Surowka z kapusty or Polish coleslaw is a delicious salad made from cabbage and other veggies. Dressed with mayo and flavored with salt and pepper, Polish coleslaw is best served cold!
Cabbage is one of our favorite vegetables. Eaten all year round, whether in season or out, you’ll find cabbage used in almost every Polish dish, from salads to main dishes. Even our national dish, Bigos Stew is made with cabbage.
Why is cabbage so popular in Poland? Because it’s a vegetable that can be eaten in a number of ways and that is easily available and affordable. Cabbages are easy to grow and easy to store.
The fresh cabbage used in a coleslaw makes it a crunchier and tastier salad option.
Who Invented Coleslaw?
Cabbage as part of a salad has been around since ancient Roman times. It has been a big part of many European cultures across the world.
The term ‘coleslaw’ is an anglicized version of the Dutch word ‘koolsa’ which means cabbage salad. And ‘colis’ means cabbage in Latin. The English took the ‘kool’ from the Dutch and the ‘cole’ from Latin and named it coleslaw.
In Poland, coleslaw is either referred to as coleslaw or koleslaw. But because cabbage is the main ingredient, it’s also sometimes referred to as surowka z kapusty.
As a summer salad, the surowka z kapusty is the perfect accompaniment to meaty dishes. It’s also tasty enough to eat on its own!
What Is Coleslaw Called In Other Countries?
There are many salads similar to coleslaw in different countries. They are called:
- Coleslaw in English
- Coleslaw or Koleslaw in Polish
- Coleslaw or kalsallad in Swedish
- Koolsla in Dutch
- Krautsalat in German
- Insalata capricciosa in Italy
- Cabbage provençal in Russia and Ukraine
How To Make The Polish Coleslaw – Surowka Z Kapusty
Chop the cabbage finely, grate the carrots, and dice the onions. If adding leeks, dice them as well.
Mix the mayo with salt and then mix all the diced veggies with them. Serve cold!




Tips For Making The Best Polish Coleslaw Recipe
- Increase or decrease the amount of pepper and salt to suit your taste.
- If you don’t want to chop the cabbage and veggies, you can do it using a large Y-peeler or a cabbage shredder.
- To make it less fattening, replace half of the mayo with sour cream or yogurt.
- Add a few drops of lemon juice in the mayonnaise to make it tangy.
- Store the coleslaw in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. It tastes better cold!
- You can add some olive oil as a dressing.
- Optionally, top with chopped parsley before serving!

FAQs About Preparing The Polish Coleslaw Recipe
What To Serve With Polish Coleslaw?
Polish coleslaw is the perfect side salad for fish or meaty dishes such as:
- Kotlet Schabowy (pork cutlets)
- Kotlety Mielone
- Golonka W Piwie – Pork knuckles or Poznan-style pork hock
- Fried or baked chicken
- Grilled or fried kielbasa sausages
- Meatloaf with boiled eggs
- Polish Ryba Po Grecku Fish
Is It Possible To Make This Salad Vegan?
Yes, you can make this salad vegan by replacing the mayo with vegan mayonnaise.
How To Store The Polish Coleslaw?
Store the Polish coleslaw in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Serve cold!
What Are The Other Polish Cabbage Salads?
The other Polish cabbage salads are:
What Are The Other Polish Cabbage Dishes?
There are so many Polish cabbage dishes, you’ll have difficulty choosing which to make.
- Lazy golabki
- Polish cabbage lasagna
- Pierogi made with fresh cabbage
- Golumpki cabbage rolls
- Christmas sauerkraut with mushrooms
- Kapusta Z Grochem
Polish Coleslaw Recipe
Polish Coleslaw Recipe

The Polish coleslaw is a delicious salad made from cabbage, carrots and leeks. Dressed with mayo and flavored with salt and pepper, Polish coleslaw is best served cold!
Ingredients
- 1 small cabbage
- 2 carrots
- 1 small onion
- 1 tsp of salt
- ¼ tsp of black pepper
- 3-4 tbsps of mayonnaise
- [optionally] 1 leek (the white part)
- [optionally] a bunch of fresh parsley
Instructions
- Wash and finely chop the cabbage.
- Peel and grate the carrots.
- Peel and finely dice an onion. If you are adding leek, dice it as well.
- If you are adding parsley, wash and dice it as well.
- Mix mayonnaise with salt and pepper.
- Mix everything together. Serve cold.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 432mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix
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