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Asian Salad

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salads•american•vegan, dairy-free
25 minutes•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds – toasted
  • 6 cups napa cabbage – thinly sliced
  • 2 cups red cabbage – thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots – shredded
  • 1 cup red bell pepper – thinly sliced (~1 medium red bell pepper)
  • 1/2 cup scallions – thinly sliced (~2.5 n/a green onions)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro – chopped
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger – finely grated
  • 1 clove garlic – finely minced
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
asian salad

Instructions

1. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 3–5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine the napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro.

3. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, neutral oil, and toasted sesame oil until emulsified.

4. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly to coat. Let stand 5–10 minutes until the cabbage slightly wilts but remains crisp.

5. Sprinkle in the toasted sesame seeds and toss again. Taste and adjust with a splash of soy sauce or vinegar if needed, then serve immediately or chill up to 2 hours and toss before serving.

Asian salad is a crisp, vibrant chopped salad built around cool, crunchy vegetables and a sesame–soy–ginger dressing. Napa and red cabbage provide a juicy snap, while carrots, bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro add color and fresh aromatics. The balanced dressing, with nutty sesame oil, mellow soy, and bright rice vinegar, lightly wilts the cabbage and ties everything together with a sweet-savory gloss.

Though it borrows flavors found across East Asia, the dish itself is a product of American restaurant and home-cooking culture. It grew alongside the late-20th-century popularity of Chinese chicken salad and pan-Asian cafe fare, especially in California. Today, “Asian salad” is a broad, flexible category in the United States, often served as a side or light main, unified by its sesame–soy dressing and crunchy chopped-vegetable base.