Pineapple Coleslaw – Immaculate Bites

Pineapple Coleslaw vs. Regular Coleslaw

Which is better? It all depends on your mood and your meal! A coleslaw recipe with pineapple isn’t much different than traditional coleslaw. Just add pineapple tidbits and some pineapple juice to the dressing.

I like to pair regular coleslaw with classic Southern specialties, such as fried chicken and mac and cheese. I find that pineapple coleslaw, on the other hand, goes amazingly well with pork dishes and spicy meals. 

Ingredient List

1. Pineapple Tidbits – Canned pineapple tidbits are ideal for this recipe. They’re already chopped up and don’t brown like fresh pineapple.
2. Base Vegetables – Shredded cabbage (both green and purple) and shredded carrots add vibrant color and crunch to this coleslaw. 
3. Dressing Ingredients – For the dressing, you’ll need mustard, sugar, honey, pineapple juice, white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), mayo, sour cream, pepper, onion powder, and celery seed.

How to Make Pineapple Coleslaw

• Dressing – In a small bowl, whisk mustard, salt, sugar, honey, pineapple juice, vinegar, mayonnaise, sour cream, pepper, onion powder, and celery seeds. Then refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day ahead). (Photos 1-2)
• Salad – In a salad bowl, mix green and purple cabbage, shredded carrots, and pineapple tidbits. (Photos 3-5)
• Assemble – Pour the coleslaw dressing over the cabbage mixture and mix well. Start with a small amount of dressing at a time until thoroughly combined, and add more to taste. (Photo 6)
• Serve – Season with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Flavor Variations

1. More fruit. You can easily work mangos, peaches, or other fruits you like into this pineapple slaw. Dried fruits, like cranberries, raisins, and apples, also pair well.
2. Add toasted coconut for an especially tropical twist.
3. Mayo swap. If you want to skip the mayo altogether, trade it out with plain yogurt. 
4. Add heat. Make it spicy by adding diced jalapeno peppers or yellow scotch bonnets to the mix.
5. More veggies. Red onions, green onions, red and orange bell peppers, garlic, celery, and cucumbers all add flavor and color.

Recipe Tips

1. Stick with mayo only for the dressing if you use fresh pineapple for this recipe. The enzymes in fresh pineapple can interact with dairy and lead to a bitter taste.
2. Fresh chopped veggies always taste a little better. However, bags of pre-shredded coleslaw mix work great if you don’t have time for chopping. 
3. If you do decide to chop all your veggies, julienne them all. Uniform cuts make salads easier to mix, season, and eat. 👌

Make-Ahead Instructions

For optimal crunchiness, don’t assemble this salad ahead of time. You can always make the dressing and chop the veggies the day before. But be sure to store them separately in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and serve the salad the next day.

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve pineapple coleslaw chilled.

Refrigerate leftover slaw in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Sorry, it’s not a good freezer option. Keep in mind the longer it’s in the refrigerator, the more crunchiness it will lose.

What Goes With Pineapple Coleslaw

Pineapple coleslaw goes beautifully with main courses inspired by the tropics. Try it with Jamaican fried chicken, Caribbean jerk barbecue ribs, or pulled pork sandwiches. Wash it down with a passion fruit margarita. 🍹

More Crazy Good Coleslaw Recipes to Try

1. Easy Coleslaw
2. Caribbean Coleslaw
3. Vinegar Coleslaw
4. Creamy Coleslaw Dressing