Can I make this salad ahead of time?

You can prep the salad ingredients in advance and store them in the fridge. To maintain a crispy texture, add the dressing and crunchy noodles or wontons just before serving. But, if you prefer a softer cabbage texture, let the dressing sit for about 30 minutes in the salad, then enjoy.

What can I use if I don’t have Napa cabbage?

If you don’t have Napa cabbage, you can substitute with regular green cabbage, romaine lettuce, or a mix of both for a similar texture.

Asian Chopped Salad With Sesame Dressing

Name: Asian Chopped Salad With Sesame Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 10-12 ounces bag of shredded cabbage mix or 1/2 head of green or purple cabbage, chopped; 3-4 cups napa cabbage; 1 cup carrots, shredded; 1 red bell pepper or spicy red pepper, diced or julienne; 1/2 English cucumber, julienne or cubed; 1 cup edamame, shelled and cooked; 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery; 4 thinly sliced radishes; 3 green onions, chopped; 1/2 cup slivered almonds, peanuts, or cashews; 1/2 cup crispy noodles or wonton strips; 4 tablespoons sesame oil; 4 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 2 tablespoons peanut butter, unsweetened; 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds; 2 teaspoons grated ginger; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons sriracha; 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Description

If you're craving something fresh, crunchy, light, and flavorful, try this Asian Cabbage Salad, tossed with a zesty sesame dressing. It is a go-to for a quick and delicious plant-based meal.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 10-12 ounces bag of shredded cabbage mix or 1/2 head of green or purple cabbage, chopped
3-4 cups napa cabbage
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 red bell pepper or spicy red pepper, diced or julienne
1/2 English cucumber, julienne or cubed
1 cup edamame, shelled and cooked
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
4 thinly sliced radishes
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds, peanuts, or cashews
1/2 cup crispy noodles or wonton strips

Asian Sesame Dressing

4 tablespoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons peanut butter, unsweetened
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sriracha
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

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Instructions

Prepare the Vegetables: Open the bag of pre-shredded cabbage mix and set it aside. Slice the red bell pepper, julienne the cucumber, chop the green onions, celery, radishes, and napa cabbage.
Make the dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the pre-shredded cabbage mix, napa cabbage, bell pepper, cucumber, edamame, celery, radishes, and green onions. Toss everything together with the dressing.
Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the salad with nuts, crispy noodles, and salt if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

If I use a bag of cabbage, I like to soften it by mixing it with a teaspoon of salt and then massaging it for a minute or two. I let it sit for about 15 minutes before mixing the other ingredients.

With that said, if you let the dressing sit with the salad for about 30 minutes, it softens the cabbage as well.

Bags of cabbage tend to spoil quickly, so for the best results, use them the same day or the next day.

I always keep frozen edamame in my freezer for quick salads like this. When I’m ready to use them, I place the edamame in a bowl with some water, microwave them for a minute to thaw, then drain, and they’re ready to go.

For me, the whole idea behind a chopped salad is that you have bite-sized pieces (however, sometimes I like to julienne the peppers and cucumbers for variety). Chop everything small, including the cabbage, or slice it very thinly for the best texture.

Nutritional information is only an estimate.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: salads
Method: No cook
Cuisine: Asian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 174
Sugar: 6.4 g
Sodium: 178.3 mg
Fat: 13.2 g
Carbohydrates: 11.8 g
Protein: 4.1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg