variety and some spice if you want. Try a few diced such as red or green bell peppers or jalapenos.
- Chopped nuts, such as almonds or pecans, can add a nice crunch and nutty flavor to your sandwich.
- Fresh chopped herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, or dill, can add some freshness and a pop of color to this.
How to Serve Cole Slaw
We already went over as a side dish and on a sandwich or slider bun and those are probably our go tos but there are several other options out there to talk about to like;
- In a wrap: Cole slaw can be wrapped up in a tortilla or lettuce leaf with some grilled chicken, turkey, or fish. It makes for a light and refreshing lunch option.
- With tacos this can be served along with your fried fish or shrimp for a refreshing and crunchy contrast to the warm, spicy flavors of the tacos.
- In a burger we love how this can be also used as a topping for your patty to add some crunch and freshness.
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Cole Slaw Recipe for Pulled Pork
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 3 c cole slaw mix or chop your own cabbage and use 3 c.
- 1/2 c mayonnaise less or more depending on your preference
- 4 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 c pineapple optional, tidbits to make Hawaiian cole slaw
Instructions
- Gently mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
- Serve as a side dish or on top of sliders with pulled pork!


You are done!
Here is a great way we have used this cole slaw on top of bbq pulled pork made in the crockpot! Any way you eat it is is great and tastes really fresh!
Danette
Friday 14th of September 2018
What is the substitute for rice wine vinegar?
The Typical Mom
Tuesday 5th of January 2016
Awesome, so glad I could help!
Lori
Tuesday 5th of January 2016
I made this today for tomorrow nights dinner and it is fabulous! It's so hard to find to a great coleslaw dressing. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to having it tomorrow with the pulled pork recipe you posted.