Name: Cilantro Lime Kale Slaw Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice; 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil; pinch of Sugar; pinch of Ground Cumin; 1/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt; 1 tablespoon finely minced Cilantro Leaves; 2.5 ounces Kale Leaves, chopped; 8 ounces Shredded Purple Cabbage; 1 small Red Bell Pepper, sliced thin; 2 Carrots, shredded; 4 Green Onions, sliced; 2 tablespoons Chopped Cilantro; 1 Jalapeño, finely minced; Pepper, to taste

Kale, purple cabbage, carrot, and red bell pepper are tossed with a jalapeño lime vinaigrette for a Mexican-inspired Cilantro Lime Kale Slaw. Use this slaw in place of your standard shredded lettuce the next time you make tacos or tostadas!

Cilantro Lime Kale Slaw in serving bowl garnished with lime wedge

The Mexican Slaw I Always Serve with Tacos and Tostadas

I first shared this kale slaw recipe back in 2017, and it’s been a staple in our house ever since!

The tangy cilantro lime dressing brightens up the earthy kale and purple cabbage, and because the veggies are all chopped, shredded, and sliced to finely you can serve this Mexican-inspired slaw on its own or on top of tacos, burrito bowls, and tostadas.

Here’s why I think you should make this cilantro lime kale slaw too:

✔ Quick & Easy: The slaw takes just 10 minutes to prepare, and it can even be made several hours in advance since all of the vegetables are so hearty.

✔ Bright & Tangy Flavor: There’s no shortage of freshly squeezed lime juice or chopped cilantro in this recipe, both of which liven up the cabbage and kale and prevent the slaw from tasting earthy or bitter.

✔ Kid Approved: My kids aren’t big vegetable eaters, and they definitely don’t love salads. But this fresh slaw disappeared fast when I told them they could eat it with lots of cheese on their tacos!

Enjoy!

-Katie

Cilantro Lime Slaw in serving bowl with wooden salad tongs

The Main Ingredients

A full list of ingredients with their measurements can be found in the recipe card below, but here are the key items you’ll need to make this Mexican-style kale and cabbage slaw.

Lime juice — Freshly squeezed lime juice tastes so much brighter than bottled lime juice, so I recommend buying a few limes for this recipe. If your limes are hard, roll them on the countertop while pressing down firmly with the palm of your hand to release more of the juice.
Olive oil — Can be swapped with sunflower or canola oil.
Fresh cilantro — I prefer using just the leaves, which are more tender than the stems.
Kale — You can use any variety of kale you’d like! I typically use dinosaur kale (aka Tuscan kale), which is milder and sweeter in flavor.
Purple cabbage — Adds tons of crunch to the slaw. However, it’s incredibly earthy and slightly bitter, which is why I recommend shredding it finely with a mandoline.
Carrots — Shred them with a box grater so they disappear into the slaw.
Jalapeño — Adds a kick of heat. If you’re sensitive to spice, either omit the jalapeño entirely or remove the seeds before chopping it finely.
Spices — Ground cumin enhances the Mexican flavors of this slaw, and a pinch of sugar balances out the tangy lime juice.

Cilantro Lime Kale Slaw in large bowl with lime wedge on top

How to Make Cilantro Lime Kale Slaw

a quick overview!

Make the dressing. I like to add the ingredients to a jar, screw on the lid, and shake to combine.
Prep the veggies. This is the most time consuming part of the recipe, but you want the hardy vegetables to be finely shredded or sliced for easier eating.
Toss to combine. You’ll be using all of the cilantro lime dressing to flavor the kale slaw.
Chill before serving. Just 15 minutes in the fridge is enough time to let the flavors meld and for the purple cabbage to soften slightly as it sits in the acidic dressing.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Make-Ahead Option

If making the day of: Assemble the kale coleslaw as instructed, cover tightly, and chill until ready to serve. Because this slaw recipe uses such hearty veggies, they shouldn’t become too soggy in the fridge.
If making a day or more in advance: Chop all the veggies as instructed and store separately from the dressing. When you’re ready to serve, just toss everything together.

Ways to Serve Your Slaw

I’ve served this Mexican slaw as a side, on tacos and rice bowls, and in wraps and sandwiches. Get creative and let me know how you eat it!

As a side dish: Try it with BBQ chicken, smoked baby back ribs, chicken enchiladas, and slow cooker Mexican chicken.
On tacos: This slaw is amazing on black bean tacos, shredded chicken tacos, shredded pork tacos, and fish taco bowls.
On sandwiches and wraps: Pile it onto bbq chicken sliders, pork carnitas lettuce wraps, and steak fajitas.
On nachos: Add the slaw to your favorite sheet pan nachos or pork nachos as the very last step before serving.

More Easy Coleslaw Recipes to Make

woman holding a bowl of jalapeño coleslaw

Jalapeño Colelsaw

Cilantro Lime Broccoli Slaw

Cilantro Lime Cabbage Slaw

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