This is a terrific fresh, crunchy Asian salad that I call an Asian Slaw because it has shredded cabbage and carrot likeย traditional Coleslaw. The fresh herbs and Asian Dressing infusedย with Thai flavours makes this oriental salad extra special. Delicious AND healthy!
Itโs a terrific all-rounder side salad for any Asian food, including Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. Make aย big batch because it keeps for days!
Asian Slaw
Named as such because itโs made with shredded cabbage like traditional Coleslaw โ but other than that, it couldnโt be more different! No oily mayo laden dressing, this Asian salad is fresh, bright and crunchy, but certainly not lacking in flavour. (I also have similarly slaw-like Vietnamese Chicken Salad, that uses Chinese Cabbage which you should give a go!)
The three things that makes this Asian Slaw anything but your usual boring salad are:
The fabulous Asian dressing โ I like to give this one a Thai touch with a hit of lime and fish sauce (optional!);
Fresh mint and coriander/cilantro โ the herbs makes all the difference in this, that element of freshness and extra flavour;
Sprinkle of crispy fried shallots โ little salty pops of crispiness, this is an Asian garnish that goes on โeverythingโ. A little bit goes a long way to add extra texture, flavour and interest to anything that itโs sprinkled on. I use it a lot โ so itโs a familiar ingredient to regular readers!ย Foundย in the Asian section of large supermarkets but way cheaper in Asian stores! Hereโs my essential Asian Marketย Shopping list.
TIP: Make a big batch โ use some as a side dish, then turn itย intoย 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 areย 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
Hereโs what goes in my 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 thereโs a lot of ingredients but donโt worry, a few of them are optional โย little additions that make the dressing extra special but itโs really terrific even without:
Fish sauce โ just a bit adds extra depth of flavour into the dressing. Just skip it if you want;
Lime juice โ optional! Just sub with more rice vinegar;
Chilli โ purely optional!
Turn it into an Asian CHICKEN Slaw!
I like to make a big batch โ and the recipe as written makes quite a lot โ 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 โ it will be theย juiciest poached chicken you will ever have!!
What to serve with Asian Salad
I specifically call this anย 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:
Thai Red Curry or Green Curryย โ or any Asian curry
Chinese marinated chickenย or sticky Chinese Wings
Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls โย super quick!
Asian Beef Bowls โ also super quick!
This is the sort of salad that makes peopleย want to eat their greens. Itโs strange to describe a salad asย moreish โ but thatโs what this is.
Andย I love the colours โ itโs so bright and cheerful, it makes me want to dive right into it.ย Who can resist this kaleidoscope ofย colours?? โ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Asian Slaw โ crunchy Oriental Cabbage Salad with Asian Dressing
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!
Recipe Notes:
- Crunchy Fried Shallots โ crispy fried shallot pieces, great garnish for Asian salads. Found in the Asian section of supermarket but cheaper at Asian stores!
- Rice vinegar โ can sub with cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Soy sauce โ ordinary all purpose or light soy. Not dark soy.
- Fish sauce โ sub with more soy.
- Lime juice โ Sub with more rice vinegar.
- Oil โ sub with other neutral flavoured oil.
- Storage โ keep dressing separate from salad. Will keep for 3 to 4 days (depending on freshness of beansprouts).
Nutrition serving 8 as a side, without chicken.Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2014. Updated with new photos, new video!ย
More great Asian salads
Life of Dozer
He didnโt need this for the salad โ just the chicken!
A thank-you for many new,exciting and delicious recipes! I am a real hobby cook, start sometimes when I awaken! haha..I have shared your recipes far and wide and continue to enjoy your wonderful pages! Stay safe in these difficult times. Best wishes to you-not forgetting doggo! Anne R.
Nagi I caught up with a long time gf (while maintaining social distancing) and we both love to cook. We were talking about our plans for a big dinner party when this plague is all over. I mentioned some awesome sausage roฤบls I would bring and my gf said, oh I really, only follow this cook in Sydney called Nagiโฆand we both chimed in with โTin Eatsโ . We almost squealed that we both follow you. We have been friends for 30 years but seldom catch up in person. It was such a fab fan girl moment and I just wanted to share that. Even in these times, you are bringing people together to share!
Made this a few times now.
Always put the leftovers in the fridge for next day. Gone by bed time.
Another fresh & flavourful recipe from you Nagi, thanks !
Youโre so welcome Karen!! N x
I made this recipe a couple of times. I take it with me as lunch. Itโs soooo good
Yum!! So great of meal prep! N x
I made this tonight and between the OMGโs and the mmmm we managed a couple of yummyโs. This has become our new favourite. Thank you!
Iโm so glad it was a hit Carla!
Is the birdโs eye chili mentioned in the recipe fresh or dried?
Can you purchase it already cut up or do I chop it my self?
Hi Kim โ itโs a fresh chilli, bought whole ๐
This salad was amazing, I couldnโt stop eating it ! I didnโt have bean sprouts so I used baby kale instead. Definitely a recipe to keep, itโs so quick and easy.
I totally know how you feel Annette!
Delicious!!
When stuck for a simple dish..where do I turn.? I to nagiโs recipes of course this slaw was a winner as all your recipes are.Massive thank you Nagi ๐๐
Gearing up for the rich Christmas dinnersโฆwe wanted something light and nutritious. I went with the poached chicken option to make it a meal and it turned out fabulous! We donโt like cilantro so I just used a whole bunch of mint. Great flavours! Authentically Nagi! Thanks!
Sounds perfect Krista!
Yum ! I cheated and used pre shredded coleslaw and beetroot salads from the supermarket .
So quick and easy and so delicious.
Nothing wrong with that Sue! Iโm so glad you enjoyed it!
I love the freshness of this salad. So great on a hot day. Definitely on my โgo to salad rotationโ list now. ๐๐ผ
Ha! Already commented on this one! Proves how good it is! ๐คฃ
Love it Kyra ๐
Super yummy. I used lemon instead of lime. I made way too much. I premixed the dressing with cabbage and carrots only. How long will this last in fridge?
Hi Brigitte, the best way to store is to keep the dressing separate from the salad, Iโve kept up to 4 days โ N x
I salted the cabbage to wilt. I added culanatro (the long, serrated leaves) and cuca melรณn, because they grow wild in my yard. Then garnished with fried garlic and black sesame seeds.
Sounds divine!
YUUUM!! I will definitely be sharing this recipe with all my friends and family. Delicious!
Thanks so much Sheana โ N x
Yum! Used lightly crushed peanuts instead of fried shallots (as i had them to hand). So fresh and delicious. Even Mr 4 & Miss 2 ate it (he had 2 serves and although she did need some coaxing at first, she ate most!). Had it with rice and Jamie Oliverโs gnarly peanut chicken (5 ingredients recipe book). Omg, match made in heaven!
Winner! Sounds like you nailed it Corinne!
What can i use instead of coriander?
I love but a family member hates it.
Hi Dee, Just leave it out!!
Wow what a hit with the family! The flavours worked so well together. Such a great change from a mayo/creamy slaw- a really fresh tasty salad. Definitely a new go to recipe โ especially for a bbq. Thanks again ๐๐ผ๐๐ผ
I made the Asian slaw with chicken last night for supper and it was a huge hit!!! The mix of flavours and the crunch from the onions were superb!!
Yum, Iโm so glad you loved it!
this may be a stupid question but do you have instructions on how to shred cabbage? or do you buy it shredded? I am new to cooking and am loving your blog, am printing out a bunch of recipes I am excited to try, thank you!!
Hi Masaye, Itโs just cut finely โ you can see it in the video here: https://promotown.info/lemon-parmesan-cabbage-salad-with-grilled-chicken/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E