Easy Crunchy Asian Slaw

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 you’ll 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, but it also seems to have the right balance of sweetness, tartness, 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 cabbage –  or other shreddable veggies- carrots, bell pepper, snow peas, kohlrabi, jicama, or use a broccoli “slaw”.  You’ll need 6-7 cups total for this recipe.
• Cilantro – optional, but adds so much flavor here as a beautiful color.
• Scallions- I love the flavor of green onions here; chives would also work, or sub-thinly sliced red onion in a pinch.
• Olive oil and toasted sesame oil – for richness.
• Rice wine vinegar –rice wine vinegar is milder than most other vinegar and less acidic. We use unseasoned rice vinegar– if yours is “seasoned” you may need to cut back on the sweetener here!
• Sweetener-  maple syrup,  honey,  agave, sugar, or coconut sugar
• Soy sauce (or use a gluten-free alternative like Braggs or Coconut Amino Acids)
• Fresh ginger and garlic- use fresh grated ginger and garlic, or ginger paste and garlic paste. I do not recommend ground ginger powder.
• Chili paste (optional) or chili flakes.

How to make Asian Slaw

1. Slice the cabbage finely and add it to a large bowl. Add cilantro and scallions if you like.
2. Whisk Asian Slaw Dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. Pour the Asian dressing into slaw and toss well. Taste, adjust salt, honey and sesame oil to taste.
4.  Garnish with sesame seeds!

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.
• If you like, you can use ginger paste (in a tube) and garlic paste in a tube to save time!

Storage and Make ahead

This Asian slaw recipe will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can prep the cabbage up to 3 days ahead as well as the dressing and toss before serving- leaving the sesame seeds off until serving.

What to serve with Asian Slaw

• Thai Turkey Burger w/ Crunchy Asian Slaw
• Seared Ahi Tuna Salad
• 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
• Thai Fried Rice

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!

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

Sylvia

More from Feasting At Home

Print