Growing up, my Grandparents and I always went to Captain D’s on Friday nights. There was something magical about that perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, sweet, and tangy that made it irresistible. After years of experimenting in my kitchen, I’ve finally recreated that nostalgic flavor that takes me back to those summer days. Now, it’s my most requested potluck contribution, and friends are always shocked when I tell them how simple it is to make!
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Why Captain D’s cole slaw is so delicious
This coleslaw hits the mark when it comes to texture and flavor. It’s a dreamy comfort food, to say the least. The fresh and crispy cabbage and the silky dressing make it a great accompaniment to heartier dishes like batter-dipped fish or fish sandwiches.
This copycat Captain D’s coleslaw strikes the perfect happy medium between sweet and tangy, thanks to the ideal combination of sugar and vinegar. The recipe also includes celery seed, which adds a unique flavor to the dish.
Why you’ll love the recipe
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to authentic Captain D’s coleslaw lies in the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, plus the distinctive addition of celery seed that sets it apart from ordinary coleslaw recipes. The freshly chopped cabbage provides the ideal crunch, while the creamy dressing clings to every piece without becoming soggy. This recipe nails the restaurant’s signature texture by hand-chopping the vegetables rather than using a food processor, ensuring each bite has that authentic Captain D’s feel.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make Captain Ds cole slaw at home:
- Green cabbage – Provides the perfect crisp foundation and mild flavor base
- Carrot – Adds natural sweetness, color contrast, and nutritional value
- White onion – Delivers a subtle sharpness that balances the creamy dressing
- Mayonnaise – Creates the rich, creamy base that coats the vegetables
- White vinegar – Provides the essential tanginess that cuts through the richness
- Sugar – Balances the acidity with just the right amount of sweetness Celery seed – The distinctive flavor that makes this taste authentically like Captain D’s
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors and brings the dressing together
If you don’t have white vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Just note it will change the flavor slightly.
How to Make Captain Ds Cole Slaw
- Chop cabbage, carrot, and onion with a sharp knife. This is so the cabbage and veggies will have the same texture as Captain D’s. You can use a mandolin or food processor but it will produce a different cabbage cut.
- Place the shredded cabbage mixture in a medium bowl.
- To make the cole slaw dressing, place mayo, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and salt in a small bowl.
- Stir until dressing ingredients are combined.
- Add dressing to the bowl with chopped vegetables.
- Stir to combine vegetables with the dressing.
- Refrigerate coleslaw for at least two hours before serving.
Copycat Captain D’s Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cabbage chopped fine
- 1/4 pound carrots chopped
- 2 tablespoons white onion chopped fine
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt and omit celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
- Chop cabbage, carrots, and onions and place into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, and celery seed. Whisk dressing together and drizzle over the chopped vegetables.
- Stir to combine dressing and vegetables until the cabbage is well coated. This recipe is best when allowed to rest in a covered dish in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
What to serve with Captain D’s coleslaw
There’s no better way to enjoy this coleslaw than to make Captain D’s battered dipped fish and hush puppies! Create your own delicious Captain D’s feast in the comfort of your home.
Another option is to make butterfly shrimp or breaded chicken tenders. In either instance, the balance of the fried food with the creamy coleslaw is always such a delicious dining experience.
How to store leftover coleslaw
You will want to keep your leftover coleslaw, it goes great with sandwiches, especially on a pulled pork sandwich. It’s also great on fish tacos. I recommend storing it in an airtight container and placing the container in the fridge for up to five days.
I do not recommend freezing this due to the creamy coleslaw dressing. If you want a type of coleslaw you want to freeze, I have you covered. Try my best coleslaw recipe for freezing.
How long does it last?
When properly stored, this refreshing coleslaw lasts approximately five days!
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You nailed this with the celery seed.
Sounds very good. The instructions say to chop the ‘celery.” along with the cabbage and onions. guessing carrots too, but not mentioned. The ingredients don’t list “celery”, only seeds or salt. Is there celery in this and how much. Thank you.
There is no chopped celery in this recipe, only celery seed.
My family loved this cole slaw. My restaurant serves it with the celery seed.
I love Captain D’s Cole slaw so was excited to find this recipe. Only one little suggestion and this comes from an amateur.
The recipe calls for 2 pounds cabbage, 1/4 pound carrots, 2 teaspoons sugar, etc.
So when I saw the amount of salt being 1 1/2 teaspoons, I though it meant
1-1/2 teaspoons. I would delete the “1” and just say 1/2 teaspoon of salt because reading it wrong made mine too salty. I was able to fix it somewhat by adding more sugar.
So…..don’t be like me and read that wrong.
i love captain d’s cole slaw, and i find this recipe to be absolutely legit, and there is definitely celery seed in it. i just got a family pack of fish with 2 family size cole slaw, and you can see all the celery seed all over it.
i was curious because i never made cole slaw before.
i had to make a few changes though, because i didnt have any onion, but thought i did.
secondly after i made the dressing and i added it to the cole slaw, i found that i wanted more dressing though.
also i used the pre-bagged 16 ounce cabbage and carrots from kroger.
since i only had 1 bag, i halved the entire recipe, but then found that i wanted more of that dressing as it was a bit drier than im used to. but the flavor was spot on, so i just made another batch of the halved recipe, and i used half of that. to put it simpler i think that the dressing should be an extra 1/2 batch (2 batches of it would be too much). but this cole slaw is fantastic!!! thank you so much, it couldnt have been more simple!!! i read a recipe i googled for kfc cole slaw, and it was way more complicated, so i stuck with yours, and im glad i did!! its great!! unfortunately i couldnt wait the 2 hours you said to wait, i tasted it and ate a serving right away, i am excited if it will taste even better later, but already its fantastic!!! the cole slaw at the grocery store has some type of spice in it that i dont like, like horseradish or something. every grocery store i try always has that same taste, and i like it the way captain d’s and kfc tastes, but im not going to get so complicated as the recipe on google is for the kfc one. i was wondering what the differences are between the two and was going to try both recipes until i saw how much more complicated the recipe was for the other. i will stick with your recipe, and im already sharing it with my mother!!!
Well, thank you for the lovely compliment. I like the simplicity of this coleslaw. It’s like you said not complicated, and easy to make. My family recipe for coleslaw that keeps is also great, and it will literally keep for two or three weeks. Here is the link: https://copykat.com/cole-slaw-that-keeps/
I was the manager of two different Captain D’s for close to fifteen years. I made from 50 to 250 pounds of Coleslaw daily, depending on the day of the week. It had no celery or celery salt. To this day, it is still my favorite.
Agreed. I was also a manager at Captain D’s for several years and no never used celery salt or celery seeds.
Back in 1980 I was a prep cook at Captain D’s and made the coleslaw. It did not have celery seed or celery salt in it. The rest of the recipe looks about right. But it also needs salt and pepper to taste.
Thank you for your tips. Maybe my local one adds a little something extra. The fish batter is amazing there.
I had Captain D’s last night and loved the cole slaw so much that I am here searching for the recipe. It totally had celery seed in it, saw it, tasted it, very good!!
had cole slaw today too and it had celery seed – this one is in south Carolina – maybe each state is different?
It is possible they changed their recipe over time. I really felt there is celery seed in this recipe.
What kind of mayonnaise do you use?
I like Hellmans or Dukes.
My mom has been making coleslaw this way for as long as I can remember, and I’m sure even before Captain D’s ever opened. This is actually a very basic coleslaw recipe, but the flavor is phenomenal, and no mustard required….thank you very much! We quarter the cabbage, and then we slice each quarter very thinly, so it looks a little different than your photo. Nevertheless, I can vouch for the fact that this is a very delicious coleslaw recipe.
Thank you for your comment. I really like this simple cole slaw. I think it really highlights the crunchy texture of the cabbage and carrots. The flavor isn’t complicated, and it has a really nice note of celery seed that isn’t clouded by other flavors. I think the celery seed flavor it a very under utilized flavor. I’ll have to try shredding the cabbage next time.
What special tips to you have for making cole slaw?
Shred everything very finely.
Thank you!
Always use Hellmann’s and use tarragon wine vinegar when the recipe calls for vinegar.