Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad

This crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad is simply scrumptious. There's a ton of crunch from fresh veggies, toasted ramen noodles, and a mountain of nuts and seeds; but it's the creamy, savory-sweet sesame ginger dressing that pushes this Asian slaw way over the top. It's a vegan salad people will line up for!

One of our favorite, healthy, weeknight meals is a BIG summer salad; and this crunchy Asian cabbage salad with ramen noodles doesn't disappoint. It's got everything an incredible, craveable salad should have: tons of texture, extra crunchiness, and a killer dressing to pull it all together. It takes under 30 minutes to make and is dairy free, gluten free, and totally vegan.

Just like my Thai Crunch Salad and Quinoa Chickpea Salad, this oriental cabbage salad makes the perfect, light summer meal or side dish for picnics and cookouts.

This easy Asian salad recipe is by no means authentic. I've pulled flavors from my travels in Asia as well as some of my family's favorite salads and vegan coleslaws that we've enjoyed over the years (eg. ramen noodle salad, Chinese chicken salad, chopped salads, etc.). The savory sweet vegan dressing is a nod to the popular carrot ginger dressings served in Japanese restaurants. This is my current favorite salad of all time, I hope you'll love it too!

Asian Cabbage Salad Ingredients

You'll need two sets of ingredients for this creamy, cabbage crunch salad with sesame ginger dressing:

Asian cabbage salad ingredients

• Cabbage: Shred purple (red) and green cabbage, napa cabbage or buy a pre-shredded coleslaw mixture.
• Veggies: Red peppers, grated carrots, green onions, and sugar snap peas add a ton of color, fiber and nutrients.
• Fresh herbs: No summer salad is complete without fresh herbs! I like a blend of Thai basil*, cilantro and mint; but use whichever herbs you have on hand for a boost of flavor and freshness in every bite.
• Toppings: Toasted ramen noodles, sesame seeds, and peanuts bring the crunch.

Asian carrot ginger dressing ingredients: Gather together shredded carrots, rice vinegar, fresh lime, neutral oil, sesame oil, soy sauce (gluten free soy sauce option or tamari), brown sugar, maple syrup, fresh garlic and ginger, sriracha sauce (optional, but not in my family!).

Ingredient Variations & Substitutions

This homemade Asian slaw recipe beats any Asian chopped salad kit (like Dole or Trader Joe's) that you'll find at the store. It uses the freshest ingredients, is totally customizable to your own taste plus it's super affordable and goes with everything!

• Can I use other veggies?: Yes! This Asian chopped salad is a great way to get more veggies into your body. Add any crunchy veggies you enjoy eg. edamame, bean sprouts, kale, shredded kohlrabi, sliced radishes or leafy greens. Some diced avocado added right before serving adds a creamy rich bite.
• Plant protein: Add store bought vegan chicken tenders, seiten chicken, pan fried tofu or even quinoa.
• Fresh herbs: My favorite combination of herbs for this Asian slaw recipe is cilantro, mint, and Thai basil. If it's available, Thai basil is a game changer in this salad. I grow it in my garden specifically for this salad and my Thai Crunch Salad.
• Extra crunchy topping ideas: Chinese noodles, crispy fried shallots (found in most Asian food aisles or Asian markets), toasted nuts/seeds (eg. almonds, cashews or toasted sunflower seeds).

How to Make an Asian Crunch Salad

Making an Asian Chopped Salad from scratch is too easy. Follow these simple steps:

1. Lightly toast any nuts or seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Set aside to cool. Toast the ramen noodles in an air fryer or toaster oven.
2. Wash and prepare all the veggies and fresh herbs. Use a sharp knife or mandoline for the cabbage or grab a bag of pre-shredded slaw mix at the store. Use a box grater to shred the carrots or a julienne peeler for a heartier texture.
3. Dress the cabbage salad: In a large mixing bowl add the vegetables and fresh herbs. Right before serving, pour a generous amount of Asian dressing over the slaw and toss to incorporate. Top with crunchy ramen noodles, nuts and seeds, and any optional toppings. Enjoy!

How to Make the Best Asian Dressing!

This insanely flavorful Japanese sesame dressing is definitely the magic ingredient in this recipe. It's the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and savory with just a kiss of heat. We're beyond obsessed with the bold flavors, and I think you will be too! Let's make a batch together:

You'll need a blender or food processor because of the grated carrots which add flavor, color, and a creamy texture to the dressing. Everything goes into the blender, blitz until smooth and silky then pour into a jar and store in the fridge for up to several weeks. You're going to love this dressing on everything, it does not skimp on flavor!

Expert Tips

• Express version: Short on time? No worries, grab a slaw mixture and a bag of pre-grated carrots from the grocery store (in the Produce aisle). Make the sesame ginger dressing up to a week in advance and store it in the fridge ready to transform your salads and grain bowls!
• Chinese chicken salad vegan option: It's easy to add some plant based chicken to turn this salad into a vegan Chinese Chicken Salad. I often cook Gardein Turkey Cutlets or some chicken tenders in the air fryer (or oven), slice them into strips then add to the top of the salad before serving. It's a quick and hearty salad for dinner in under 20 minutes.
• Toasting seeds & nuts: Don't skip toasting the nuts! Dry roasting nuts and seeds warms up the natural oils, leaving the nuts much crunchier and more flavorful. It's a quick and worthwhile flavor and texture trick.
• Customize the dressing: If the salad dressing flavor is too intense for your taste, blend in a tablespoonful of water. I recommend trying the dressing with some cabbage first as the neutral flavor of the slaw will naturally temper the bold flavors of the dressing. Additionally, you can always add extra juicy veggies like cucumbers and sprouts which will balance out bold flavors.

Storage & Make Ahead Tips

One of the best things about this vegan Asian slaw is it's super crunchy! It's easy to scale this cabbage slaw recipe to any size (up or down) - here's a few tips for keeping it fresh all week:

Make Ahead Tips: I usually prepare the cabbage crunch salad and a double batch of the sesame dressing ahead of time but store them separately. Then I pull out just the amount I need for each meal that way the veggies and toppings stay super fresh and crunchy.

Leftover Oriental Slaw: Any leftover dressed slaw will still be tasty the next day stored in the fridge. Although the flavor will stay 'good' for up to several more days, the vegetables and toppings will become less crunchy. You can always add a handful of fresh cabbage, toasted nuts or crunchy ramen noodles to the slaw to perk up the leftovers!

Crunchy Asian Slaw Serving Suggestions

This yummy Asian chopped salad goes with absolutely everything - serve it alongside whatever you've got on the grill! I like to pair it with veggie potstickers, vegan corn zucchini fritters, chickpea pancakes or baked tofu!

More Amazing Vegan Salads

If you love a big, flavorful dinner salad like we do, here's a few more vegan salad ideas to try! All are suitable for vegan, vegetarian, plant based, and gluten free eaters, but absolutely EVERYONE devours them:

• vegan caesar salad
• Thai crunch salad
• quinoa chickpea salad
• veggie pesto pasta salad
• rainbow salad
• vegetarian broccoli salad

If you tried this Asian Crunchy Cabbage Salad recipe or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a rating and review below! Follow along on Instagram and Pinterest for more delicious vegan recipes.
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