Mexican Slaw with Mango

Potluck friends always ask for this recipe! This fresh Mexican slaw will easily stand on its own as a side dish, but adds an extra layer of flavor and crunch to fish or shrimp tacos. The combination of tangy lime dressing and sweet mango chunks adds loads of flavor.

When I went to Mexico several years ago, I fell in love with the slaw that topped every taco I ate (and believe me, I ate a lot of them!) My Shrimp, Jicama and Mango Salsa was inspired by one of my favorite meals there. And this slaw is a must to round out any great Mexican-inspired meal.

Or any bbq potlucks, for that matter. My son took this Mexican cabbage slaw to his friend's house a few weeks ago, where they were smoking brisket. He reported to me that everyone adored the slaw and piled it high on top of their plates of meat.

While dining in restaurants in Mexico, I sampled a couple of different slaws. Mexican slaw for tacos ranged from lime juice-dressed recipes, like the one I'm sharing here, to creamy slaws toss with crema-based dressings. I prefer the lighter lime juice vinaigrette-style slaws for both flavor and health reasons. However, if you want to try a creamy version, this one by Pati Jinich looks fantastic!

Jump to:

• 💙 Why this Mexican slaw recipe works
• 📋 Ingredients for Mexican cabbage slaw
• 🔹 Substitutions
• 🔪 How to make Mexican slaw
• ⏲ Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
• ❓ Frequently Asked Questions:
• Other Recipes You'll Love
• Printable Recipe
• Comments

📋 Ingredients for Mexican cabbage slaw

• GREEN CABBAGE: Use a standard green cabbage found in most grocery stores.
• PURPLE CABBAGE: Use a purple cabbage, which is sometimes labeled as red cabbage.
• MANGO: Any mango varietal works. Use your favorite. See my tutorial on How to Cut a Mango.
• CARROT: Definitely not a traditional ingredient, so feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
• GREEN ONION: Thinly slice a couple of green onions. Substitute with raw red onion for a more traditional option.
• CILANTRO: Wash and dry the cilantro, then mince it. See How to Chop Parsley and Cilantro.
• JALAPEÑO PEPPER: Jalapeño pepper adds some nice zip. Feel free to leave it out. Or if you prefer less heat, remove the white membranes and seeds before mincing the pepper.
• DRESSING: Fresh lime juice (I use this hand-held citrus juicer), extra virgin olive oil, agave nectar, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt.

See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.

🔪 How to make Mexican slaw

The instructions for making this salad couldn't be simpler. Chop the veggies, make the dressing and toss it all together. Let's talk details...

PREP THE CABBAGE: Cut the cabbage through the root end, then lay it, cut side down, on a cutting board. I like to cut the vertically cabbage in half or thirds from the root to the opposite end. Then thinly slice crosswise. Repeat with the other cabbage.

PREP THE MANGO: Cutting a mango can seem a little tricky at first because of the oblong-shaped pit. Once you've done it once or twice, it's a breeze. Follow my directions in How to Cut a Mango.

COMBINE: Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl. That's the cabbages, chopped mango, carrot, green onion, cilantro and jalapeño pepper (is using).

MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, coriander, agave nectar and salt.

TOSS AND SERVE: Pour the dressing into the slaw and toss gently to combine. I use tongs to do toss the salad, but salad tongs or two forks works equally well. Taste it and add extra seasonings, such as salt, if desired.

This post was first published on May 4, 2012 and updated on March 13, 2023.

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