KFC Coleslaw Recipe
Updated
Updated
This KFC Coleslaw Recipe is as close as you can get without actually ordering it from the restaurant directly. The taste is simply perfect. Great dinner side dish or potluck recipe for summer gatherings, or brunches and luncheons all year round. It’s so good!
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5 STAR REVIEW
My favorite thing on KFC’s menu is the coleslaw (or at least how they used to make it), but we don’t live close to any of their chain restaurants, so I set out to recreate it! This KFC Coleslaw Recipe is spot on, or at least as close as you can get without actually going and ordering it from KFC directly.
Tips for Making Authentic KFC Coleslaw
- Chop the vegetables very fine. The cabbage, carrots, and onions are all chopped very fine, almost like the size of rice. You can chop them with a sharp knife, or if you have a food processor with a shredding attachment, use that and then finely chop with a sharp knife.
- There are only 3 vegetables. You can buy a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw and finely chop that, if you prefer. But keep in mind that true KFC Coleslaw only contains green cabbage, carrots, and onions, so don’t use the packaged cabbage that has red cabbage or any herbs.
- Don’t omit the sugar. Every single ingredient in this recipe is important and what makes the coleslaw taste authentic, including the sugar. It balances out the acidity in the vinegar and lemon juice. If you’ve ever had their coleslaw, you know that it’s a little sweet. That’s from the sugar.
- Chill overnight. At a minimum, the coleslaw should chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, but for optimal flavor let it chill overnight. And if you have time (and can remember!) stir it occasionally. This will give you the absolute best results.
KFC Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients
For the Coleslaw
- 8 cups finely chopped cabbage
- ¼ cup finely chopped carrot
- 2½ tablespoons very finely minced yellow onion
For the Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Chop the vegetables very fine: the cabbage, carrots, and onions are all chopped very fine, almost like the size of rice. You can chop them with a sharp knife, or if you have a food processor with a shredding attachment, use that and then finely chop with a sharp knife. (See note about using a pre-shredded coleslaw mix.)
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing. Whisk until smooth.
- Add in cabbage, carrots, and onion; mix well until everything is thoroughly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight. (If you have time – and can remember! – stir it occasionally. This will give you the absolute best results.) Stir again before serving and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
Make Ahead and Storing Leftovers
- Make Ahead: You can make the dressing and vegetable mix up to 5 days ahead, and keep them stored separately. Then combine for a fresh batch.
- How long does KFC Coleslaw last in the fridge? Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days. Always stir before serving. The longer it sits, the more soupy it gets. If that bothers you, simply strain off the excess liquid.
What to Serve with Coleslaw
There are so many ways to serve this KFC coleslaw. It’s fantastic with pretty much anything that comes off the grill, making it perfect for summer BBQs. You can even use it as a sandwich topping. It’s really delicious all on its own!
More Side Salads To Try:
- Broccoli Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
- Deli Fruit Salad
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
My family loved this! I don’t have a food processor so it was a bit labor intensive but, oh my, it was well worth the effort! We aren’t big raw onion people so only used about 1/3 of a medium onion and we even found that a bit too much but recognize that it’s flavor is needed so next time will reduce it a tad more. Also used lactose free milk and vinegar as a substitute for the buttermilk as we needed to maintain a lactose free diet. Tasted just like the KFC version! Definitely making again!!! Yum!
This recipe only calls for 2½ tablespoons of onion, so yes ⅓ of a medium onion would definitely be stronger. Glad you all loved it!
Highly recommend! This recipe is on on point! Definitely a 24 hr or more rest makes it 10x better as suggested! We definitely wait a few day before eating it. I recommend adding more or less ingredients to maximize your flavor!
I have been wanting to try this for a long time. I had a head of purple cabbage that I needed to use. Aesthetically speaking it didn’t look too appetizing, but oh my that dressing saved it! I always make my own slaw dressing, but this is far tastier and better. It will definitely be my go to now. Thanks for yet another great recipe, Amy!
Yes, loved this recipe , just like th old Kentcky fried chicken coleslaw.
Loved the home made KFC coleslaw. Didn’t have buttermilk but used Greek yoghurt. It was delicious. Will make again!!
Best ever coleslaw recipe —- sweet and crunchy and hits all the right spots ❤️
Taste exactly like KFC. My daughter, at first, didn’t believe me, I’m but then asked for the recipe. Received so many compliments.
Absolutely love this KFC coleslaw copycat. I followed the recipe exactly as written. We will be having it tonight with Reuben sandwiches. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Good Afternoon Amy,
Yesterday I made your faux KFC Coleslaw – it was delicious but I used way too many dishes attempting to get the cabbage just the right size. Would you please share with me your preferred method for shredding/cutting the cabbage? I have a Cuisinart Pro 11 food processor and ended up using the medium shredder blade.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Love your recipes. Thanks.
Hi Janis – I use my food processor with a shredding attachment, and then finely chop the mixture with a sharp knife.
It was really close to KFC… we enjoyed it.
Can you use miracle whip instead of mayonnaise
No. Miracle whip is salad dressing and will not work for this recipe.
I am fairly picky about coleslaw taste. I cannot STAND any of the store-bought varieties. Either bone dry or have thick glue like sauces and horseradish flavors.
My SIL has always made a great recipe for homemade coleslaw. After I made this, she said her recipe is going into retirement.
This one wins, hands down!
I had recipe before and made it but lost it. It’s great everyone loved it.
I’m eating this new, well-balanced mouth-explosion … for the first time now! Awesome improvement…or mmmistake?? DON’T THROW OUT THE RECIPE, KFC . . . and don’t change a thing! Wait, is this not a change…?
Say, Yes-Yes. . .It’s-Aaah-certainly — iz!
It’s an awesome appetizer; if you can stop eating it and remember that aahwesuum chikin too😊
I made your recipe in triple batch amounts for a church fish fry. Everyone loved it! Thank you!
Yummmmm
Hi!!! This is amazing! I literally just got done making it for a big party tomorrow. One question…it seems watery..meaning when it’s in the bowl you can see the dressing at the bottom. It’s too yummy to drain all of it, so I didn’t know if you had any ideas. Thanks so much!! It’s honestly the best I ever had.
Hi Tina! It definitely helps to stir it frequently as it chills (as mentioned) – not sure if you did that? But it’s not unusual for there to be some excess liquid. You could just add more cabbage to it. Glad you loved it!
it was so good everyone liked it you have to try it for yourself your group will like it as well
I love this recipe! I bought the smallest cabbage I could find and it made a BIG batch! I didn’t mind tho, I love it. Due to dietary restrictions, I use allulose instead of white sugar but i think it tastes as good as i remember KFC slaw to be. I chopped everything using a food processor which all in all it took 20 minutes to make. It’s a crowd pleaser for me!
Perfect! Taste just like KFC! Thank you, Amy.
This was absolutely perfect
Thank you so much for the “Superb KFC Coleslaw Recipe” share. I loved this recipe. I have tried several coleslaw recipes but this is one of the best at all. No recipe compares to this coleslaw recipe.
Excellent coleslaw recipe
Everyone that tried it loves it
The recipe is very easy to follow. I make coleslaw frequently (using various recipes) but my husband says this is the best one I’ve ever made. As soon as the batch was gone he asked me to make another one!
Wow I did not want to share this!! It was so good I also didn’t have the patience to let it sit but wow! Thank you for this amazing recipe
I have tried several coleslaw recipes over 60 years. I’m 79. No recipe compares to this coleslaw recipe. I made some for Pioneer day tomorrow in Utah. I don’t think I will be taking much home. This is a 20 star recipe. Thank you for sharing.
It’s as delicious as the KFC original! I followed the exact directions and served mine two hours after I made it. It tasted great then but it sat overnight and it’s even better! Follow the directions exactly then comment. I think it’s not right to give a less than 5 ?? review if you modified it. Thanks for my new go-to recipe! Delish!
Made this for a church cookout and received alot of compliments
It was delicious. Thanks for sharing
I made this for my dad’s birthday celebration. It was a hit and tasted just like the real deal. Now I will be making it for a youth church function for approximately 100 people.
I grow cabbage in my garden, my first picking I made KFC coleslaw, it is just like the original recipe at the chain it turned out wonderfully, do you have any other recipes for cabbage,as usual I plant too much, thanks,God bless,kind regards Bill
INCREDIBLE!! SCRUMPTIOUS!! THANK YOU
Made exactly as written and OMG you knocked it out of the park! Thank you so much.
Absolutely delicious!
Perfect coleslaw…
Was SO good!! Tastes like how KFC used to make their coleslaw.
It is so good, my favorite coleslaw and identical to KFC in taste.
Thank you for sharing! Sooo gooood!
Delicious! I make this often.
We love KFC cole slaw… this is even better!! I do add a bit more vinegar (we like it TANGY) ,and
celery seed… then leave it in fridge at least 24 hours. It usually lasts us around 4 to 5 days… and it’s delicious!!!!
I brought this to a family dinner, to serve with bbq pork sandwiches, it was all but gone! Thank you!! So delicious!
So good, just like KFC.
Loved this recipe!! It’s a keeper :)
Identical tasting yet better than KFC because it’s super fresh. The secret is to let cabbage marinate for at least 6 hours, I prefer 24 hours. I use the full dressing recipe and only 4 cups of cabbage instead of the 8 cups from the recipe. Would somebody please bottle this dressing and sell it in the grocery store. ?
Wow!! Honestly I wasn’t expecting much……it’s coleslaw.. This is the best coleslaw I ever had. Very close to KFC! I didn’t want to put it our on July 4th……I wanted to keep it all for myself!
Fantastic and our guests raved about the coleslaw.
This tastes identical to KFC coleslaw. You do however, as the recipe states, need to leave it in the fridge for a few hours before consuming for the taste to be just right. If you taste it immediately after making it, you’ll notice the flavour difference versus having let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. It is worth the wait though!
This coleslaw is the only one I’ll eat!
This is a dead ringer for KFC Coleslaw!!!!!!! I made it this morning, I’m trying my BEST to let it marry in the fridge, but every time I take it out to give it a stir I have to take another bite. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE COLESLAW!!!!!!!! You are awesome!??
I made the KFC coleslaw! Flavor is spot on. I do think next time I may omit the buttermilk, simply for a creamer result. Family scarfed it up!!
Perfection
OMG the best
This was a hit! We loved it. The flavors and textures are spot on.
I liked this recipe so much.
I’ve actually never had KFC coleslaw so I can’t compare it to that BUT regardless, this is the absolute best coleslaw I have ever tasted. I threw out all my other recipes – this is the only one I’ll make from now on.
I’ve been making this for years. I love KFC Coleslaw but it’s so pricey now for what you get. The only thing I change is the sugar amt I use a little less than 1/3C. Otherwise it’s perfect!! Also use Monk fruit for the sugar since I’m diabetic.