A simple healthy recipe for Asian Slaw – easy and crunchy, this vegan slaw can be made ahead and is delicious alongside miso salmon, or these easy salmon cakes, ginger tofu, or stuffed into tacos or added to buddha bowls—a great way to add more cruciferous veggies into our everyday meals. See our 25+ Amazing Cabbage Recipes!
This Asian Cabbage Slaw is easy to make and packed full of flavor! A wonderful excuse to purchase one of those stunning cabbages at the farmers’ market. It’s also a fantastic way to use up all the stray veggies in the fridge- that remaining half cabbage, the stray carrot or parsnip, or the leftover bell pepper.
If you are part of a CSA or shop at the farmers market, many of the veggies you’ll find there can be added to this slaw – like kohlrabi, turnips, beets, or brussels sprouts. Such an easy, useful way to add more veggies into our everyday diet.
How to Make Asian Slaw! | video
Why I love this recipe: The Asian Slaw Dressing!
The Asian Slaw Dressing is the best! Not only is it made with accessible ingredients you most likely have in your pantry, it seems to have the right balance of sweet, tart and depth with just a little heat. And of course, you can personalize it even further to your own tastes.
Asian Slaw Ingredients!
- Cabbage (any type will work here- purple, green, napa, etc) and/or other shreddable veggies- carrots, bell pepper, snow peas, kohlrabi, jicama, broccoli “slaw”, etc.
- Cilantro – adds so much flavor here!
- Scallions- or sub-thinly sliced onion
- Olive oil and toasted sesame oil
- Rice wine vinegar –rice wine vinegar is milder than most other vinegars and less acidic.
- Sweetener- maple syrup, honey, brown rice syrup, or agave
- Soy sauce (or GF alternative like Braggs or Coconut Amino Acids)
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Salt
- Chili paste (optional)
Time-saving Slaw Tips
- If short on time, many grocery stores offer gourmet “slaw mixes” already pre-shredded! These are perfect for this recipe: brussel sprouts slaw, broccoli slaw, carrot slaw… you get the idea. It’s a basic recipe designed to be used as a base for your own creations.
- To save time, use ginger paste (in a tube) and garlic paste if you like!
What I love about this easy Asian Slaw is if I’m in a hurry, I know I can grab a bag of slaw mix from the grocery store, and whip this up in 10 minutes- a healthy, light salad that goes with so many things. The leftover slaw stays crunchy and seems to even get better with time.
What to serve with Asian Slaw
- Salmon Cakes
- Japanese Salmon Rice Bowls
- Chicken Katsu (or Tofu Katsu!)
- Simple Baked Miso Salmon
- Seasoned Japanese Rice with Furikake
- Teriyaki Salmon with Baby Bok Choy
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
This is also a great way to use up stray veggies in the fridge, incorporating more nutrients into the slaw- salad turnips, kohlrabi, jicama, radishes… pretty much anything crunchy!
Other Recipes you may enjoy:
- 26+ Amazing Cabbage Recipes
- Warm Red Cabbage Slaw
- Kohlrabi Slaw with Cilantro, Jalapeño and Lime
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Ginger Dressing
- Lebanese Slaw (Salatet Malfouf)
- Lemony Kale Slaw
- Mexican Slaw with Cilantro and Lime
- Thai Noodle Salad with the BEST EVER Peanut Sauce
- Miso Eggplant
Hope you are having a great week, finding the beauty in what surrounds you. Even if it is simply in the face of cabbage, a beautiful, giant edible flower full of healing nutrients.
xoxo
Print
Easy Crunchy Asian Slaw (w/ BEST Asian Dressing!)
- Prep Time: 20
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Salad, vegan, slaw, dressing
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Easy Crunchy Asian Slaw with the Best Asian Dressing! A simple vegan slaw with that can be made in 20 minutes and made ahead! Serve this alongside fish, tofu, or chicken or stuffed into tacos, topped onto burgers, or added to buddha bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shredded cabbage -roughly 6-7 cups (see notes)
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped (or sub Italian Parsley)
Asian Slaw Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1–3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (start conservatively add more to taste at the end)
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey (for vegan-substitute maple syrup or agave)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or GF alternative like Braggs or Coconut Amino Acids)
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced ( use a garlic press)
- 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or chili paste ( optional)
Optional toppings:
- Toasted sesame seeds
- roasted, crushed peanuts or cashews
Instructions
- Toss slaw ingredients together in a large bowl. Add cilantro and scallions.
- Whisk Asian Slaw Dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Pour dressing into slaw and toss well. Taste, adjust salt, honey and sesame oil to taste.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and/ or nuts.
Notes
- Feel free to Substitute shredded carrots, bell pepper, snow peas, broccoli slaw, shredded Brussels sprouts, for part of the cabbage. ( For example, I’ll often do 5 cups cabbage, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup bell pepper)
- Salad will keep up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 179
- Sugar: 14.9 g
- Sodium: 297.9 mg
- Fat: 11.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0.3 mg
This was perfect for our fish wraps. An absolute winner, thank you for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed Yolande!
Literally one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth. I’ve made it so much since finding this recipe. I’ve added toasted almonds and sesame seeds, manadarin oranges and pineapple grilled chicken as well. It’s off the charts just as it is written.
Yummy…those additions!
This was a winner — all 5 of us loved it. Thank you!
Wonderful to hear!
great!
This is *the* best dressing for Asian Slaw I’ve ever made. I was in a hurry to make something for lunch this morning before the work crew showed up. Made this salad, more nuts and seeds, and added black beans. It’s perfect. Thanks so much.
Wonderful!
Delish!
Don’t add too much ginger or chili flakes if you don’t like spice! I enjoyed the sweet tanginess of the slaw. Thank you!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed. Hope it wasn’t too spicy…!
Turned out perfectly.
Fantastic Dressing!
I was scouring the web for a good Asian slaw dressing. Should have come here first, you never disappoint. I subbed brown sugar for honey 🍯 and marinated ginger for fresh. Served over coleslaw with apples & blueberries. I ate 2 bowls it was SO good.
Thank You!
So glad you enjoyed!
I had a very tasty Slaw at a local Korean restaurant. I decided I must find a recipe. This is it. I thought I had rice wine but turns out I did not. Subbed apple cider vinegar and it’s still good. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome Julianna, so glad you enjoyed!
Such a great dressing on this! And I’ve made plenty very similar…make this! And thank you….
Awesome to hear!
I’ve made this recipe 5 times this summer, have have passed along the recipe about 5 times! I love it so much, and the colours are so satisfying. I use red cabbage, carrots, and jalapeño.
(This is my first time ever commenting on a recipe post, but I just had to let you know how much I appreciate this deliciousness)
Awesome, thanks so much for the review Kathleen! So happy to hear you are enjoying this slaw!
this was a great recipe! I used purple cabbage, Napa cabbage, carrots, red bells, and the green onions and cilantro – beautiful and very tasty! I did add some Mother-in-law’s chili sauce and a little fish sauce. will def make again!
Sounds perfect Kathleen!
I’m happy to report I doubled this for a big birthday party and “it went off like a frog in a sock” that means it was awesome and everyone loved it, its the only way I want to eat coleslaw now, its da bomb!!!
Oh good! Glad everyone enjoyed it.
I’m sorry to say that after reading all the great reviews, I tripled up the recipe for a big birthday party. All I could taste was the sesame oil and had to throw it all away, a very expensive, unhappy experience.
Oh shoot Nick. I am sorry this didnt work for you. Did you use the multiplier by chance? I wonder if something was “off” there. Such a shame to throw it out. With salads like this, you can always place in a strainer, rinse the dressing out and try again.
I highly suggest tasting the dressing first before adding it to the vegetables. That way the recipe can be adjusted to your specific taste.
Agreed!
This recipe is delicious. Made it just as stated.
Thank you for sharing.
Great to hear Tami!