This Crack Slaw Recipe is keto, low-carb, gluten-free, and vegan optional. Made in one pan with just a few simple ingredients, you'll have a crunchy side on your plate in no time!
Our version is a bit different than Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl as this is a side without protein - we do give tips on how to turn this into a main dish though!
We have a Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe on Cast Iron Keto but you guys keep asking for a Keto Crack Slaw. While doing our research, it seems that crack slaw is typically what we call a Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl so we decided to put a spin on this recipe and make it more of a side and less of a main dish.
Don't worry though, we give tips below on how to bulk this up if you're in need of protein. Otherwise, this is a great keto friendly side dish that goes with a ton of low carb dinners. Try it with a steak, broiled salmon, or in a bowl-style meal for a full dinner.
What is crack slaw?
That's the debate isn't it? Whether you call it Egg Roll in a Bowl or crack slaw, the consensus seems to be that crack slaw is a stir fry type of dish that uses cabbage, protein, and Asian flavors.
People call it "crack slaw" since it can be pretty addicting we guess? Sort of like our keto crack chicken 🤤
Ingredients in Keto Crack Slaw
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or any other high heat cooking oil but avoid cooking with olive oil at high temperatures)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (freshly minced as the store-bought kind is10000% not a replacement for fresh garlic)
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper (you really, really need white pepper in your spice cabinet - trust us!)
- 24 ounces coleslaw mix (you can also use broccoli slaw or just shredded cabbage)
- 3 tablespoons tamari (or regular soy sauce if not GF - soy-free? Use coconut aminos!)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds - or toasted sesame seeds for a nutty flavor
Spicy Mayo:
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (vegan option for egg-free)
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha (we LOVE YellowBird!)
How to make this low carb crack slaw
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and the sriracha for the spicy mayo, set aside.
- Heat the avocado oil in a 10” or larger cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the sea salt and white pepper along with the coleslaw mix. Cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly wilted.
- Pour in the tamari and sesame oil, stir to combine. Top with green onions, sesame seeds, and spicy mayo to serve.
What makes this crack slaw keto?
Keto recipes need to be a few things in our opinion - low in net carbs, low in any type of sugar, and have a balanced protein-fat ratio. This recipe is packed full of veggies and makes the perfect keto side dish.
That being said, Keto is NOT a food group, it’s a nutritional state reached by eating 5%-10% of your daily calories from carb sources. What does this mean exactly? It means that a person who works out every day and is active will be able to eat way more carbs than a sedentary person.
The “20g net carbs/day” is totally false and would lead some folks to severely under-eating for their body/activity type and lead some to eat more than 10% even at 20g net/day. WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT and we all need different things.
We get this question frequently and we love addressing it, especially when it’s in response to a recipe that has something someone deems not “keto” like carrots or a bit of cornstarch. It doesn’t matter where your carbs come from as long as they fit your macros.
Now, before y’all go off the rails, OF COURSE, there are better carb options than others. Should you eat the orange or the sugar-laden cookie? Obviously the orange, it’s a whole food with tons of nutritional benefit whereas processed sugar is evil.
That being said, this is why we have a range of recipes that fit net carb amounts all the way from 2-3g per serving up to 10-11g per serving.
We want CIK to be accessible for everyone looking to Keto for their own reasons. Is Keto right for everyone? No. AGAIN, we’re all different and we all have different metabolic needs but Keto can be a highly useful tool for some.
Need protein? Here are a few fun options!
You could follow our Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe that has ground pork and shrimp. Or, try one of these options:
- ground turkey
- shrimp
- ground beef or a plant-based option like Beyond Meat
- scallops
- ground chicken or grilled chicken, or a plant-based option like soy chicken or our favorite Daring
- shaved steak or steak tips
- crispy tofu (for our plant-based peeps)
Yum! Just be sure to brown/cook the protein, maybe seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper, in some oil over medium heat until moving on to making the slaw. Then add in the cooked protein when you add in the sauce and give it a stir to mix.
How to store leftovers
Whether you're making this crack slaw to eat immediately or planning your meal plan for the week, this slaw will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Slaw on day 2 is always the best since it absorbs so much flavor after sitting for a bit.
Just store in air-tight containers (we like these and these) in the refrigerator!
Nutritional Information / Total + Net Carbs
As always, you can find the full nutrition info breakdown including the carb count (total carbs and net carbs) at the bottom of the recipe card (listed per serving). You can find the serving size/yield at the top of the recipe card. You should always double-check your ingredients since different ingredients may have different values.
To get a specific serving size you’ll want to weigh the final dish then divide it by the number of servings. We can’t provide this information as your cooking style will vary from ours as well as the brand ingredients you choose to use.
Kitchen tools used in this recipe
- Cast Iron Skillet [budget option, heirloom splurge option]
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
Looking for more Asian-inspired keto recipes? Check these out ↓
- Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
- Asian Meatball Noodle Bowls
- Hibachi Chicken Skillet
- Asian Green Beans
- Mongolian Beef
- Hibachi Mushrooms and Onions
- Fried "Rice" with Shrimp Sauce (Yum, Yum Sauce)
- Orange Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Chicken Teriyaki Skewers
- Pad Thai
- Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
Crack Slaw - Keto & Low Carb
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 24 ounces coleslaw mix
- 3 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Spicy Mayo:
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise egg-free if plant-based
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha we love YellowBird!
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and the sriracha for the spicy mayo, set aside.
- Heat the avocado oil in a 10” or larger cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the sea salt and white pepper along with the coleslaw mix. Cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly wilted.
- Pour in the tamari and sesame oil, stir to combine. Top with green onions, sesame seeds, and spicy mayo to serve.
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