This Cowboy Coleslaw is a flavorful Tex-Mex twist on traditional coleslaw. Shredded cabbage and carrots are combined with creamy black beans, crisp bell peppers and corn, then tossed in a smoky chipotle lime dressing. It’s the ultimate side for potlucks and BBQs that is a real crowd-pleaser.
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Jump to:
- ❤️ Why You'll Love This Cowboy Cabbage Recipe
- 🛒 Ingredients for Cowboy Coleslaw
- 🔪 How to Make Cowboy Coleslaw
- 💡 Tips
- ☑️ Storage Instructions
- 🍴 What to Serve with Cowboy Coleslaw
- 🔄 Substitutions and Additions
- What is cowboy coleslaw?
- What is Texas coleslaw?
- How do you make old-fashioned cowboy cabbage?
- What are some tips for making the best cowboy cabbage?
- 🍽️ More Healthy Side Dish Recipes
❤️ Why You'll Love This Cowboy Cabbage Recipe
- The same flavors of Cowboy Caviar made into a coleslaw
- Crisp shredded cabbage blend
- Creamy black beans, corn and bell peppers
- Tossed in an easy smokey chipotle lime dressing
- Perfect for potlucks and BBQs
This is not your average coleslaw, the flavors are just incredible and it takes very little effort to make. I take traditional coleslaw mix, add in a few key ingredients used in Cowboy Caviar and toss them in a creamy dressing that’s amazing.
The dressing, which has smoky chipotle peppers and lime, has a real Tex-Mex flair to it that pairs perfectly with the slaw mix. If you’re attending a BBQ or potluck, and need something different to bring, try this slaw, people will be asking you for the recipe because it’s just that good.
If you decide to make this and love the combination of flavors, be sure to also check out my Cowboy Caviar and Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad recipes!
🛒 Ingredients for Cowboy Coleslaw
- Coleslaw mix
- Black beans
- Corn
- Red bell pepper
- Scallions
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Lime juice
- Smoked chipotle peppers
- Garlic
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
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🔪 How to Make Cowboy Coleslaw
Add all the ingredients for the chipotle lime dressing into a small mixing bowl.
Whisk until well combined, then set aside to allow the flavors to meld while you prepare the slaw.
Add the coleslaw mix to a large mixing bowl.
You can use either store bought, or make your own like I do, by shredding green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots with a sharpe knife.
Add in the black beans, corn, scallions, red bell pepper and cilantro.
Pour the dressing over the top.
Toss until well combined, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
💡 Tips
- This recipe uses a coleslaw mix of green cabbage, red cabbage and shredded carrots. You can use store bought if you’d like, but I actually prefer to make my own. It’s easy enough to shred everything yourself using a sharp knife or food processor. But in a pinch, you can certainly use a store bought version.
- If you want to save some time and make this in advance, you can prepare the coleslaw mix, add in the corn, bell peppers, cilantro, scallions and black beans and store it in a food storage container. Then mix up the dressing, and store it in an airtight jar. When you’re ready to assemble it, just pour everything into your serving bowl and toss about an hour or two before serving.
- Be sure to use fresh lime juice for this recipe. The lime is a key component of the dressing and you want the freshest possible.
- If you’re on the Mediterranean Diet, this slaw is ideal to enjoy, simply substitute Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise and sour cream.
- If you don’t feel like grating the garlic and chopping the chipotle peppers for the dressing, just toss everything into a bullet blender and blend it up instead.
☑️ Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
🍴 What to Serve with Cowboy Coleslaw
This coleslaw is best when paired with a main dish that has a similar Tex-Mex flair like these:
- Easy Chicken Quesadillas
- Fiesta Chicken Skillet
- Taco Skillet
- Grilled Tajín Chicken
- Grilled Steak with Chipotle Lime Butter
🔄 Substitutions and Additions
- If you don’t have red bell pepper, you can use yellow or orange instead. You can also use poblano peppers if you’d like. I wouldn’t recommend green bell peppers, as the flavor might be too overpowering for this slaw.
- If you want to spice it up a bit, add in a diced jalapeño pepper. Be sure to remove the ribs and seeds first.
- To add a little crunch to the slaw, you can add in some slivered almonds, just make sure you toast them first to give them extra flavor.
- If you don’t have black beans on hand or prefer black-eyed peas instead, you can use them if you’d like. You can even use half of each.
- If you want to add more smoky flavor, you can use grilled corn instead of the frozen corn.
- If you don’t have scallions, you can substitute with red onions.
What is cowboy coleslaw?
It's a Tex-Mex style twist on a traditional coleslaw, typically made with black beans, corn and peppers, similar to what you put in Cowboy Caviar. The dressing usually is flavored with either Taco seasoning or chipotle peppers.
What is Texas coleslaw?
The dressing for a Texas coleslaw is usually more of a vinegar-based, rather than mayonnaise-based. In this recipe, I actually combine the tanginess of fresh lime juice with the creaminess of mayonnaise and sour cream.
How do you make old-fashioned cowboy cabbage?
You can literally make this exact recipe and just add in some Fritos.
What are some tips for making the best cowboy cabbage?
Use the best freshest ingredients you can find. This is one reason I like to make my own coleslaw mix. Be sure to drain the black beans and corn before adding them to the slaw mix, so they don't water down your creamy dressing.
🍽️ More Healthy Side Dish Recipes
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Glazed Carrots
- Garlic Potatoes and Green Beans
- Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
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Cowboy Coleslaw
Ingredients
For the Slaw
- 16 ounces coleslaw mix
- 1 ½ cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 3 tablespoons scallions, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
For the Chipotle Lime Dressing
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup lime juice
- 2 smoked chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the chipotle lime dressing into a small mixing bowl.
- Whisk until well combined, then set aside to allow the flavors to meld while you prepare the slaw.
- Add the coleslaw mix to a large mixing bowl. You can use either store bought, or make your own like I do, by shredding green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots with a sharpe knife.
- Add in the black beans, corn, scallions, red bell pepper and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the top.
- Toss until well combined, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
*Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.
*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.
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