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Asian Slaw – healthy, crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad

Asian Slaw in a salad bowl with Asian Dressing, ready to be served

This is a terrific fresh, crunchy Asian salad that I call an Asian Slaw because it has shredded cabbage and carrot like traditional Coleslaw. The fresh herbs and Asian Dressing infused with Thai flavours makes this oriental salad extra special. Delicious AND healthy!

It’s a terrific all-rounder side salad for any Asian food, including Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. Make a big batch because it keeps for days!

Close up of Asian Slaw with Asian dressing

Asian Slaw

Named as such because it’s made with shredded cabbage like traditional Coleslaw – but other than that, it couldn’t be more different! No oily mayo laden dressing, this Asian salad is fresh, bright and crunchy, but certainly not lacking in flavour.

The three things that makes this Asian Slaw anything but your usual boring salad are:

  • The fabulous Asian dressing – I like to give this one a Thai touch with a hit of lime and fish sauce (optional!);
  • Fresh mint and coriander/cilantro – the herbs makes all the difference in this, that element of freshness and extra flavour;
  • Sprinkle of crispy fried shallots – little salty pops of crispiness, this is an Asian garnish that goes on “everything”. A little bit goes a long way to add extra texture, flavour and interest to anything that it’s sprinkled on. I use it a lot – so it’s a familiar ingredient to regular readers! Found in the Asian section of large supermarkets but way cheaper in Asian stores! Here’s my essential Asian Market Shopping list.

Asian Slaw in a salad bowl with Asian Dressing, ready to be served

TIP: Make a big batch – use some as a side dish, then turn it into an Asian Chicken Salad for lunch! It keeps well for days.

This Asian Slaw is not an authentic recipe of any cuisine, but the flavours are reminiscent of Thai and Vietnamese salads because of the bright fresh dressing and the South East Asian herbs (mint and coriander/cilantro) in the salad.


Asian Slaw ingredients

Here’s what goes in my Asian Slaw:

What goes in Asian Slaw

Asian Dressing

The Asian dressing is made with soy, fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime, sugar, garlic, oil and optional chili.

I know it looks like there’s a lot of ingredients but don’t worry, a few of them are optional – little additions that make the dressing extra special but it’s really terrific even without:

  • Fish sauce – just a bit adds extra depth of flavour into the dressing. Just skip it if you want;
  • Lime juice – optional! Just sub with more rice vinegar;
  • Chilli – purely optional!

Pouring Asian dressing over Asian Slaw

Turn it into an Asian CHICKEN Slaw!

I like to make a big batch – and the recipe as written makes quite a lot – and use it as a side as well as turning it into a meal by adding shredded chicken.

Try cooking chicken using this Foolproof Poached Chicken method – it will be the juiciest poached chicken you will ever have!!

Two forks shredding cooked chicken

Overhead photo of Asian Slaw with chicken in a white salad bowl, ready to be served

What to serve with Asian Salad

I specifically call this an Asian Slaw as opposed to Chinese or Thai because the flavours really are a natural oriental flavour which means it will go beautifully with any Asian food, including Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese.

Here are some suggestions:

This is the sort of salad that makes people want to eat their greens. It’s strange to describe a salad as moreish – but that’s what this is.

And I love the colours – it’s so bright and cheerful, it makes me want to dive right into it. Who can resist this kaleidoscope of colours?? – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

Asian Slaw (crunchy Oriental Cabbage Salad) in a bowl
Print

Asian Slaw - crunchy Oriental Cabbage Salad with Asian Dressing

Recipe video above. A light, healthy, CRUNCHY Asian salad that is a great side for all types of Asian foods. Dressing is a great salty / sour / spicy lime dressing reminiscent of Thai and Vietnamese food. Add CHICKEN if making this as a meal. Serves 8 - 10 as a side, 4 as a meal with chicken.
Course Noodles, Salad
Cuisine Asian, Thai, Vietnamese
Keyword Asian Salad, Asian Slaw
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 313kcal
Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

Asian Slaw

  • 3 cups green cabbage or Chinese cabbage , shredded
  • 3 cups red cabbage , shredded
  • 2 large carrots , julienned
  • 3 cups bean sprouts
  • 3 green onions , finely sliced on the diagonal
  • 1/2 cup coriander / cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup Asian Fried Shallots (optional), to garnish (Note 1)

Asian Dressing

  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar (Note 2)
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce (Note 3)
  • 2 tsp fish sauce , or more soy (Note 4)
  • 2 tbsp lime juice , or more rice vinegar (Note 5)
  • 3 tbsp peanut oil (Note 6)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar , any type
  • 1/2 tsp birds eye or other red chilli , finely minced (optional)
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced

Chicken option (for meal)

  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken

Instructions

  • Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.
  • Combine the salad ingredients, except the Asian Fried Shallots.
  • Pour over dressing and toss to combine.
  • Garnish with Asian Fried Shallots. Serve!

Notes

  1. Crunchy Fried Shallots - crispy fried shallot pieces, great garnish for Asian salads. Found in the Asian section of supermarket but cheaper at Asian stores!
  2. Rice vinegar - can sub with cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
  3. Soy sauce - ordinary all purpose or light soy. Not dark soy.
  4. Fish sauce - sub with more soy.
  5. Lime juice - Sub with more rice vinegar.
  6. Oil - sub with other neutral flavoured oil.
  7. Storage - keep dressing separate from salad. Will keep for 3 to 4 days (depending on freshness of beansprouts).
Nutrition with chicken, serving 4 as a meal:
Nutrition with chicken
Nutrition serving 8 as a side, without chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 415g | Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.3g | Protein: 29.4g | Fat: 13.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 1045mg | Potassium: 834mg | Fiber: 3.6g | Sugar: 9.3g | Vitamin A: 8850IU | Vitamin C: 142.7mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 3.8mg

Originally published July 2014. Updated with new photos, new video! 

More great Asian salads


Life of Dozer

He didn’t need this for the salad – just the chicken!

Dozer paper towel bib

The post Asian Slaw – healthy, crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.




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