Easy Homemade Marie’s Coleslaw Dressing Recipe | Copycat
If you love the creamy, slightly sweet, and tangy flavor of Marie’s Original Coleslaw Dressing, this homemade Marie’s coleslaw dressing recipe is one you need to try.
Marie’s is one of those dressings I always notice in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It has that classic creamy coleslaw flavor that works perfectly with crunchy cabbage, but you can use it for so much more than traditional coleslaw.
The good news is that you can make a similar creamy coleslaw dressing at home using simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. There is no need for ingredients such as xanthan gum, natural flavors, or torula yeast that you may find listed in commercially prepared dressings.
This homemade version is creamy, sweet, tangy, and perfect for everything from a classic coleslaw recipe to pork sandwiches and even broccoli salad.
And the best part? It only takes a few minutes to make!
If you love making restaurant favorites at home, you should also try my Chili’s Ranch Dressing Recipe. It’s another easy homemade dressing that tastes just like the restaurant version.
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Why You'll Love This Marie's coleslaw dressing recipe
I love copycat recipes because you get to control exactly what goes into them. Plus, sometimes you just don’t want to make another trip to the store for one ingredient!
This dressing is:
Quick and easy to make
Creamy with just the right amount of tang
Made with basic pantry ingredients
Perfect for a bag of coleslaw mix
Easy to adjust to your family’s taste
Great for more than just coleslaw
Easy to store in an airtight container in the refrigerator
If Marie’s dressing is an edible national treasure in your house, this is definitely a recipe worth saving.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy homemade dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
You can also substitute white vinegar for the apple cider vinegar if that’s what you have at home. White vinegar will give the dressing a slightly sharper flavor, while apple cider vinegar gives it a little more depth.
About the Celery Seed
Don’t skip the celery seed!
You only need a little celery seed, but it gives homemade coleslaw dressing that classic flavor that makes it taste like actual coleslaw dressing instead of simply sweetened mayonnaise.
How to Make Marie's Coleslaw Dressing Recipe
This really is an easy recipe.
Add the mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, celery seed, salt, and black pepper to a medium bowl.
Whisk everything together until completely smooth and creamy.
Taste the dressing and adjust it if needed. If you like a tanglier dressing, add a small splash of vinegar or additional lemon juice. If you prefer sweeter coleslaw, you can add a little more sugar.
For the best flavor, cover the dressing and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before using it.
That’s it!
How to Make Coleslaw With This Dressing
You can make things incredibly easy by grabbing a bag of coleslaw mix from the grocery store.
Add the cabbage mix to a large bowl and pour the dressing over it. Start with less dressing than you think you need and toss everything together.
You can always add more.
For approximately 6 to 8 cups of shredded cabbage, start with about 3/4 cup of dressing. Add additional dressing until the cabbage mixture is coated to your liking.
I personally like enough dressing to coat everything without having a puddle of dressing sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
Let the finished coleslaw sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving. This gives the cabbage a chance to soften slightly and allows all those flavors to come together.
Marie’s Coleslaw Dressing Recipe – Easy Homemade Copycat
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Airtight container or jar for storage
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp celery seed
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Add the mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, celery seed, salt, and black pepper to a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk until completely smooth and creamy.
- Taste the dressing and adjust the sweetness or acidity if desired.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
- Stir before serving. Toss with shredded cabbage and carrots immediately before serving.
Notes
Making Your Own Coleslaw Mix
You definitely don’t have to buy the prepackaged mix.
For really fresh and crunchy coleslaw, shred your own cabbage.
I like combining green cabbage with a little red cabbage and shredded carrot. The red cabbage makes the finished coleslaw especially pretty.
You can shred cabbage using a sharp knife, mandoline or food processor with a shredding attachment.
For the carrots, a box grater works perfectly.
A simple homemade cabbage mixture could include:
5 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
Toss everything together before adding your dressing.
Have leftover cabbage? Don’t let it go to waste! My Gluten-Free Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe is another easy way to turn cabbage into a filling family dinner.
Can I Make the Dressing in a Food Processor?
Absolutely.
You don’t need a food processor because a whisk works just fine, but you can certainly use one.
Add all the dressing ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth. This is especially helpful if you’re making a larger batch of dressing.
Apple Cider Vinegar vs. White Vinegar
Both work!
I prefer apple cider vinegar because it gives the dressing a slightly softer tang. However, white vinegar is a great substitute and creates that bright, classic coleslaw flavor.
You can even use a combination of the two.
The important thing is balancing the sweetness from the sugar with enough acidity to create that recognizable sweet-and-sour flavor.
What About Egg Yolks?
Traditional mayonnaise is made with oil and egg yolks, which is why mayonnaise creates such a rich and creamy base for this dressing.
You could technically make the entire recipe from scratch by making homemade mayonnaise first, but I don’t think it’s necessary for an everyday coleslaw recipe.
Using your favorite mayonnaise makes this recipe much faster and easier.
Is This Exactly Like Marie's Original Coleslaw Dressing?
This is a homemade copycat inspired by the creamy, sweet, and tangy flavor of Marie’s Original Coleslaw Dressing. It is not Marie’s official recipe.
Commercially produced dressings may contain additional ingredients used for flavor, texture, and shelf stability, including ingredients such as xanthan gum, natural flavors, and torula yeast.
The goal of this recipe is to create a similar style of dressing at home with simple ingredients.
And honestly, that’s one of my favorite things about making homemade versions; you know exactly what’s going into your food.
I love figuring out how to recreate restaurant sauces at home. If you do too, try my Juicy Crab Sauce Copycat Recipe next. It’s creamy, flavorful, and another really easy copycat recipe.
How to Store Homemade Coleslaw Dressing
Transfer leftover homemade coleslaw dressing to an airtight container or jar and store it in the refrigerator.
I recommend using it within about 4 to 5 days.
Give the dressing a good stir before using it again because some separation can happen while it sits.
Do not leave mayonnaise-based dressing sitting at room temperature for extended periods.
How Much Dressing Do I Need?
How much dressing you need really depends on how creamy you like your coleslaw.
For around 6 to 8 cups of shredded cabbage and carrots, I recommend starting with approximately 3/4 cup of dressing.
Toss everything together first.
If you don’t have enough dressing, add another spoonful or two until the cabbage is evenly coated.
Remember that cabbage releases moisture as it sits, so the coleslaw will usually become a little more saucy after being refrigerated.
What Else Can I Use Marie's-Style Coleslaw Dressing For?
Don’t limit this dressing to cabbage!
It’s also delicious with:
Pulled pork sandwiches: Add a big scoop of crunchy coleslaw on top of pulled pork sandwiches. The creamy dressing is especially good with smoky barbecue sauce.
If your family loves saucy sandwiches and chicken dinners, you may also want to save my Dave’s Hot Chicken Sauce Recipe. The creamy sauce is especially good with crispy chicken and sandwiches.
Broccoli salad: Use the dressing as the base for an easy broccoli salad with chopped broccoli, bacon, sunflower seeds, and red onion.
Sandwiches and wraps: Add a small amount to sandwiches when you want something creamy and tangy.
Shredded vegetable salads: Try it with shredded carrots, broccoli slaw, or other crunchy vegetables.
Can I Make This Low Carb?
The mayonnaise itself can work well for a low-carb diet, but traditional coleslaw dressing contains sugar.
To make a lower-carb version, replace the granulated sugar with your preferred sugar substitute that measures similarly to sugar.
Keep in mind that different sweeteners taste different, so start with less and adjust after tasting.
Recipe Tips
Make the dressing ahead of time if you can. Even 30 minutes in the refrigerator gives the flavors time to blend.
Don’t pour all the dressing onto your cabbage immediately. It’s much easier to add more dressing than it is to fix overly dressed coleslaw.
Taste before serving. Cabbage can dilute the flavor of the dressing, so you may want another pinch of salt, black pepper, celery seed, or a splash of lemon juice after everything is mixed.
And if you’re making coleslaw for pulled pork, keep it nice and crunchy. That combination of warm pork, barbecue sauce, and cold creamy coleslaw is so good.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! In fact, I think it tastes better after sitting in the refrigerator for a little while. Make the dressing a few hours before you need it and keep it covered in an airtight container.
Definitely. A bag of coleslaw mix is the easiest way to make this recipe. Simply pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture, toss, and refrigerate before serving.
Cabbage naturally releases water after it’s mixed with dressing and salt. For the crunchiest results, don’t mix the cabbage and dressing too far in advance.
Yes. A small amount of Dijon mustard adds flavor and helps balance the sweetness without making the dressing taste strongly like mustard.
The exact number of fl oz can vary slightly depending on the mayonnaise and other ingredients used, but this recipe makes approximately 1 1/3 cups of dressing.
Absolutely. Reduce the sugar slightly and taste the dressing before adding it to your cabbage. You can also add a little extra apple cider vinegar or lemon juice for more tang.
More Homemade Sauces and Dressings to Try
If you enjoyed this Marie’s coleslaw dressing recipe, here are a few more easy homemade sauces and dressings you might like:
- Chili’s Ranch Dressing Recipe – creamy restaurant-style ranch you can easily make at home.
- Simple Lemon Vinaigrette with Thyme – a fresh and tangy homemade dressing that’s perfect for salads.
- Dave’s Hot Chicken Sauce Recipe – a creamy, spicy copycat sauce for chicken and sandwiches.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a fan of Marie’s Original Coleslaw Dressing, making your own version at home is surprisingly simple.
This Marie’s coleslaw dressing recipe has everything I want in a good coleslaw dressing; it’s creamy, slightly sweet, tangy, and has just a little celery seed to give it that classic flavor.
Grab a bag of coleslaw mix when you’re at the grocery store, whip up the dressing in five minutes, and you have an easy side dish for cookouts, weeknight dinners, or pulled pork sandwiches.
Sometimes the simplest recipes really are the best.
Let’s Stay in Touch
If you make this Marie’s Coleslaw Dressing copycat recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to save the recipe on Pinterest so you can easily find it again.
For more easy recipes, family favorites, and homemade copycats, keep following along with The Foreign Mom!