Asian Cabbage Salad (Printable)

Crunchy cabbage, colorful veggies and sesame-ginger dressing for a bright, quick side or light lunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 cups shredded green cabbage
02 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
03 - 1 large carrot, julienned
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 4 green onions, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
08 - 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if needed)
09 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
10 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

→ Toppings

14 - 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
15 - 1/2 cup roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced red bell pepper, green onions, and chopped cilantro. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
02 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, and chili flakes until the dressing is smooth and fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the prepared vegetables and toss thoroughly until every strand is evenly coated with the sesame vinaigrette.
04 - Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped roasted nuts if desired. Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or allow the salad to rest for 10 minutes so the flavors meld together.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay sane on hot days.
  • The sesame ginger dressing hits every note, sweet, salty, tangy, and a little spicy, all at once.
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge so you can make it ahead for lunches all week without anything wilting into sadness.
02 -
  • Salt the cabbage lightly and let it sit for five minutes before dressing if you find raw cabbage too tough, it wilts just enough to become tender.
  • Do not dress the salad until you are ready to eat or it will release water and dilute the dressing into a sad puddle.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline slicer for impossibly thin, even shreds of cabbage and carrot that absorb dressing better than chunky cuts.
  • Fresh ginger freezes beautifully and grates more finely when frozen, so keep a knob in the freezer at all times.

Return