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Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

Mexican Coleslaw

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: May 19, 2025 | Published: Apr 25, 2019
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Mexican coleslaw is a creamy, crunchy, colorful mix of fresh delicious flavors! Quick and easy to make, this will be your new favorite side!

A white serving bowl with creamy coleslaw with black beans, corn and peppers mixed in.


 

This creamy, bright, fresh, colorful, crunchy Mexican coleslaw is my new obsession.

I made it a couple of times last year, including for our family’s epic taco bar feast when my brother’s family came to visit. And we all devoured it!

I’ve made it a few more times since. Can’t get enough!

I am already dreaming about having it again for Cinco de Mayo coming up.

Creamy Mexican coleslaw served in a large white bowl with cilantro on top

It’s a creamy coleslaw for a base but it gets the flavor turned WAY up with some taco seasoning and lime juice in the dressing.

And we mix in crunchy red bell peppers, black beans and corn, some red onion, jalapeño and cilantro to brighten it all up.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Oh, and if you like this fun twist, you should also check out this curried coleslaw. And this super crunchy Asian coleslaw with ramen.

Ingredients to make creamy Mexican style coleslaw recipe arranged in a large blue bowl with taco dressing in a separate bowl
Large white bowl with creamy coleslaw and Mexican flavored dressing

Now, granted, this loaded coleslaw has so much going on, it’s perfectly flavorful and fabulous all on it’s own.

But you know me, I just can’t help myself when it comes to garnishes and toppings!

Bonus Toppings:

  • Pepitas (raw or roasted)
  • Sliced green onions
  • Tortilla strips

I mean, talk about a party in your mouth!

Southwestern coleslaw with black beans, corn, red pepper, jalapeno, taco seasoning and lime juice

And finally, here’s some serving ideas to round out your meal.

Serving Ideas:

- Tacos or fajitas

- Mexican meatloaf

- Slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken

- Easy slow cooker mole chicken

- Quick and easy Mexican shrimp skillet

- Cheesy Mexican stuffed chicken breasts (coming next week so stay tuned!)

I think you guys are going to love this recipe as much as I do! Whether for Cinco de Mayo or just your next taco night, I hope you give it a try.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Loaded creamy coleslaw with black beans, peppers, corn and taco seasoning in a large white bowl
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4.20 from 5 votes

Mexican Coleslaw

Mexican coleslaw is a creamy, crunchy, colorful mix of fresh delicious flavors! Quick and easy to make, this will be your new favorite side!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Yield: 8 -10 servings

Ingredients

For the coleslaw:

  • 1 (14 oz.) bag shredded coleslaw mix
  • ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • ½ cup black beans
  • ½ cup white or yellow corn (see notes)
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the dressing:

  • ⅔ cup mayonnaise (regular or light is fine)
  • ⅓ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (or sub sour cream)
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions

  • Combine all of the coleslaw ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.
  • Combine the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and mix well.
  • Add the dressing to the coleslaw mix and stir well to get everything coated. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Corn: You can use fresh corn, canned corn (well drained) or frozen corn that’s thawed. (Run it under a faucet for 1-2 minutes to thaw it quickly.) Feel free to grill or slightly char your corn in a sauté pan for extra flavor.
Spicy: For a spicy coleslaw, leave some of the membranes in the jalapeño. You could also add a few dashes of hot sauce to the dressing to give it a little kick.
Lightened up: You can lighten this up by using a light or reduced-fat mayo and nonfat Greek yogurt. Or go all in with regular mayo and sour cream. Whatever you got!
Toppings: You can add pepitas, sliced green onions and/or tortilla strips as optional toppings for this coleslaw.
Recipe adapted from my friend Cathy at Lemon Tree Dwelling.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 505mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!

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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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