Serbian Coleslaw Recipe

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 09/27/19
Barbecue Side Dishes in Small Bowls on a Wooden Table, Pork and Beans, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw and Succotash
Foodcollection / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Refrigerate: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
29 Calories
0g Fat
7g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 29
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 408mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 1g
Calcium 41mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

In this recipe for Serbian coleslaw, vinegar and oil are used to dress the shredded cabbage instead of sour cream, mayonnaise or heavy cream.

It's a perfect warm-weather salad because the fear of mayonnaise sitting out in the heat and causing foodborne illness is a moot point.

Some cooks add shredded carrot, while others leave it out entirely. As with recipes of this type, the dish tastes better when made several hours or even a day ahead. Purchase shredded cabbage and carrots to save time.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shredded cabbage
  • 1/4 cup carrots (peeled and shredded)
  • 1/4 cup onion (finely chopped)
  • 3 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (white)
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar (or more to taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, onion, and parsley.

  2. In a separate small bowl, thoroughly combine the oil, sugar, vinegar, celery seed, salt, white pepper, and lemon juice.

  3. Toss with cabbage mixture until well coated.

  4. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 3 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, mix coleslaw and adjust seasonings.

More Serbian Picnic Foods

Here's another salad based on vinegar and oil instead of mayonnaise—Serbian potato salad—that is often served along with Serbian-style green beans at church picnics and pig and lamb roasts.

You probably also would see Serbian shish kebabs, Serbian sausages, Serbian hamburgers, and Serbian nut roll for dessert. 

Outdoor cooking, grilling, and spit roasting are traditional forms of food preparation among Serbs who treat feasting as a celebration of life.