Keto Shaved Cabbage Slaw: The Side Dish That Saves Dinner

There are two kinds of people at dinner. The first kind are meat-first folks. They’ll put steak, chicken, or ribs on the plate and call it a night. Then there’s the second kind, the ones who know the side dish makes the whole meal. If the side is boring, the plate feels flat. If the side is crisp, fresh, and carries flavor in every bite, the whole dinner feels ten times better.

This Keto Shaved Cabbage Slaw is that side. It’s light, crunchy, low carb, and it works with just about anything. Pulled pork? Perfect. Grilled salmon? Even better. Bunless burgers? You’ll want two scoops of slaw next to them.

And the best part—it’s simple. No fancy ingredients. No running to specialty stores. Just cabbage, a few pantry staples, and a dressing that’s creamy without weighing you down.

Let’s walk through the recipe, then I’ll share all the tricks I’ve picked up along the way, including how to shave cabbage the easy way, how to keep it crisp in the fridge for days, and little flavor swaps that can change the whole vibe of the dish.

What You’ll Need

For the slaw:

• 1 medium head of green cabbage (about 2 pounds)

• 1 cup shredded red cabbage (optional, but adds color)

• 1 large carrot (grated or julienned)

• 3 green onions, sliced thin

For the dressing:

• ¾ cup mayonnaise (sugar-free)

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon celery seed (optional but amazing)

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon keto-friendly sweetener (erythritol or monk fruit, optional if you like a touch of balance)

How to Make this Keto Shaved Cabbage Slaw

• Prep the cabbage. Peel off any limp outer leaves. Cut the cabbage into quarters, remove the tough core, then slice thinly with a sharp knife. If you’ve got a food processor with a slicing blade, that makes the job even faster. You want shreds that are thin but not paper-thin—enough to keep their crunch.

• Toss the veggies. Place the green cabbage, red cabbage (if using), carrot, and green onions in a big mixing bowl. Give it a good toss with your hands so everything is mixed evenly.

• Make the dressing. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, mustard, celery seed, salt, pepper, and sweetener. Taste it and adjust. Like it tangier? Add more vinegar. Creamier? Add more mayo.

• Combine. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mix. Use tongs or two spoons to toss until every shred is coated.

• Chill. This is the part most people rush through, but slaw is better after at least 30 minutes in the fridge. The flavors settle in, and the cabbage softens just a little without going soggy.

• Serve. Pile it high on plates next to your main dish or use it as a topping for lettuce-wrapped burgers or tacos.

Why This Works So Well on Keto

Keto isn’t about starving yourself of good food. It’s about finding swaps that cut out the sugar and starch without killing the flavor. A lot of traditional coleslaw recipes sneak sugar into the dressing. That spoonful might not seem like much, but it adds up and can knock you out of ketosis.

This version skips it or replaces it with a keto-friendly sweetener. The mayo adds fat that keeps you satisfied, the vinegar cuts through with brightness, and the cabbage brings crunch without carbs. A whole cup of shredded cabbage has just 2 grams of net carbs. That means you can have a generous scoop and still keep your numbers in check.

The Secret to Shaving Cabbage

Most people attack a head of cabbage like it’s a watermelon—big chunks, then chop until it looks like slaw. But the real secret is slicing it thin. That’s what makes it light and delicate, not heavy and clunky.

Here’s how:

• Use a sharp chef’s knife and slice across the cabbage quarters into fine ribbons.

• If you’ve got shaky hands or hate chopping, grab a mandoline slicer. Just mind your fingertips.

• Food processor? Go for the slicing disc, not the shredding blade. The shredding blade makes the pieces too small and watery.

When you slice it thin, the cabbage takes on the dressing better, and every bite feels balanced.

Storing Keto Cabbage Slaw

Slaw is one of those foods that’s almost better the next day. The flavors mingle, the cabbage softens slightly, and it feels like it was meant to sit overnight.

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

• If you like extra crunch, keep the dressing separate and toss just before serving.

• It doesn’t freeze well—cabbage gets soggy and sad after thawing.

I usually make a big batch on Sunday, and we use it through the week with different meals. It makes sticking to keto so much easier when you’ve already got a side dish ready to go.

Flavor Variations

Here’s where you can have fun. Cabbage is like a blank canvas—it can take on so many personalities depending on the dressing.

• Spicy kick: Add a chopped jalapeño to the mix, or stir in a teaspoon of hot sauce into the dressing.

• Asian style: Swap the Dijon for soy sauce (or coconut aminos for keto), add sesame oil, and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top.

• Herby fresh: Toss in a handful of chopped cilantro or dill for brightness.

• Tangy pickle twist: Chop up some sugar-free pickles and fold them in. It gives a burger-shop vibe.

This recipe is your base. Once you’ve got it down, you can riff on it depending on what’s in your fridge or what main dish you’re cooking.

Pairing Ideas

The slaw is great by itself, but it really shines when it’s paired up. Here are some meals I’ve tested it with:

• Pulled Pork (keto style): Slow cooked pork shoulder with smoky spices, topped with this slaw—it’s barbecue without the bun.

• Grilled Chicken Thighs: The tangy slaw cuts through the richness of crispy, skin-on chicken.

• Bunless Burgers: Forget the lettuce wrap. Pile slaw on top of your burger patty and eat it with a fork and knife.

• Fish Tacos (low carb style): Use almond flour tortillas or lettuce wraps, then top your grilled fish with slaw. Perfect crunch.

A Little Backstory

I used to think coleslaw was filler food—the sad pile at the corner of a diner plate that nobody touched. But that’s because I only knew the soggy, mayo-heavy stuff that sat too long under a heat lamp.

The first time I had a good slaw was at a small barbecue joint in Texas. The meat was great, sure, but the slaw had this crunch and tang that cut through everything else. It wasn’t sweet, it wasn’t mushy—it was alive. I went back for seconds of the slaw instead of the brisket, and that’s when I realized I’d been making it wrong all my life.

Going keto years later, I brought that memory back and worked out a version that fit the low carb way of eating. And now? It’s one of those staples in my fridge that I can’t imagine skipping.

Troubleshooting Slaw Mistakes

Even with simple recipes, little things can throw it off. Here’s how to fix the most common slaw mistakes:

• Too watery: This happens if the cabbage sits too long with salt or if you chop it too small. Keep your shreds bigger, and don’t let it sit dressed for days.

• Too bland: Add more vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice. Sometimes just a little acid makes everything pop.

• Too heavy: Cut mayo back and thin the dressing with a splash of cream or unsweetened yogurt.

• Cabbage too tough: Let it rest longer in the fridge. Time softens it naturally.

Why Readers Love This Recipe

Pinterest recipes that take off usually check three boxes:

• Easy ingredients. People want to cook without a shopping trip that feels like a scavenger hunt.

• Pretty colors. Red cabbage, green cabbage, orange carrot—it’s naturally photogenic.

• Repeat value. Recipes that go on the weekly rotation. This slaw isn’t a one-time dish, it’s the kind you’ll keep around.

Add in the keto angle and it’s clear why people pin it and keep coming back. It fits the diet, it looks good in photos, and it actually tastes like something you want seconds of.

Conclusion

This Keto Shaved Cabbage Slaw isn’t flashy. It’s not a five-star restaurant dish. But it’s real food, it’s simple, and it works. It makes dinner plates better, it lasts for days, and it keeps you on track with keto without feeling like you’re missing out.

Once you make it a couple times, you won’t even need the recipe. You’ll eyeball the cabbage, throw in the dressing, and adjust until it tastes right. And that’s the best kind of cooking—the kind that feels natural, not measured down to the last crumb.

So next time you’re pulling pork, firing up the grill, or just need a quick keto side dish that isn’t another pile of broccoli, shave up some cabbage. Your plate will thank you.

Print