The global history of coleslaw is hidden in its name and humble cabbage base

Food & Drink · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Coleslaw is more than a picnic staple; it is a linguistic and culinary traveler. Originating from the Dutch term for cabbage salad, this dish has evolved from 18th-century butter-dressed strips into a global phenomenon, ranging from vinegar-based crunch in Montreal to mayonnaise-rich variations across the United States.

The story of coleslaw begins in the 18th-century Netherlands. The name itself is an anglicisation of the Dutch koolsla, where kool translates to cabbage and sla to salad. This linguistic root traces back further to the Latin caulis, meaning cabbage. An early precursor appears in the 1667 Dutch cookbook The Sensible Cook, which features a recipe for thinly sliced cabbage dressed with melted butter, vinegar, and oil. While modern versions often rely on mayonnaise—a mid-18th-century innovation—the core of the dish remains raw, shredded cabbage.

Global interpretations of this simple concept are remarkably diverse. In Poland, salads known as surówka use raw vegetables tossed with oil and vinegar, while in Sweden, pizzasallad is a vinaigrette-based cabbage dish served alongside pizza. Eastern Slavic cultures often dress shredded cabbage with unrefined sunflower oil, sometimes incorporating apples or cranberries. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom frequently includes carrots, onions, and occasionally grated cheese or walnuts in their mayonnaise-based preparations.

In North America, regional identities define the dish. Montreal-style coleslaw is distinct for its coarse, vinegar-based profile, lacking the creamy dressings common in the United States. In the American South, variations are deeply tied to local barbecue traditions. North Carolina offers both a fine, vinegary slaw and a unique red slaw made with ketchup, while Tennessee recently designated hot slaw—flavored with mustard and jalapeño—as its first official state food in 2024. Despite these vast differences in texture and seasoning, the consistent presence of raw cabbage unites these disparate traditions into a single, evolving culinary category.

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