Vegan Pineapple Coleslaw

This vegan pineapple coleslaw recipe combines the natural, sweet taste of pineapple with crispy cabbage to complement any BBQ dish. Enjoy it as a side dish and sandwich topper or as an entree salad with grilled tofu.

What do you get when the natural, sweet taste of pineapple and the crunch of crispy cabbage come together? Vegan pineapple coleslaw. Pineapple coleslaw is a perfect side dish,  salad for lunch, or topping for a Pulled Pork Sweet Potato Sandwich. Regardless of how you eat coleslaw with pineapple, it ends with sweet and savory satisfaction. 

Since so many coleslaw variations exist, this vegan pineapple coleslaw recipe is unique, with an exciting combination of simple ingredients. Although sweet, the tangy dressing and crunchy texture create magic with every bite.

Jump to:

• Pineapple Coleslaw Ingredients
• Pineapple Coleslaw Ingredient Substitutions
• Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients
• Coleslaw Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Select Cabbage for Coleslaw
• How to Select Ripe Pineapple 
• How to Cut Pineapple Without Waste
• Adding Fruit to Salads
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• More Delicious Vegan Salads
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Pineapple Coleslaw Ingredients

• Green Cabbage: Green cabbage is one of the most popular cabbage varieties. It is so named for how its leaves wound tightly over one another in a dense, compact fashion, with the final product resembling a cannonball.
• Purple Cabbage: Purple cabbage is a great source of antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds that help protect against cellular damage.
• Carrots: Carrots are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are also a good source of antioxidants.
• Red Bell Pepper: Red bell peppers are the sweetest of the bell pepper varieties
• Green Onions: Green onions (also known as scallions) are long and thin, typically no wider than a finger, and are bright white at the bottom with dark green tops. They taste different than most onions as they're mild and not very pungent.
• Pineapple: Pineapple is low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals and a variety of health benefits.
• Parsley(garnish optional): Parsley is particularly rich in vitamins A, C, and K. The vitamins and beneficial plant compounds in parsley may improve bone health, protect against chronic diseases, and provide antioxidant benefits.

Pineapple Coleslaw Ingredient Substitutions

• Substitute red or white onion for a stronger onion presence in the coleslaw.
• To add more color, add green or yellow bell pepper to complement the diced red bell pepper.
• Add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a sweet and spicy combination.
• If looking for a nut-free option for the dressing, choose silken tofu, white beans, or sunflower seeds to replace the raw cashews.
• Store-bought vegan mayonnaise is a shortcut to making the homemade dressing.
• Purchase shredded carrots instead of dicing the carrots as another possible shortcut.
• Buying a prep shredded coleslaw mixture is a quick and easy way to avoid chopping the cabbage and carrots.

Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients

• Raw Cashews: Raw-soaked cashews (drained) supply the creaminess of this vegan pineapple coleslaw recipe.
• Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener instead of using refined sugar.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar balances out the saltiness in the dressing while adding a bit of sweetness that lifts the dressing up
• Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a sweet and spicy flavor that's great in salad dressings. In a nutshell, dijon mustard tastes like a smooth, slightly salty, complex tang

Coleslaw Dressing Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of raw cashews, choose sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, or another type of nut, such as almonds.
• For a nut-free option, choose silken tofu or white beans.
• Substitute date syrup, agave nectar, or pineapple juice for maple syrup.
• Champagne vinegar or rice vinegar often substitutes apple cider vinegar.
• Stone-ground mustard is very close in texture and tase to Dijon mustard.

How to Select Cabbage for Coleslaw

1. When choosing a cabbage, heavy is best.
2. Ensure the leaves are tight and firm, as loose leaves indicate an older cabbage.
3. You can store cabbage in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. I always buy organic cabbage.
4. Before using cabbage, strip away a few outer leaves to get to the freshest part of the cabbage.
5. When making coleslaw, I always use green and purple cabbage. Their contrasting colors are vibrant in a  bowl regardless of what you add.
6. Spicy, sweet, or tangy, whatever flavors you choose to enhance the cabbage brings out the freshness of the cabbage.
7. The dressing absorbs wells and coats the cabbage, which will maintain its crunchy texture.

How to Select Ripe Pineapple 

1. A pineapple tastes best at its peak of ripeness. So underripe, unfortunately,  is so sour-tasting and tough in terms of texture. 
2. First, smell a fresh pineapple to see if it smells fragrant, like a pineapple. If a pineapple has no fragrance, it is not yet ripe.
3. On the other hand, if a pineapple smells fermented and sharp, it is overripe. 
4. Second, ripe pineapple has leaves that, when pulled, come out directly without much effort.
5. Contrarily, if the leaves are brown and the body of the pineapple is soft, it is overripe. 
6. But, if you plan to use the pineapple later, reach for an unripe one, which will ripen upon standing in room temperature conditions.
7. Once ripe, a pineapple will only last a couple of days on the countertop, so make sure you cut it and refrigerate it. 

How to Cut Pineapple Without Waste

1. Place the pineapple on its side on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice off the top green crown and about a half-inch of the top of the pineapple.
2. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the outer peel, from top to bottom, following the contours of the pineapple.
3. Do not cut so deep as to cut away the eyes. The outer edge of the pineapple has the sweetest flesh, so you want to retain that if you can.
4. Cut off the bottom half-inch or so of the pineapple.
5. Now remove the pineapple dotted with eyes. You can use a small paring knife to carve each one carefully, but there is an easier way.
6. Notice that the eyes all line up on a diagonal! Make a diagonal cut across the side of the pineapple, like a V-shaped trench, and more easily cut out all of the eyes on that diagonal.
7. Continue to work your way around the pineapple. You do waste a bit of good pineapple this way, but not much, and it is much faster than cutting out each eye carefully.
8. Next, identify the center where the tough core is located. Cut four straight cuts around the core. Discard the core. 
9. Cut the pineapple into bite-sized pieces. 

Adding Fruit to Salads

For me, pineapple naturally goes with BBQ. The natural, sweet flavors of fresh pineapple complement the tangy BBQ sauce. Even when BBQ sauce is spicy, pineapple tones down the heat, enhancing the spices.

If you don't like pineapple, apples are also a great fruit addition to any coleslaw, like my vegan Waldorf salad. Also, I make Asian coleslaw with mandarin oranges. As a result, I suggest you experiment with the ingredients to meet your tastes or give pineapple a try. Any fruit added to a salad or slaw brings an extra dimension to a salad or any recipe.

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• To avoid soggy coleslaw, toss the cabbage with a Tablespoon of salt and allow it to sit in a colander, then rinse and shake. The salt helps remove the excess water and keeps the cabbage crispy.
• f using canned pineapple, choose the type in natural juices rather than syrup. Drain and pat teh pineapple pieces dry before cutting into bite-sized pieces. This will reduce the amount of liquid in the coleslaw.
• Coleslaw tastes better the longer it sits. If you can prep ahead a day or longer, the flavor will be worth the wait. 
• Another way to keep cabbage crispy is to place shredded cabbage in a tightly sealed plastic bag or air-tight container. Store in the coldest part of your fridge. Shredded cabbage should stay fresh for 2-3 days when stored properly.
• If your dressing is too thin,  mix a little xanthan gum with the dressing to thicken it. Xanthan gum doesn't require heat to thicken, so it works great in dressings.
• Distilled white vinegar is another substitute for apple cider vinegar in coleslaw recipes.
• Refrigerate your coleslaw salad in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.

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More Delicious Vegan Salads

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