Old Fashioned Amish Overnight Coleslaw Recipe (2024)

Y’all get ready for my delicious tangy Old Fashioned Amish Overnight Coleslaw Recipe! That is what this post is all about and you’re gonna love it!

Welcome to my kitchen, friend! You’re gonna love this easy recipe for Amish slaw. I am going to take you through all the steps for making it so that your dish turns out perfectly. You can also hit that “jump to recipe” button up top if you don’t want to visit with me a minute and walk through the steps.

Now, if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s making dishes that’ll make you smack your lips and ask for seconds.

That comes from watching my favorite grands, aunts, and other beloved cooks in the kitchen while growing up. It also comes from my own many years in the kitchen doing what I love, which is feeding people good food.

Let’s head into the kitchen and prepare this great side dish, y’all! It is sure to become a favorite coleslaw recipe for you to add to your collection of cabbage salad options.

Old Fashioned Coleslaw with Vinegar

Y’all, back when I was growing up, air conditioning wasn’t a common thing like it is now. Honey, let me tell you, I don’t know how we did it with our hot and humid Southern summers. Just used to it I guess.

Well, thought had to be put into what you were preparing according to how and when it would be served.

We loved the classic mayonnaise coleslaw recipe back in the day just as we do now, but that was more fitting for family meals when you were inside and had the refrigerator to pop it back into so it keeps.

For those outdoor gatherings where family and friends came together for fish fries or cook outs, the overnight icebox slaw was more fitting. That is because of the vinegar-based dressing, which sorta pickles the cole slaw and you didn’t have to worry about it spoiling.

Icebox Slaw

Here’s what you’ll need to prepare the Best Amish Coleslaw:

The Vinegar Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients…

• Water – use distilled or purified water for the best flavor in your dressing without the additives of tap water.
• Vinegar – I used white vinegar because I like the tang and had plenty on hand. Apple cider vinegar is also used for vinegar coleslaw dressing.
• Sugar – regular ole white sugar.
• Kosher Salt

The Cabbage Mixture…

• Green Cabbage
• Green Peppers – sweet green bell peppers.
• Carrots
• Red Onion
• Diced Pimentos
• Celery
• Cracked Black Pepper
• Celery Seed

Other tools you’ll need: food processor with the grating attachment or a box hand grater, large bowl for mixing, plastic wrap or an airtight container for storage, a small saucepan, and a spatula.

Prepare the dressing first and allow to cool

In a small saucepan add the distilled water, vinegar, sugar and salt then bring to a simmer over medium-high heat stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Once simmering, remove the pot from the heat, cover, and allow to cool before dressing the slaw mixture.

Pepper Slaw

Y’all, if you have a food processor it sure makes the work go a lot faster. Start by cutting your raw cabbage into wedges that will fit into the processor and shred (grate) in batches until done.

Transfer the shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl.

Next, peel and trim the carrots then shred and add to the coleslaw mix. Continue by slicing the green bell peppers and removing the seeds and ribs then shred and add to the mixing bowl.

I prefer to finely dice the celery before adding it to the slaw mixture. Drain the jar of pimentos and add those as well along with the black pepper and celery seeds.

Pennsylvania Dutch Good ‘N Plenty Amish Slaw

Once you have everything in your mixing bowl and ready to go, check on the dressing to make sure it has cooled down before adding it to the freshly shredded cabbage mixture.

Coleslaw Recipe without Mayo

See Also

Applebee's Wonton Tacos Recipe - Secret Copycat Restaurant RecipesAmazing Mom's Cream Horns (The Best Recipe on the Web!)Chicken Lettuce Wraps (P.F. Chang's Copycat Recipe) - Kirbie's CravingsWorld Famous Doubletree Hotel Cookie Recipe

The Vinegar-Based Dressing is the key to this overnight pickled coleslaw! It is delicious! The dressing is what makes this the best coleslaw that is perfect for a hot summer day.

Drizzle the vinegar solution over the slaw mixture.

Tangy Cool and Delicious

Give everything a good stir to combine in that tangy dressing then sort of press it down so everything can marinate really well.

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator to hang out overnight.

4 Hours Later OOOPS I Forgot Something

Lawdy, y’all! I forgot to add the red onion! I was sitting around a few hours later and it just came to me that I forgot to add the onion.

So, off I went into the kitchen to dice up the onion and mix it into the Amish slaw then getting it back into the fridge to do its thing.

Amish Coleslaw Recipe

The next day your beautiful batch of Amish coleslaw if ready to be enjoyed. Give it a stir and transfer all, or in portions as needed, to a serving bowl.

Due to the nature of the dressing for green pepper slaw, the pickling effect keeps the coleslaw fresh for a while when properly stored in your refrigerator. Up to three weeks, in fact, although it never lasts that long.

Below if the printable recipe card with all of the key ingredients as well as steps for how to make the best Amish overnight coleslaw with its tangy vinegar dressing.

What to serve with Amish Coleslaw?

If you’re looking for some ideas on what to serve your Amish coleslaw with, I’ve got a few suggestions:

• Fried Fish – y’all, some of my best memories growing up are the fish fries with coleslaw, fried, hushpuppies, corn, potato salad…oh my I could go on and on.
• Chicken – slaw is a great side with chicken cooked up just about any way.
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• Hot dogs or Burgers
• A veggie plate of prepared fresh summer veggies with a side of cool coleslaw is so good y’all.

With any of these down home dishes, your Amish slaw will fit right into the mix to be enjoyed perfectly.

Popular Recipes on the Blog

• Homemade Country White Gravy Recipe

• Easy Baked Cubed Beef Steaks

• Classic Southern Meatloaf Recipe

• Traditional Southern Fried Chicken Recipe

• Southern Purple Hull Peas

• Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

• Creamed Chipped Beef and Toast

• Julia’s Southern Hot Dog Chili Sauce

In case you missed the latest posts…

• Old Fashioned Amish Overnight Coleslaw Recipe

• The Best Easter Breakfast or Brunch Recipes for Two

• Classic Hamburger Steak Recipe with Country Pepper Gravy

• Easy Southern Style Flat Italian Green Beans Recipe

• Down Home Southern Large Lima Butter Beans Recipe

• Easy Creamy Salmon Pasta Salad Recipe

Old Fashioned Amish Overnight Coleslaw Recipe

So there you have it, folks! My Old Fashioned Amish Overnight Coleslaw Recipe, a dish that’s as timeless as it is delicious.

You can call it Amish slaw, pepper slaw, pepper cabbage, pickled slaw, or like us…icebox slaw, but be sure to add this great side dish to your must make sides for your next get-together.

Whether you’re serving it up at a backyard barbecue, church social, family reunion, or packing it for a picnic, this coleslaw is sure to steal the show.

Next time you’re craving a taste of tradition, remember this recipe straight from the heart of Amish country.

Before you go, be sure to subscribe to my email list so that you will receive my e-newsletter each week. You’ll get all of my latest recipes and news here on the blog so you never miss a thing.

Until next time, y’all keep cooking and sharing the love through good food and good company. Happy eating!