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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Published: Feb 6, 2020 · Modified: Jun 29, 2020 by Danielle · This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.

    Easy Asian Slaw Salad

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Asian Slaw Salad in a bowl with text overlay
    Asian Slaw Salad with text overlay

    Easy Asian Slaw Salad is lite, refreshing, and packed with flavor. Fresh herbs and crunchy almonds mixed with healthy shredded cabbage and topped with a simple sesame dressing! Just 10 minutes to a delicious side dish.

    Pouring dressing on asian slaw salad this recipe
    Asian Slaw Salad is a fast and easy salad topped with a delicious sesame dressing!
    Skip to:
    • 🥬 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦  For a crowd
    • Meal prep
    • 🙋 Questions & Answers
    • 📖  More easy sides
    • 👨🏼‍🍳 Tips & Tricks
    • 👋 Connect with us!
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Oh, for the love of cabbage. It is so inexpensive and packed with nutrition. This humble, crunchy vegetable is the perfect vehicle for carrying the flavors in this slaw. I buy it in a big bag at Sam’s Club for less than two dollars, which makes it perfect for feeding a crowd, meal prepping a batch for lunch all week, or just adding an inexpensive, nutrient dense side dish to the meal plan.

    Growing up my family ate something similar but loaded with msg, fat, and processed white flour noodles. Not that I am against eating those things, but I would rather eat them in the form of chocolate cake. 😉 This tried and true Asian slaw recipe was born out of a need to serve a simple side dish to go with grilled chicken and veggies, but without those unnecessary ingredients.

    🥬 Ingredients

    Shredded Cabbage and Carrot Mix: Buy it ready to go in a bag or shred it yourself.
    Green onions: Sliced bits of freshness. Use both the green and white parts.
    Cilantro: Only use fresh cilantro here.
    Toasted Sliced Almonds: Adds the perfect crunch.
    Sesame Seeds (optional): Compliments the oil in the dressing and adds a touch more crunch.
    Soy sauce: Adds the perfect saltiness and essential Asian flavor.
    Toasted sesame oil: Do not substitute this ingredient. It has a strong nutty flavor and a little goes a long way.
    Rice vinegar: You may substitute with white vinegar, but rice vinegar has a more subtle flavor.
    Canola oil: Feel free to use whatever neutral oil you have on hand.
    Sugar: For just a touch of sweetness.

    Bowl of Easy Asian Slaw Salad with fork and larger serving bowl in background
    This healthy salad can easily be made into a main dish by adding shredded or chopped chicken.

    🔪 Instructions

    1. Add the sesame dressing ingredients to a jar and give it a good shake to combine.
    2. Place the shredded cabbage mix in a bowl and top with sliced almonds, cilantro, green onions, and sesame seeds.
    3. Add half the dressing and toss to combine. Add more sesame dressing as needed for flavor.

    👨‍👩‍👧‍👦  For a crowd

    To serve to a crowd, just double or triple the recipe as needed. It really is as easy as that. Combine the slaw and toppings in a large bowl, then make the dressing in a large jar on the side. Wait to dress the salad until serving time to avoid it getting soggy. Also keep in mind that this salad doesn't hold well after dressed, so only add dressing to the amount you anticipate being eaten.

    Meal prep

    Asian Slaw Salad is a great recipe to make for a week of lunches. Portion out cabbage mix into lunch containers like these. Top with green onions, cilantro, almonds and sesame seed (if using). Pour desired amount of dressing into separate containers. These are 2 ounce mini cups with lids from Walmart. How much is really based on personal preference. I go for somewhere between 1-2 tablespoons per lunch portion. 

    Food prep containers with easy asian slaw salad
    This salad makes great meal-prep for easy lunches all week.

    🙋 Questions & Answers

    Can I make this salad a main dish?

    Yes! Adding protein makes this a substantial meal. Try adding shredded rotisserie chicken, chicken fingers from the deli, or chopped leftover grilled chicken.

    Can this be made ahead?

    Yes, if you are serving a crowd you can mix the slaw with the toppings and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. The dressing can be made in a jar and stored for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Dress the salad right before serving.

    What do I serve with Asian Slaw Salad?

    This makes a great no-mayo slaw for summer parties (for all your guests who aren't crazy about mayo). It's also great served alongside grilled chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, or other bbq main dishes. My favorite meal to serve it with is Honey Chicken (un)Kabobs, Sweet and Savory Flank Steak, and Pineapple Lime Rice.

    Bowl of asian salad on wicker mat
    Try serving this salad alongside hamburgers, grilled chicken, or bbq.

    📖  More easy sides

    • Pineapple Lime Rice - A moist rice filled with bits of juicy pineapple, chopped cilantro, and fresh lime juice. A crowd-pleaser every time!
    • Green Beans Almondine - An easy side dish made with frozen green beans, fresh lemon, and slivered almonds. Incredibly simple and flavorful!
    • Italian Chopped Salad - Filled with salami, pepperoni, cheeses, olives, veggies, and Italian dressing. A great option for serving a crowd!

    👨🏼‍🍳 Tips & Tricks

    • Make the dressing a day ahead to give the flavors a chance to meld. So good!
    • Toast the almonds in a dry skillet until golden, but not burnt. Toasted almonds really add a lot of flavor and crunch to the salad.
    • Don't dress the salad until right before serving. It will get soggy if it soaks in the dressing too long.

    👋 Connect with us!

    If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how it is! We’d also love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag @borrowedbites or hashtag #borrowedbites to show us your food! To get our new recipes straight to your email, subscribe to our newsletter.

    📋 Recipe

    Bowl of Asian Slaw Salad with fork and blue towel

    Easy Asian Slaw Salad

    Easy Asian Slaw Salad is lite, refreshing, and packed with flavor. Fresh herbs and crunchy almonds mixed with healthy shredded cabbage and topped with a simple sesame dressing! Just 5 minutes to a delicious side dish.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 232kcal
    Author: Borrowed Bites

    Ingredients

    Dressing Ingredients

    • ¼ cup soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar
    • ¼ cup canola oil
    • 1 tablespoon sugar

    Slaw Ingredients

    • 1 lb shredded cabbage and carrots mix
    • 2 green onions sliced
    • ¼ cup cilantro chopped
    • ¼ cup sliced almonds toasted
    • 2 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add dressing ingredients to a jar and shake vigorously. It makes about 1 cup. Just enough for one full salad and a bit leftover.
    • Place shredded cabbage mix in a bowl or serving dish. Sprinkle on onions, cilantro, almonds, and seeds if using. Toss to distribute.
    • Pour half the dressing onto the salad. Toss and add more dressing as desired. If the whole salad won't be eaten in one sitting allow each person to dress their own. Store leftovers separately.

    Notes

    Tips & Tricks
    • Make the dressing a day ahead to give the flavors a chance to meld. So good!
    • Toast the almonds in a dry skillet until golden, but not burnt. Toasted almonds really add a lot of flavor and crunch to the salad.
    • Don't dress the salad until right before serving. It will get soggy if it soaks in the dressing too long.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 555mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg

    All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.

    Tried this recipe?Leave a rating or pin it for later!

    The inspiration for the dressing came from here. We altered it just a bit.

    « Chicken Tortilla Soup
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    Comments

    1. Charlotte says

      September 29, 2020 at 9:47 am

      5 stars
      Yum yum yum. This was the easiest slaw I’ve ever made. I served it with grilled chicken and it was a hit!

      Reply
      • Misty says

        September 29, 2020 at 9:47 am

        Happy to hear you liked it!

        Reply
    2. Misty says

      September 07, 2020 at 1:49 pm

      Glad you liked it! Leftover dressing will last 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

      Reply
    3. Karen says

      February 06, 2020 at 9:43 am

      This is delish!

      Reply

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