Italian Coleslaw with Banana Peppers – Tangy, Creamy, and Packed with Flavor
If you’re looking for a bold and refreshing twist on traditional coleslaw, this Italian Coleslaw with Banana Peppers is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. It’s creamy, zesty, and just the right amount of spicy, thanks to a combination of mayonnaise, Italian dressing, and tangy pickled banana peppers.
Whether you’re serving burgers, pulled pork, or grilled chicken, this coleslaw will add a flavorful kick to any meal—and it comes together in just minutes!
If you have had the sandwich slaw that is all the rage on TikTok grinder sandwiches, then this Italian coleslaw is going to be your new favorite coleslaw recipe for you. The bagged shredded cabbage along with mayonnaise, Italian dressing, banana peppers, red onions, and seasonings bring this coleslaw together for a flavorful and creamy coleslaw recipe.
My family loves a good creamy coleslaw. They also are big fans of Subway sandwiches. This Italian coleslaw tastes like Subway restaurants. If you love this coleslaw you will love the Italian grinder pasta salad too.
Mayonnaise based salads are also some of our favorite salads, like this seven-layer salad recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Italian Coleslaw Recipe
- ✅ Quick & easy – Just mix and chill!
- ✅ Creamy and tangy – A perfect balance of mayo and Italian dressing
- ✅ Loaded with flavor – Banana peppers and red pepper flakes add a zingy punch
- ✅ Great for BBQs, sandwiches, or as a side dish
Creamy Italian Coleslaw Ingredients
This coleslaw with Italian dressing is super simple to make and can be made with extra add-ins to make it similar to an antipasto-style coleslaw. And of course, substitute shredded lettuce to make the grinder sandwich slaw recipe.
- Shredded Cabbage – I used bagged shredded cabbage slaw mix to make my life easier. Feel free to use a whole head of cabbage and chop it up yourself. To make with lettuce, use a bag of shredded lettuce.
- Red onions – Finely sliced red onions are perfect in this salad. They bring a bite plus add a bit of color. White or sweet onions can also be substituted. If you don’t like onions, leave them out.
- Banana Pepper Rings – A jar of sliced banana pepper rings are perfect to have on hand to add to this coleslaw. You can also make your own banana pepper rings.
- Italian Dressing – Everyone has their favorite Italian dressing vinaigrette. Mine happens to be the Olive Garden Italian Dressing. Use your favorite to guarantee you like the flavor.
- Mayonnaise – The debate over salad dressing aka Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise is one I don’t feel like having. I used Mayonnaise, if you like salad dressing it will work too.
- Italian Seasoning – I have a herb mixture of Italian herbs and spices I add to make the Italian flavors even stronger.
- Red Chili Flakes – We like things hot so red pepper flakes were also used in the Italian coleslaw. If you don’t like heat in your slaw, leave this out.
Other ingredients you could add into the creamy coleslaw recipe –
- Olives
- Parmesan cheese
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Bell Peppers
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Coleslaw with Italian Dressing
This Italian colesalw recipe is easy to put together for a quick side salad for lunch or dinner. Here are the simple steps to make this coleslaw with Italian dressing.
Combine the shredded cabbage, finely sliced onions, and banana rings in a large bowl.
Add the mayonnaise, salad dressing, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes to the vegetable base of the coleslaw.
Stir coleslaw to combine all the ingredients. Be sure to dig deep in the bowl to get the cabbage completely coated.
Refrigerate the Italian coleslaw until ready to eat. It will get juicier the longer it sets.
Serve the coleslaw cold and give a good stir before serving to redistribute the dressing throughout the salad.
Hint: if you like a more vinegar-based coleslaw, add a bit of the banana ring juice to the Italian coleslaw.
Coleslaw Substitutions
Need to substitute but not sure how to make it if you don’t have all the ingredients on hand, here are some ideas for substitutions for this coleslaw recipe.
- Lettuce – instead of cabbage, you can use lettuce to make a fantastic sandwich slaw or even chopped salad.
- Homemade Italian Dressing – Don’t have bottle Italian dressing on hand, use olive oil, red wine vinegar and Zesty Italian seasoning to make homemade Italian dressing.
- Vinegar-based Slaw – Don’t like creamy slaw, leave the mayonnaise or Miracle Whip out for a vinegar-based coleslaw instead.
Tips & Variations
- 🧊 Make ahead – This slaw holds up well for up to 3 days in the fridge, making it great for meal prep or parties.
- 🧄 Add garlic – A small clove of minced garlic adds even more flavor depth.
- 🌶️ Turn up the heat – Add extra red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce for spicy coleslaw.
- 🧀 Top with parmesan – A sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese adds a savory twist.
Coleslaw Made with Italian Dressing Supplies
Eager to get started on making this Italian coleslaw recipe? Here are some supplies to get you started making your soon-to-be favorite coleslaw recipe.
Storing Coleslaw
The Italian coleslaw can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. The salad really starts to breakdown and lose the crunch after two days.
FAQ
I actually prefer coleslaw to be made ahead of time so it can set for a few hours and marry all the flavors together.
Absolutely, this Italian coleslaw combines Italian dressing with mayonnaise for a creamy coleslaw dressing.
Salad Recipes
Looking for other salad recipes? Beyer Eats and Drinks is full of great salad recipes.
What to Serve with Italian Coleslaw
This creamy coleslaw pairs perfectly with:
- 🍔 Burgers or pulled pork sandwiches
- 🍗 Grilled chicken or sausages
- 🌭 Hot dogs or bratwursts
- 🥪 Italian subs or hoagies
It also works great as a topping for BBQ plates or a flavorful side for pasta salad.
Italian Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 1 bag coleslaw mix
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- ½ cup pickled banana peppers
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup Italian dressing
- ½ teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, finely sliced onions, and chopped banana pepper rings.
- To the vegetable mix, add the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, seasoning, and pepper flakes.
- Mix to completely coat the coleslaw.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition
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