Upgrade your traditional slaw with a tropical twist to make this delicious pineapple coleslaw. You’ll love how the addition of pineapple and coconut tastes in this Hawaiian coleslaw with an easy, creamy dressing.

Pineapple Coleslaw

If you’re looking for a delicious tropical, Hawaiian-inspired coleslaw to pair with your grilled meats, BBQ chicken, pulled chicken sandwiches, or pulled pork sandwiches, this pineapple coleslaw is the perfect recipe for you!

This coleslaw with pineapple is light and refreshing. The addition of pineapple tidbits and toasted coconut flakes taste so amazing with the simple, creamy, homemade dressing with mayonnaise. The dressing is the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, savory, and tangy flavors.

Even though the toasted coconut is technically optional, I definitely wouldn’t skip it. It adds such a delicious crunch on top, and such a delicious tropical flavor. Just be sure to keep an eye on it and stir frequently as you toast it, because it can go from perfectly golden brown to burnt pretty quickly.

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Hawaiian Coleslaw Ingredients

Green Cabbage: We’re using green cabbage as the base for our cole slaw because it has a mild flavor and tender texture that makes it perfect for this dish.

Purple Cabbage: Adding a bit of purple cabbage adds a beautiful pop of color, as well as a flavor and texture difference. It’s more peppery and a bit tougher than green cabbage. I wouldn’t recommend making slaw with only purple cabbage, but using a little bit is a nice addition to green cabbage.

Carrots: Carrots add a sweet flavor and crunchy texture that pairs really well with coleslaw. It also adds another beautiful pop of color to this dish. I recommend peeling the carrots, then grating them using a box grater.

Pineapple Tidbits: Canned pineapple tidbits add a delicious tropical twist to this Hawaiian coleslaw. Just don’t forget to reserve the juice from the can – we’ll be using it in the dressing.

Red Onion: I prefer using red onion when I plan to eat it raw because it has a milder taste than yellow onion does. It’s my go-to choice for any kind of salad or cold side dish.

Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro adds a lot of freshness to this dish, and the flavor complements the pineapple perfectly. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, try using green onion instead.

Mayonnaise: This is the base of the dressing. It adds a creamy and rich flavor, but it tastes mild enough that it really lets the other flavors in the dressing shine.

Sour Cream: This is also a creamy ingredient in our dressing, but it also adds a bit of tanginess. Using a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream for the dressing makes it taste creamy, but makes the overall taste lighter than if we used just mayonnaise.

Apple Cider Vinegar: The acid in apple cider vinegar adds a tangy flavor to the dressing, which balances out the sweet and creamy flavors. You could also substitute this with lime juice for a honey lime dressing.

Pineapple Juice: This adds a sweet, slightly tart, and tropical flavor to the dressing.

Honey: This adds sweetness to the dressing, which balances out the acidity of the apple cider vinegar. You can swap this for agave or granulated sugar if you prefer.

Salt and Pepper: Salt enhances all of the other flavors in this dish, while pepper helps balance out the rich and sweet flavors.

Toasted Coconut Flakes: Even though these are optional, they totally add to the tropical vibe of this dish. Not only do they add an additional tropical flavor, they also add another crunchy texture, which tastes really good in this coleslaw.

How To Make Pineapple Coleslaw

Prepare the coleslaw mix: In a large bowl, combine the shredded green and purple cabbage, shredded carrots, drained pineapple tidbits, finely chopped red onion, and fresh cilantro. Toss everything together until well mixed. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)

Prepare the dressing: In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, honey, salt, and black pepper. Whisk these ingredients together until you have a smooth, creamy dressing.

Combine the coleslaw and dressing: Pour your freshly made dressing over the coleslaw mix. Toss everything together until the coleslaw is well coated in the dressing.

Let the coleslaw rest: Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for a bit. This allows the flavors to meld together.

Serve the coleslaw: Before serving, stir the coleslaw well. If you like, you can garnish it with toasted coconut flakes for a tropical twist. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.

Pro Tips

• Save time with pre-shredded cabbage: I normally shred my own green cabbage and purple cabbage for this recipe, but you can definitely save some effort and some time by buying pre-shredded coleslaw mix.
• Adjust the dressing to taste: Some people prefer their coleslaw dressing more sweet, and some prefer it more tangy. Feel free to add more honey or apple cider vinegar to match your preference.
• Make the coleslaw ahead and let it chill: This dish is a great make-ahead option. The flavors meld together and deepen as it rests in the fridge. I find that the flavors are best the day after it’s made.

What Is Traditional Coleslaw Made Of?

Traditional coleslaw is made with a base of either just green cabbage, or a combination of green cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrot. That’s tossed in a creamy dressing made from mayonnaise, white vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, pepper, and sometimes celery seeds.

This recipe differs from traditional coleslaw by adding a tropical twist to make it Hawaiian coleslaw. The addition of pineapple tidbits, pineapple juice, and toasted coconut flakes gives it a delicious sweet and summery flavor. Fresh cilantro adds a really fresh flavor, too, and it pairs well with the sweetness in this recipe. We’re also lightening it up by using a combination of sour cream instead of just mayonnaise in the dressing.

Is It Better To Make Coleslaw The Day Before?

Yes, coleslaw tastes the best the day after it’s made. It gives the flavors a chance to meld together and it gives the cabbage a chance to soften a bit, which really enhances the overall texture and taste.

When Should You Put Dressing On Coleslaw?

It depends on what you like. I prefer the flavor when the cabbage has a chance to soften a bit, so I like to dress it anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours before I plan to serve it. If you like really crunchy coleslaw, then it would be best to dress it right before serving.

Why Does My Homemade Coleslaw Taste Bitter?

The most likely reason your homemade coleslaw tastes bitter is that the cabbage is a bit too old. Be sure to look for a cabbage with tight leaves, and then remove the outer leaves before shredding it. A bitter flavor could also be from overdoing it a bit with the pepper, or from not adding enough sweetness.

What To Serve Coleslaw With

Coleslaw is a classic barbecue side dish, and I think this pineapple coleslaw pairs especially well with grilled meats, like grilled chicken. It also tastes great alongside pulled pork, hot dogs, burgers, fish tacos, sandwiches, fried chicken, potato salad, pasta salad, roast chicken, and roast beef.

Storing Leftovers

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Be sure to give it a good stir to redistribute the dressing before serving the leftovers. I don’t recommend freezing this. The cabbage will become mushy after it thaws, and the dressing will separate, which makes it watery.

Keep In Touch

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Salad Recipes

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other salad recipes. Some reader favorites are:

• Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
• Vinegar Coleslaw
• Watergate Marshmallow Salad
• Mexican Coleslaw
• Kidney Bean Salad
• Coleslaw for Pulled Pork

I hope you enjoy this Hawaiian pineapple coleslaw as much as I do! It’s the perfect summer side dish!