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Serve up a crunchy, beautiful side for your next Asian-inspired dinner with my Asian Slaw Recipe! It's colorful, fresh, full of flavor, and comes together in only minutes. Make extra- it just tastes better as it rests!
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Asian Slaw Recipe
Every time I whip up my favorite beef bulgogi bowl or spicy shrimp stir-fry for dinner, you can expect to see a big bowl of Asian slaw accompanying it! There's just nothing else like it. It's crunchy, bright, flavorful and refreshing: the perfect accompaniment to fresh perfectly cooked rice and spicy meats!
My favorite part? Not only is it beautiful to look at and loaded with fresh veggies, it's super easy, too. With simple ingredients and only minutes of prep time, there's always enough time to make up a batch for dinner!
Plus, it's the perfect base for customizing. Cooking for a daring crowd? Add a little sriracha or red pepper flakes! Looking for a more complex dressing? Honey and soy sauce will kick it up to the next level. Or top it with bonito flakes for a fishy twist! The possibilities are endless and delicious!
Asian Coleslaw Ingredients
- Green cabbage
- Red cabbage
- Carrot
- Cilantro
- Green onion
- Apple cider vinegar
- Sugar
- Sesame oil
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Asian Cabbage Salad
- Thinly slice both kinds of cabbage, shred the carrot, and chop the cilantro and green onion, then add everything to a large bowl.
- Toss the ingredients well until everything is evenly coated.
- Refrigerate if desired; coleslaw does best when it's left to rest for at least a few hours!
Asian Cabbage Salad Recipe Tips
- The secret to crunchy, perfect coleslaw is chopping the cabbage finely, and making sure to let the coleslaw rest in the fridge! Rest time will let the slaw soak up the dressing and get packed with flavor.
- Cilantro adds a great fresh flavor to this slaw, but always keep in mind who you're cooking for! If there's anyone in the crowd who can't eat cilantro, don't be afraid to leave it out.
- If you want a less fruity flavor, you can swap the apple cider vinegar for rice vinegar.
- Add in 2-3 tablespoons of Japanese Mayonnaise if you like your slaw creamy! Make sure it's Japanese mayo, such as Kewpie brand- it's sweeter and smoother than American mayonnaise.
- This slaw is also great with napa cabbage and bok choy. Pick your favorites- I like red cabbage for the color!
Asian Coleslaw Recipe FAQs
Asian slaw is typically made of multiple colors of cabbage, carrots, green onions, and dressing! What sets it apart from Western slaw is the inclusion of sesame and cilantro, and typically no mayonnaise or creamy ingredients. Instead, the dressing is thinner and preserves the color and crunch of the cabbage.
Technically, a "slaw" can be made from any sort of vegetable, whereas a coleslaw is always made from primarily cabbage. For example, you can make a slaw out of chopped broccoli, radish, or any other hard vegetable! Coleslaw, conversely, is always made from various types of cabbage, like green, red, or napa.
Cabbage slaw and coleslaw are the same thing. The "cole" in coleslaw refers to cole crops, which are all cabbage-derived crops. So it's really just another term for cabbage slaw!
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Asian Slaw
Equipment
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- ½ head Green cabbage
- ½ head Red cabbage
- 1 Carrot
- 1 bunch Cilantro
- 1 Green onion
- ½ cup Apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Thinly slice both kinds of cabbage, shred the carrot, and chop the cilantro and green onion, then add everything to a large bowl.½ head Green cabbage, ½ head Red cabbage, 1 Carrot, 1 bunch Cilantro, 1 Green onion, ½ cup Apple cider vinegar, 3 Tablespoons Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Sesame oil, ¼ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- Toss the ingredients well until everything is evenly coated.
- Refrigerate if desired; coleslaw does best when it's left to rest for at least a few hours!
Video
Notes
- The secret to crunchy, perfect coleslaw is chopping the cabbage finely, and making sure to let the coleslaw rest in the fridge! Rest time will let the slaw soak up the dressing and get packed with flavor.
- Cilantro adds a great fresh flavor to this slaw, but always keep in mind who you're cooking for! If there's anyone in the crowd who can't eat cilantro, don't be afraid to leave it out.
- If you want a less fruity, more clean flavor, you can swap the apple cider vinegar for rice vinegar.
- Add in 2-3 tablespoons of Japanese Mayonnaise if you like your slaw creamy! Make sure it's Japanese mayo- it's sweeter and smoother than American mayonnaise.
- This slaw is also great with napa cabbage and bok choy. Pick your favorites- I like red cabbage for the color!
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