This crunchy, sweet Pineapple Coleslaw with raisins and walnuts is a perfectly balanced, delicious summer side dish for picnics, BBQs, potlucks, or just about any night of the week. The marriage of shredded cabbage and pineapple tidbits brings this coleslaw recipe to new heights.
I love the crunch of coleslaw but then add in another great bite from the walnuts is so much better; adding a nut to a salad is one of my favorite parts. The sweetness from the pineapple and raisins is also welcomed inclusion in this salad. All of the flavors go so perfectly together, giving you a change from the same old, same old. Another great salad to take along to potlucks is our Mandarin Chicken Salad or a Brazilian Chicken Salad, so lovely in the summer too!

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Coleslaw with Carrots and Purple Cabbage
What Ingredients Go Into Pineapple Coleslaw

We have been eating plain old coleslaw for years. You know, grab a bag and make up a mayonnaise-type sauce or buy a bottle of coleslaw dressing, toss it all together, and away you go. It is good, but I was tired of it.
I needed to jazz up that recipe somehow. So I thought of adding in some additions and created this Pineapple Walnut Raisin Coleslaw. It kind of has that feeling of Hawaii, so light and refreshing and tropical.
INGREDIENTS
- Shredded cabbage coleslaw mix with carrot and purple cabbage
- Pineapple tidbits, drained of the pineapple juice or Fresh Pineapple
- Raisins
- Walnuts, chopped
DRESSING
- Mayonnaise
- Cider vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Pineapple Coleslaw
- Soak the raisins in hot water for 10 min. and drain well, set aside. This helps to rehydrate them and plump them up.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- In a large bowl, add the coleslaw, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts. Toss gently.

- Add the dressing and toss to coat well. Chill and serve.
- If making well in advance, leave the walnuts out to toss in just before serving.
- Best if served the day of making.
I love summer foods. They are so cool, refreshing, and satisfying like this salad.
Grab a big scoop and load up your plate. This would be great with pulled pork; think of piling it high on a bun!
Also delicious with a sticky BBQ chicken but would fair well with steak and fish also.

I think once you have tried this coleslaw, you will never want to go back to just plain old coleslaw.
This one just has so much more going for it, and the extras can’t be easier to add also. The one thing I do like to do is plump up the raisins in some hot water, but that takes little effort, and they sit and plump while you get the rest of the ingredients together.
Pineapple Coleslaw Additions

A little green onion added to this slaw would be good too. I don’t think I would want the sharpness of a red or yellow onion. It would overplay on the sweetness, which is so nice.
Some people like to add in coconut, apples, or marshmallows and by all means, make the salad your own!
The best salad is the one that you make and enjoy!!
Can I Make This Coleslaw Ahead of Time?

If you are needing to make this salad ahead of time or to take a salad to someone’s house for the summer months, this is great and portable.
You can leave the nuts out until you arrive and add them at the last minute so they won’t soften at all. The salad is best if made the day of and served, but you could make it in the morning and serve it for dinner for sure. It does need time to meld.
I love all the fresh summer colors in here too.

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!


Pineapple Walnut Raisin Coleslaw
This Pineapple Walnut Raisin Coleslaw is a twist on your classic coleslaw. It is wonderfully sweet, crunchy, and makes a great side for a BBQ, picnic, outdoor gathering, and more!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of shredded cabbage coleslaw mix with carrot
- 14 oz. can of pineapple tidbits, drained
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Soak the raisins in hot water for 10 min. and drain well, set aside.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients. In a large bowl, add the coleslaw, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts. Toss gently.
- Add the dressing and toss well to incorporate. Chill and serve.
- If making well in advance, leave the walnuts out to toss in just before serving. Best if served the day of making.
Recommended Products
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Kalinco Wooden Acacia Salad Servers with Salad Spoon and Fork Set Cooking Utensils for Kitchen (Natural Handmade Cookware) (salad servers)
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3.2 Quarts Porcelain Serving Bowl Set Salad Bowl Set 2 Pack, Large Ceramic Bowl Set White
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365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Produce - Packaged Vegetables, Coleslaw Mix, 12 oz
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 241Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
Recipe calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
Comments & Reviews
Robin rue says
This is an awesome twist on coleslaw! This is going to go over big at our Fourth of July cookout.
Kristen @ My 3 Little Kittens says
My Husband absolutely LOVES coleslaw! This is such a gorgeous recipe Tara!
Jeanette says
My parents are coming into town this week and one of their favorite things is pineapple and raisins. This coleslaw looks refreshing and Chris and I know we would all like it.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
Yay! This is so making at appearance at our next barbecue. That looks so good.
Vera Sweeney says
I have never seen coleslaw like this before. It looks delicious. I love that sweet with the tang. Om nom nom.
Amy Desrosiers says
I love a sweet and savory salad. This would be so good with a burger or hot dog!
Liz Mays says
This is definitely going to be a reliable summer dish for all kinds of meals. It’s always good to have a coleslaw for barbecue days!
Jenna Wood says
I can’t get over how amazing and fresh this flavor combination sounds! I’m going to make this for our next picnic!
Lisa Favre says
Your coleslaw looks like it would make a great summer side. I love the fact that it has raisins in it!
Heidi Gray says
I love a good coleslaw! This recipe is definitely something I want to try out!
Claudia Krusch says
I have been looking for a few new recipes to try for my BBQ in a few weeks. I am looking forward to giving this Pineapple Walnut Raisin Coleslaw a try.
Sarah says
What a fun take on coleslaw. I’m generally not a fan, but raisins and walnuts would definitely encourage me to try it again.
Kelly Hutchinson says
Oh my yum! I love coleslaw, especially in the summertime. This would be great with some BBQ ribs!
Nellie Blazina says
This looks so refreshing. And Beautiful!!! What a fantastic addition to a family bbq.
Autumn says
How perfect is this for summer. And kids will love it too.
Jocelyn @ Hip Mama's Place says
I can imagine the burst of flavor that the pineapple adds to the coleslaw! I think it’s an awesome addition to the recipe and it’s definitely perfect for barbecues during the summer!
Cheryl Voelk says
Tara, this was such a great recipe, we loved it. I made it last weekend…. tripled the recipe actually.
Can’t wait to make it again.
Thank you 🙂
Tara Noland says
Awesome, so glad it was a hit!!
Little Alchemy says
wow! These dishes look so delicious, I just want to try it to see how delicious it is, thank you for sharing how to make this dish.
Teresa says
By mayonnaise do you mean a Hellmann’s type or a Miracle Whip? Thank you!
Tara Noland says
You could use either but I tend to use a real mayo like Hellman’s.
Janice Hallahan says
This is exactly the pineapple-raisin coleslaw recipe I was searching for! Lots of tasty pineapple, with just enough raisins and nuts to make it very interesting and yummy.
Will come back and check out more recipes when I have that odd spare minute…
Tara Noland says
So happy that you found us and the recipe you wanted. We have over 2,000 recipes now and if you have trouble locating something just drop me a message, happy to help.
Jan says
Tara, I just made and put in the fridge. Tried a bite and I love it already. Thank you for this keeper coleslaw recipe!
Tara Noland says
So glad you liked it. Enjoy!!