This Apple Coleslaw recipe combines bagged coleslaw mix with chunks of fresh apple, creamy blue cheese, and smoky bacon. It’s all tossed in a slightly sweet and tangy homemade poppy seed dressing to create a flavorful side dish salad in minutes!
The fall vibe of this coleslaw makes it a perfect side dish for a late summer BBQ. More easy choices we love include my Quick Coleslaw and Cranberry Walnut Coleslaw.
After making and tasting this apple slaw, I immediately texted my oldest, blue cheese, bacon lovin’ boy.
“I just made coleslaw that will change your life”.
My boys are used to these random ramblings from me at all times of the day and night. You know when something is just SO good, you have to tell someone?
There’s nothing wrong with a good, basic coleslaw, but it’s fun to mix things up a little and add some unexpected ingredients to give it a little kick. This recipe does just that.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Convenience: Using a pre-shredded, bagged coleslaw mix makes it super fast and easy to put together.
- Make-Ahead: It’s a sturdy salad that will hold well in the fridge so feel free to make it in advance. I think it tastes even better after the flavors have had time to get cozy with each other for an hour or two.
- Unique Flavor: The addition of sweet-tart apple, smoky crumbled bacon, and tangy blue cheese create crave-worthy flavor.
- Delicious Dressing: The sweet and creamy poppy seed dressing is incredible!
Ingredient Notes
- Coleslaw mix: A bag of tri-color coleslaw mix that includes shredded green and red cabbage and carrots.
- Apple: I like to use a sweet-crisp variety like Fuji or Gala. Leave it unpeeled to add more color and flavor to the salad.
- Bacon: Thick sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled.
- Blue cheese: Pick up a package of crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese in the gourmet cheese section of your grocery store. Or, use a knife to cut and crumble a small block of blue cheese yourself.
- Creamy poppy seed dressing: Mayonnaise, either light or regular sour cream, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Recipe Prep
- Cook the bacon. Use your favorite method to cook the bacon or take a look at the recipe card below for my oven instructions.
- Chop the apple: Slice the unpeeled apple in half, remove and discard the core, and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the easy dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
How to Make Apple Coleslaw with Blue Cheese and Bacon
- Place the coleslaw mix and chopped apple in a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the top.
- Toss the ingredients to combine them well, then sprinkle the blue cheese and crumbled bacon over the top.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
You can assemble this salad an hour or two before serving. Just reserve the crumbled bacon and blue cheese and add it just before serving for the best result.
Store leftovers in an airtight container and use them within 2 to 3 days. The cabbage can soften and let off some liquid but it will still be delicious.
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Apple, Bacon, Blue Cheese Slaw
Ingredients
- 16 ounce package tri-color coleslaw mix
- 1 apple, like Fuji or Gala, unpeeled, cored and chopped
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
For the Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream, light or regular
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the coleslaw mix and chopped apple in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, pour it over the coleslaw and apples, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the blue cheese and crumbled bacon.
Notes
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty foil. If preferred, you can use parchment paper or leave the baking sheet bare.
- Place the bacon on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer and transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes or until nicely crisped (this may take longer for thick-sliced bacon).
- Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. If you used foil, allow the grease to cool a bit, then gather the edges of the foil and fold it up to enclose the grease to easily discard it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Coleslaw Recipes
This post was originally published on May 7, 2014. It has been updated with new text and images.
Would rate it 10 stars if I could.. Made this today to go with baby back ribs. I ate and ate until I couldn’t eat another bite. It is just that good. Great blend of flavors … will definitely be making again. Thanks for such a great recipe.
Could you share the nutritional information?
This is an amazing salad!
Hi Julie. I don’t currently provide nutritional information on my recipes, however, there are many online nutritional calculators available from My Fitness Pal and others. Try doing a Google search for “nutritional calculator” and should see a lot of choices.
I LOVE any kind of “slaw” and this one includes apples and bacon!! Yum!
Oh, man! I think this may make it to my 4th of July menu!!! It looks amazing!
That is one gorgeous slaw, Val! I could totally see myself serving this alongside burgers and ribs at my next BBQ. Love the sweet-saltiness!
There is only me who eat blue cheese in my house (my husband, kind of) and I’m drooling at your slaw pictures… yeah it looks amazing! With your cooking, you raised fooides (your boys) and it’s cool to talk about food randomly via text! I hope I can have such close relationship with my children… 🙂
I’ve never thought of myself, or my boys, as foodies but it does surprise me how they’ve always been willing to try pretty much everything. Then, it ended up, they liked pretty much everything 🙂