Asian Cabbage Salad (Printable)

Crunchy cabbage with sesame-ginger dressing, cashews, and fresh herbs. Light, vibrant, and ready in 15 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 cups shredded green cabbage
02 - 2 cups shredded red cabbage
03 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
04 - 3 green onions, thinly sliced
05 - 0.5 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

→ Nuts & Seeds

06 - 0.33 cup roasted cashews or peanuts, roughly chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
09 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
14 - 1 garlic clove, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce

# How to Make:

01 - In a large bowl, combine shredded green and red cabbage, julienned carrot, thinly sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, lime juice, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha until well blended.
03 - Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss well to coat all vegetables evenly.
04 - Add chopped roasted nuts and toasted sesame seeds, then toss again just before serving.
05 - Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It stays crisp for hours, so you can make it ahead without any sogginess ruining your day.
  • The sesame-ginger dressing is so good youll want to drizzle it on everything from rice to roasted vegetables.
  • Its one of those rare salads that actually feels satisfying, not like youre just eating filler before the real food arrives.
02 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan until they smell nutty and start to pop, it only takes two minutes but the flavor difference is huge.
  • If you dress the salad too far ahead, the cabbage will start to wilt and lose its crunch, so wait until the last minute if you can.
  • Grate the ginger on a microplane instead of chopping it, you'll get more flavor and avoid any fibrous bits ruining the smooth dressing.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline or the slicing blade on a food processor to shred the cabbage quickly and evenly, saving your knife hand from all that chopping.
  • If the dressing tastes too sharp after mixing, let it sit for five minutes so the flavors marry and mellow out before you toss it with the cabbage.
  • Double the dressing recipe and keep the extra in a jar in the fridge, it's incredible on roasted vegetables, grain bowls, or as a marinade for tofu.
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