Description
A vibrant and crunchy Asian Slaw featuring shredded red and napa cabbage, carrots, and fresh herbs, tossed with a flavorful sesame ginger dressing and toasted cashews and sesame seeds for extra texture and nuttiness. This nutritious salad can be served as a light meal or a refreshing side dish, with optional cooked quinoa for added protein.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Slaw
- 1/3 cup Cashews (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds (black or white)
- 3 cups Red Cabbage (1/3 pound shredded)
- 3 cups Napa Cabbage or Green Cabbage (1/3 pound shredded)
- 1 cup Cooked Quinoa (optional)
- 1 cup Carrots (1/4 pound shredded)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
- 2 Green Onions (thinly sliced)
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup (or preferred sweetener)
- 2 teaspoons Soy Sauce (or Tamari)
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger (finely grated)
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil (light or dark)
- Sea Salt (to taste)
- Black Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Toast Nuts and Seeds: Preheat your oven to 350°F or heat a small skillet over medium heat. Spread the cashews and sesame seeds on a baking sheet or place them in the skillet. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring often if using the stovetop. Remove and let cool completely before using or storing.
- Prepare the Slaw: In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded red cabbage, napa or green cabbage, cooked quinoa if using, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onions. Mix well and cover the bowl; refrigerate until you are ready to add the dressing and serve.
- Make the Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, freshly grated ginger, and minced garlic. Slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil and sesame oil while whisking continuously until the dressing is smoothly emulsified. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Chill the Dressing: Cover the dressing and refrigerate until ready to use to let the flavors meld.
- Serve the Salad: When ready to serve, toss the chilled slaw with the toasted cashews and sesame seeds. Drizzle the sesame ginger dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients with the flavorful dressing.
- Storage: Store any leftover dressed slaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. The undressed slaw mix can be refrigerated for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Quinoa is optional but adds a nice protein boost for a more filling salad.
- To enhance flavor, prepare the slaw a few hours ahead allowing ingredients to meld before dressing.
- Use black or white sesame seeds as per your preference; both add great nutty flavor and crunch.
- Adjust maple syrup or sweetener according to your desired sweetness level.
- This salad is best consumed within one day when dressed for optimal freshness and texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook with toasting
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Asian slaw, sesame ginger dressing, crunchy cabbage salad, healthy salad, quinoa salad, vegetarian, easy side dish
