Greek Yogurt Coleslaw with Corn (No Mayo)
This Greek yogurt coleslaw swaps the mayo for a tangy lemon, garlic, and dill dressing, then adds sweet corn and bell peppers to the usual cabbage and carrots. I use jarred minced garlic and bottled lemon juice, so the dressing takes about two minutes to stir together.
Slicing half a head of cabbage is the only real work, and the whole thing is ready in 15 minutes with no cooking. It’s my go-to side next to burgers, fish tacos, or anything off the grill. Every bite is crunchy and cool, with little pops of sweet corn, and all those veggies make it a side with plenty of fiber. If you’ve been looking for a creamy cabbage salad without mayo, this is the one I keep making.
For more salads with a Greek yogurt dressing, be sure to also try my Greek yogurt chicken salad, healthy tuna pasta salad, or berry salad with chicken.
What You’ll Love About This Greek Yogurt Coleslaw
Healthy Coleslaw Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Creamy Cabbage Salad with Greek Yogurt:
Ingredient Notes
Green Cabbage: Half a medium head gives you about 6 cups of thinly sliced cabbage. Green cabbage has the mildest flavor and holds up best in the dressing. If you’d rather skip slicing, a 14-ounce bag of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots) works. It already has carrots in it, so cut the shredded carrots to ½ cup.
Greek Yogurt: Plain 0% Greek yogurt keeps the dressing light, and it’s thick enough to coat the vegetables without watering down. I like FAGE Total 0%. The only ingredients are skimmed milk and live cultures, with no added sugar or thickeners. 2% or full fat Greek yogurt makes a richer dressing, and sour cream works in a pinch.
Corn: A can of whole kernel corn is what I use. Frozen corn that’s been thawed and patted dry works the same way, and leftover grilled corn cut off the cob is even better.
Bell Peppers: I use mini sweet peppers in red, orange, and yellow because they’re sweet, add extra crunch, and are quick to chop. One large bell pepper, chopped, gives you about the same amount.
Shredded Carrots: The bagged matchstick carrots are my shortcut here. They’re already thin enough to toss right in.
Garlic, Lemon, and Dill: Jarred minced garlic and bottled lemon juice keep this fast, but fresh garlic and a squeeze of fresh lemon are great if you have them. If you have fresh dill instead of dried, use about 1½ teaspoons.
Greek Yogurt Coleslaw Variations
Add More Veggies: Stir in ¼ cup finely diced red onion, 2 sliced green onions, or 1 cup diced cucumber. Add the cucumber right before serving, since it releases water as it sits.
A Little Sweeter: Add 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar) to the dressing for more of a classic coleslaw flavor.
Deli Style: Whisk 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and ¼ teaspoon celery seed into the dressing. If you use celery salt instead, leave out the regular salt.
Make It a Meal: Toss in 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken for a high protein lunch.
Swap the Herbs: Use 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley in place of the dill.
How To Make Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt
Here are quick visual instructions. Be sure to check out the full instructions with exact ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Slice the Cabbage: Thinly slice half a head of green cabbage and add it to a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the Vegetables: Pile the shredded carrots, chopped peppers, and drained corn on top of the cabbage.
Step 3: Start the Dressing: Add the Greek yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a small bowl.
Step 4: Stir Until Smooth: Mix the dressing until the dill and garlic are spread all the way through.
Step 5: Dress and Toss: Spoon the dressing over the vegetables and toss until everything is coated.
Greek Yogurt Coleslaw Dressing
Yes, you can use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise in coleslaw. It makes a true no mayo coleslaw, and you don’t need to mix in any mayo for it to work. One cup of yogurt is enough to coat about 9 cups of vegetables. It looks like too little at first, but it spreads out as you toss.
Greek yogurt is thicker than mayo, so if your dressing feels stiff, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or an extra teaspoon of lemon juice. It will also loosen up on its own once it hits the cabbage. Taste the dressing before it goes on. It should taste a little too salty and sour by itself, because the vegetables will mellow it out.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Slice the cabbage about ⅛ inch thick. Thin ribbons soak up the dressing, while thick chunks stay tough and taste plain. A food processor with the slicing blade does it in about a minute.
Drain the corn well and pat it dry. The liquid from the can will thin out the dressing and leave a puddle in the bottom of the bowl.
Add any extra salt right before serving. Salt pulls water out of cabbage, so salting early makes the slaw soggy faster.
Toss from the bottom of the bowl with tongs. The corn and peppers sink, and lifting from underneath gets them mixed back in.
If you have 10 extra minutes, let it sit before serving. Dried dill softens and its flavor comes through more once it sits in the dressing.
What to Serve With Healthy Coleslaw
This healthy coleslaw recipe is made for anything from the grill. I pile it right on top of burgers from my turkey smash burger recipe and cowboy sloppy joes, where it adds texture and keeps the sandwich from feeling heavy.
It’s also great on fish tacos. Spoon it over blackened tilapia fish tacos in place of shredded lettuce, or keep it simple and serve it next to grilled chicken, pulled pork, shrimp, or air fryer chicken tenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can. Swap ¼ cup of the Greek yogurt for mayo if you want it to taste closer to deli coleslaw. I keep mine all yogurt because I like the tang.
Yes. A mix of half green and half red cabbage looks really pretty. Red cabbage can turn the dressing a little purple as it sits, so toss it right before serving if that bothers you.
I'd mix it no more than 4 hours ahead so the cabbage stays crisp. For a longer head start, slice and combine the vegetables and stir up the dressing up to 2 days ahead, keep them in separate containers in the fridge, and toss them together before serving.
I hope you love this Greek Yogurt Coleslaw. Please consider leaving a star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below. Thank you so much!
More Healthy Side Dish Recipes
Creamy Cabbage Salad with Greek Yogurt
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1/2 head green cabbage thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup chopped bell peppers (mini sweet peppers in mixed colors work great)
- 1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn drained and patted dry
For the dressing
- 1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the sliced cabbage to a large bowl. Scatter the carrots, peppers, and corn over the top.
- Spoon the Greek yogurt into a small bowl. Add the garlic, dill, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper, then stir until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Toss with tongs, lifting from the bottom of the bowl, until every piece is coated.
- Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Serve right away for the crispest texture.
Notes
The nutritional details for recipes are estimated using MyFitnessPal and can vary with different products, measurement accuracy, and source reliability. We aim to provide accurate information but cannot guarantee the precise accuracy of the nutritional data