German coleslaw is the German variation the basic coleslaw that is essentially a salad made mainly with shredded cabbage and carrots. There are many variations of the coleslaw but the German coleslaw contains chopped onions along with shredded cabbage and chopped carrots. The dressing used in German coleslaw is mainly vegetable oil and vinegar. It is garnished with salt pepper and celery seeds. The dressing is generally left to settle on the ingredients and is allowed to sit for 2-3 hours before serving. German coleslaw is eaten with barbecue or used as a filling in barbecue sandwiches and can also be served with fried foods like French fries and fried fish.