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 interesting combination of simple ingredients. Although sweet, the tangy dressing and crunchy texture creates magic with every bite. ;
How to make pineapple coleslaw
- Green Cabbage
- Purple Cabbage
- Carrots
- Red Bell Pepper
- Green Onions
- Pineapple
- Parsley (garnish optional)
Pineapple coleslaw dressing
- Raw soaked cashews (drained) or Silken Tofu (alternative to nuts)
- Pure maple syrup, date syrup, or fresh pineapple juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
How to select cabbage for coleslaw
When choosing a cabbage, heavy is best. Make sure the leaves are tight and firm, as loose leaves indicate an older cabbage. You can store cabbage in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. I always buy organic cabbage. Before using cabbage, I strip away a few of the outer leaves to get to the freshest part of the cabbage.
When making coleslaw, I always use green and purple cabbage. Their contrasting colors are vibrant in a bowl regardless of what you add to it. Spicy, sweet, or tangy, whatever flavors you choose to enhance the cabbage brings out the freshness of the cabbage. The dressing absorbs wells and coats the cabbage, which will maintain its crunchy texture.
How to select a ripe pineapple
A pineapple tastes best at its peak of ripeness. So underripe, unfortunately, is so sour-tasting and tough in terms of texture.
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. On the other hand, if a pineapple smells fermented and sharp; it is overripe.
Second, ripe pineapple has leaves that, when pulled, come out directly without much effort. Contrarily, if the leaves are brown and the body of the pineapple is soft, it is overripe.
But, if you don't plan to use the pineapple right away, reach for an unripe one, which will ripen upon standing in room temperature conditions. Once ripe, a pineapple will only last a couple of days on the countertop, so make sure you cut it and refrigerate.
How to cut a pineapple without waste
- 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.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the outer peel, from top to bottom, following the contours of the pineapple.
- 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.
- Cut off the bottom half-inch or so of the pineapple.
- 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.
- 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.
- Continue to work your way around the pineapple. You do waste a little bit of good pineapple this way, but not much, and it is a lot faster than trying to cut out each eye carefully.
- Next, identify the center where the tough core is located. Cut four straight cuts around the core. Discard the core.
- Cut the pineapple into bite-sized pieces.
Why adding fruit to coleslaw is such a great idea
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 an 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 for that matter.
If you enjoy vegan pineapple coleslaw, share this vegan pineapple coleslaw recipe with your friends.
FAQ
How many calories are in homemade coleslaw with pineapple?
- My vegan pineapple coleslaw has 157 calories, 2 g fat (unsaturated), 0 mg Cholesterol, 155 mg sodium, 18 carbohydrates (10g sugar, 4g fiber), 3g protein compared to traditional coleslaw with pineapple, which has 170 calories, 15g fat (2g saturated fat), 2mg cholesterol, 114mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.
How much pineapple do you put in coleslaw?
- 1 cup of fresh chopped pineapple is the perfect amount for sweetness without overpowering the coleslaw
Can I use canned pineapple instead of fresh?
- Canned pineapple is generally much sweeter and is packed in syrup. Although I strongly recommend fresh pineapple, choose canned pineapple in natural juices over the kind packed in syrup if you don't have fresh pineapple.
Serving vegan pineapple coleslaw
Vegan Pineapple Coleslaw
The natural, sweet taste of pineapple and crispy cabbage come together to compliment any BBQ dish or enjoy as a side dish and sandwich topper, or an entree salad with grilled tofu.
Ingredients
Coleslaw Salad:
- 1 half head, shredded Green Cabbage
- 1 cup diced Carrots
- 5 Green Onions sliced thin
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 fresh pineapple; or 1 cup chopped
- 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
- 2 Tablespoons parsley (garnish optional)
Dressing
- 1/4 cup raw soaked cashews (drained) or Silken Tofu
- 3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup, date syrup, or fresh pineapple juice
- 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
Instructions
Prepare Cole Slaw Salad
- Shred cabbages and place in a large bowl.
- Add shredded carrots, red bell pepper, and sliced green onions.
- Add bite-sized pieces of pineapple.
Dressing
- In a high-speed blender, add all ingredients.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour into a bowl with cabbages, carrots, red bell pepper, onions, and pineapple.
- Toss
- Cover until ready to serve.
- Garnish with parsley (optional)
Serving suggestions:
- Top a barbecued tempeh sandwich, barbecue jackfruit sandwich, or pulled pork sweet potato sandwich.
- Serve as a side dish for sandwiches, burgers, or carrot dogs.
- Serve as an entree salad and add grilled tempeh or tofu
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Nutrition Information
Yield
12 servingsServing Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 157Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 155mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 4gSugar 10gProtein 3g
Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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