Asian Cabbage Salad (Printer-friendly)
Shredded green and red cabbage with carrot, peppers, cilantro and sesame-ginger dressing for a crunchy, light side.
# What You 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 salad 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 or maple syrup, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, and chili flakes until fully emulsified and smooth.
03 - Pour the dressing over the prepared vegetables and toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped nuts over the top. Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or let rest for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay happy on even the most brutal summer days.
- The sesame ginger dressing is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything from noodles to roasted broccoli.
- That crunch factor is off the charts and somehow holds up even after a day in the fridge.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad more than an hour before serving or the cabbage will weep and you will end up with a puddle at the bottom of the bowl.
- Grating the ginger on a microplane instead of chopping it by hand changed everything because the fibers practically disappear into the dressing.
03 -
- Slice the cabbage as thin as humanly possible because thick shreds fight against the delicate balance of the dressing and turn the texture chewy instead of crisp.
- Toasting your sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes transforms them from a boring garnish into something fragrant and nutty that people will actually notice.