This KFC Coleslaw Copycat recipe lets you make your restaurant favorite side, right in your kitchen! This slaw is perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks. This recipe is spot on!
We have our restaurant favorites, like my Cheddar Bay Biscuits. It's always fun to make them at home from scratch! We serve the coleslaw with Slow Cooker Baked Beans and Air Fryer Fried Chicken.
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Why This Recipe Works
Last weekend, we kicked off the summer with our annual BBQ Bash! There were ribs on the grill, corn on the cob, and coleslaw in the bowls. There were s'mores and sticky fingers and lots of fun and laughter! We live in Kansas and as true mid-westerners, we love our BBQ. And no BBQ dinner is served without coleslaw. Especially this one: the best copycat recipe of the famous KFC coleslaw!
My Hubby takes pride in his ribs (baby back, beef, short ribs - any kind) and has his technique down to perfection. I take care of the sides and dessert. This coleslaw took me a while to perfect. I discovered two secret ingredients that gave it that specific flavor: sugar and onion!
Many of our friends have said that this coleslaw is better than the original, from the restaurant. Now that is a reason to make it all summer long!
Ingredients:
To make the coleslaw you will need:
- cabbage: you will need about ½ of a medium green cabbage; use a food processor to shred it if you can;
- carrots: I used just one carrot but feel free to add more to your preferences;
- onion: it gives the slaw that characteristic flavor; it's the secret ingredient!
- mayonnaise: makes the dressing creamy and tangy;
- milk: necessary to thin out the dressing;
- buttermilk: no need to buy it, just follow our recipe for buttermilk substitute;
- apple cider vinegar: helps break down the veggies while the slaw refrigerates;
- sugar: balances the tangy flavors;
- salt and pepper: season to taste.
How to make KFC Coleslaw?
- Shredd cabbage, dice onion, and carrots.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over the veggies and stir all with a wooden spoon.
- Cover the bowl with a saran wrap and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Stir again before serving.
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Does it taste like the restaurant coleslaw?
Yes! It is spot on. It's creamy, tangy with a perfect ratio of cabbage, carrot and dressing. The onion and sugar add the slaw that specific flavor. Check out the reviews from our readers below. Many say it is even better than the restaurant slaw!
The secret to KFC coleslaw recipe:
I did a little bit of research and in no time I was whipping up the famous KFC copycat in my own kitchen. The hardest part was waiting for the whole thing to mingle flavors while chilling in the fridge. My own coleslaw lacked in flavor. It turned out that sugar and onion were the secret ingredients! It gave the coleslaw the characteristic flavor.
Helpful Tips!
- Use a food processor to shred the cabbage and carrots. This saves a lot of time!
- Make your own buttermilk with milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- It is absolutely necessary to let the coleslaw chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. The vegetables need time to marinate with the dressing.
- Don't forget to stir the slaw before serving.
Recipe FAQs:
You don't have to buy buttermilk for this recipe. You can make it at home by mixing half and half (or whole milk) and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice). Check out my recipe for buttermilk substitute for the full list of ingredients.
You can keep the coleslaw in a container with a lid, in the fridge for up to 5 days. Always stir before serving.
It is very normal for the liquid from veggies and dressing to collect at the bottom of the bowl. You can simply stir the coleslaw or drain the liquid.
More salad recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
KFC Coleslaw Copycat
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
- 2 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 cups shredded then diced cabbage about ½ of a medium head
- 1 medium carrot
- ¼ medium yellow onion minced
Instructions
- Shred the cabbage and carrot and dice finely.4 cups shredded then diced cabbage, 1 medium carrot
- Mix all veggies in a large mixing bowl.¼ medium yellow onion
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over the veggies and stir all with a wooden spoon.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup milk, ¼ cup buttermilk, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 ½ tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar, 2 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- Cover the bowl with a saran wrap and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Stir again before serving.
Video
Notes
- Total time doesn't include the chilling time of 4 hours.
- Make homemade buttermilk with whole milk (or half and half) and apple cider vinegar. See my recipe for buttermilk substitute.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Diana says
I don’t remember KFC having onions in their coleslaw.
I buy it every once in a while because my husband likes the coleslaw.
I’ll have to ask them.
Thanks for the recipe!😁
Rhonda says
I used to work in the salad prep at KFC. There is onion in it but they used tarragon vinegar. This is the closest one I've seen
Linda Scott says
This is the third time I have made this and I am now famous in my area in Spain for the best coleslaw around. I cannot get buttermilk here, so can’t add that, but I do add chives to mine - delicious
Kelly says
You can make buttermilk with 1cup milk and 1 tablespoon white vinegar , let set for 10 min and you’ll see the curdle !!
Paul Hartzog says
This is definitely my "go-to" creamy slaw recipe!
In a pinch, sour cream or plain yogurt can also work as a replacement for buttermilk. I also add about a tablespoon of prepared horseradish for a little extra bite.
Betty says
I don’t buy buttermilk that often. You can make it by adding a tablespoon or 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or ginger to milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. It will curdle. That’s how I make my own butter milk . Everyone loves my KFC. I also buy prepackaged coleslaw. Rinse and add your liquids. Refrigeration is the key.
Betty says
No ginger I meant vinegar.
Wendy says
My husband and daughter love pretty much ay kind of cole slaw but are partial to KFC's brand. We made this Copycat KFC Cole Slaw for dinner recently and it is absolutely delicious. Tastes exactly like KFC's. My only advice is to pour half of the dressing into the cabbage and then add more from there. We had too much dressing for ours and had to use a slotted spoon to avoid getting too much. We loved it so much I'm making another batch for dinner tonight!
Anna says
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Wendy! I am so glad it was a hit with you and your family!
Marlene K Holst says
This recipe is the BEST! I grew up on KFC coleslaw and this recipe was the one that came near if not perfectly like KFC's!!
But the super-duper trick to this recipe is...make it the night before so that the flavors have time to rest and seep into the cabbage.
Anna says
Yay! Thank you so much, Marlene!
Marianne says
What kind of Mayo is everyone using ?
Robin says
This type of Southern coleslaw is best made with Miracle Whip. My recipe is a little different but very close. I love only Duke's mayo, but this slaw us best with Miracle Whip in our opinion.
Carol says
Miracle whip is a salad dressing. It is not Mayonnaise. I only use Best Foods.
Pam says
Thanks! I am looking forward to making it!
Sharon says
Can I substitute sour cream for buttermilk?
Geoph says
I love the recipe. Everyone in the family does too. I used sour cream instead of buttermilk and it tastes great.
Barb McCormickbmackiby says
Can I use Cuisinart to chop cabbage?
Anna says
Hi Barb! If by Cuisinart you mean a food processor, then absolutely yes! Whatever makes it easy to chop it. Let me know how you like the coleslaw!
Ani says
Made today with fried chicken. Just right.
Sue Oberlin says
How much is a 'smidge' of horseradish?
Amanda says
I gotta say this was my number two coleslaw. KFC being #1 thank you for sharing this recipe. Amazung.!
Beth Howell says
Excellent recipe! My family is dairy free yet we were able to substitute with soy milk where needed and turned out absolutely fabulous. I felt like I had gotten the coleslaw off a restaurant menu. I did need to wait the necessary time for it to meld all the flavors together... This was even tastier the next day! Thank you.
Anna says
Hi Beth! That's fantastic! Thank you for sharing the dairy-free substitutions. And I agree - it's even better the next day!
Keely Dugger says
I couldn't find the comment button with my phone, but we love this recipe! Side note, we were half way through the recipe today and realized we ran out if apple cider vinegar. We used a really good 18 year aged balsamic vinegar and it was sooo good. Obviously different from KFC but definitely notable!
Pam V says
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! Tastes EXACTLY like KFC coleslaw. My whole family was amazed that I made it, thought I bought it at KFC.
Real Giroux says
Love it too, i make it every week.
Thanks a lot
Shirvanaa says
Very good recipe. I didn't have four cups of cabbage so I tweeked the measurements to suit the amount I had, and it turned out great. Will try to get the horseradish, never saw it at my local grocery. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Chris says
What??? Horseradish?? Recipe doesn’t call for horseradish!!!😐
JL says
Sure it does, It’s right after the 1/4 teaspoon of mustard at the top middle of the recipe.
Linda says
I don’t see mustard or horse radish in recipe either, What am I not seeing?
Barb says
I don’t see mustard or horseradish either, never in coleslaw !!!!!!
Donna says
I didn't see it either.
Sherrill says
Must be a different recipe you are looking at.
Lalessia Fricks says
To make the coleslaw you will need:
cabbage
carrots
onions
mayonnaise
milk
buttermilk
apple cider vinegar
lemon juice
sugar
salt and pepper
I did not see mustard or horseradish. I don’t think those would do any enhancement to recipe. It is spot on just like it is.
Jodi says
THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!! My husband and I lovvveeee KFC coleslaw. In fact, we love it so much we would go to Bojangles, get our chicken and potatoes/gravy (which were WAY better than KFC's). Then we would go to KFC and get a giant tub or 2 of their slaw, and only the slaw.
Now, living in Hawaii (no Bojangles on my island, KFC is super expensive), we smoke a lot of meat in our green egg and pig out on BBQ. This recipe is a dead ringer for KFC's!!! I did not have milk so I used half and half, I also didn't have white vinegar (and hate apple cider vinegar) so I used rice vinegar. I had xanthum gum so THANK YOU to whoever mentioned that in the comments, I added a 1/4 teaspoon of that and it thickened RIGHT UP.
After all that, I was reading all the way down the comments, I read the comment from the guy who worked at KFC and he mentioned horseradish. We debated adding it because it was SO good the way it was (it will be better after is sits for hours). I added 1/2 teaspoon and that WAS IT. That tiny little tang was back.
This is the BEST GROUP I've run into on a recipe!! OMG!! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Anna says
Hi Jodi! YAY! I am so glad you love the coleslaw. I am happy to know the comments from others were helpful. Thank you so much for trying my recipe!
Debbie says
Hi Anna, I'm going to make the coleslaw for Super Bowl, your recipe says 4 cups of coleslaw with the wet ingredients, I notice other KFC recipes call for 8 cups with the same amount of wet ingredients. That's such a big difference.
Anna says
Hi Debbie! You can always add more if you like. This is how I make it and we love it!
Debbie says
sounds good, have a dumb question, bought 16 oz bag of coleslaw, actually bought 3. I thought 16oz makes 2 cups, but when I put it in a measuring cup it makes 7
Hi says
Do you guys know what to if you don't have buttermilk? What do you sub that with?
Anna says
You can use my recipe: https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/buttermilk-substitute/
Gilman Sprague says
Good recipe, I just add a good amount of celery seed to it and it comes out like my mother made years ago.
jean says
I love this recipe. We had it tonight for dinner and there's left overs for tomorrow. Thanks
Anna says
Thank you, Jean!
Cindy says
I always put celery seed in mine too
Nancy says
I always add celery seed, too. My gram always did.
Michelle says
PERFECT & DELICIOUS!! I cannot believe how easy this recipe is to make. But mostly, I'm shocked that by using it I created a slaw comparable to my favorite KFC snack. This recipe is amazing. I also love it because I have been trying to eat cleaner and this recipe lets me have control over all of my ingredients. There's just no way I would have guessed "buttermilk" is in coleslaw!! OMG thank you!
Brian says
I was a bit leery of trying this recipe as I do not like buttermilk at all. However, as i was preparing "copycat" KFC chicken, & mashed potatoes and gravy, i had to give it a go. I am so glad I did! When first completed, I gave it a taste and thought, "Yep! That's pretty close to the real thing!" After the marinating for 4 hours, it was darn near indistinguishable from the original. Finished it off today, and thought it was even better. Such a wonderful combination of sweet and tangy flavors! Absolutely excellent! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Definitely a keeper that I will be making often!
As a side note: I read one review that said it was too runny for their tastes. I saw somewhere that the original KFC recipe contains xanthan gum. About 1/4 tsp for a recipe this size. I didn't have any of that to use. Yes, it was runny, but still oh so good. When we got down to the last of it, we just strained off excess dressing through a fine mesh strainer. Didn't change the flavor at all. Thanks again Anna!
Jerroll Taylor Jr says
Best in the world. I had a friend that worked there and he would make it the night before so it would be ready the next day.
Thanks Jerroll Taylor Jr
Anna says
Thank you!
Sunny says
This turned out great even though I would have happily sworn that KFC coleslaw has a dollop of horseradish in it. Maybe the onion threw me off?
Margo says
How much horseradish - mustard.