This simple, slightly spicy Asian slaw takes just a few minutes to put together with pantry & fridge ingredients- serve with grilled meats or Asian dishes. Check out more Quick Healthy Recipes.
Along with “regular” coleslaw (cabbage and vegetables dressed with a basic vinaigrette), Bacon Caesar Slaw, Shaved Cabbage Salad with Feta, and the other slaws you can find in the recipe index, this spicy Asian slaw is in regular rotation on our menus. You probably get the idea that we enjoy slaws in many forms (though I’m going on record – and maybe out on a limb – that this does not include those over-sweet, mayo-coated coleslaws you get in delis and restaurants…yuck, it’s enough to put people off slaws forever!).
But it wasn’t always that way – for me at least. I didn’t like coleslaw growing up at all. Of course now that I think about it, it was because everyone I knew either bought or made that too-sweet, mayo based slaws – so there’s that. So it wasn’t until I started gardening – and growing cabbage – that I started exploring more ways to eat cabbage. And fell in love with vinaigrette-based cabbage salads.
Not only are slaws a delicious and refreshing change from lettuce-based salads, they also go together quickly and can be made ahead.
At it’s basic a slaw – or cabbage salad – consists of shredded cabbage coated with a dressing. You can change it up with the vegetables you add and the flavors of the dressing. They can become southwestern flavored with the addition of cumin and lime, Mediterranean-like by adding feta, or Asian like this version (be sure to check out the Thai variation, too). It’s fun to experiment and come up with new cabbage salad flavors!
Spicy Asian Slaw
I love this simple technique I learned from Cook’s Illustrated to more easily cut cabbage by hand. Even though I’ve made a lot of slaws, I’ve always struggled with chopping the cabbage. The pieces would either be too big or too small (food processor, anyone?) or I worried about cutting my finger when cutting large wedges (which I actually did once!). This cutting technique really is better:
- Quarter and core the head of cabbage as usual
- Remove the smaller inside portion from one of the quarters (you can see the small part I removed in the picture above).
- Then lay the larger outer leaves on a cutting board and push them down flat to finely slice. The smaller portion is now easier to cut as well.
I usually use mostly green cabbage, throwing in a little purple cabbage if I have it, and add sweet onions, shredded carrots and/or chopped red peppers for extra color, flavor, and nutrition. And when they all come from your garden? Well, those are the times we gardeners love, right?
The quick vinaigrette is a bit different than my basic Asian vinaigrette, mainly with the addition of soy sauce and ginger while eliminating the Dijon. The slight spice (and more flavor!) come from sriracha sauce, which is easy to adjust to your family’s taste. Adding just a bit of homemade mayonnaise makes it a bit more creamy, but it’s really optional.
Add a sprinkling of sesame seeds and your salad is ready to either serve or refrigerate for a few hours, making it a great make-ahead dish (it’s good the next day, too, but will have a bit more liquid in the bottom from the cabbage sitting overnight).
This is simple, good food. I serve this with Asian flavored chicken and noodles, or curry with rice, or Teriyaki chicken, or…you get the idea- there are a lot of meals that would benefit from an easy slaw to add more vegetables and nutrition!
Spicy Asian Slaw Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage about 1/2 head
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage or use 6 cups all green
- 1 small onion preferably sweet, sliced thinly or chopped
- 2 large carrots grated
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
Salad Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sriracha sauce or other hot sauce - more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp. dried
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise optional for a creamier dressing
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Shred the cabbage by hand or using the slicing blade of a food processor (you'll need to chop it a bit by hand still to take care of larger pieces).
- Combine the cabbage and remaining vegetables in a large bowl.
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a 2-cup measure, adding the hot sauce at the end and tasting to adjust to your taste. Pour over the cabbage mixture and mix well.
- Serve with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Notes
Omit Soy Sauce and sesame oil; add 1 Tb. fish sauce and the juice of one lime. Increase the oil to 1/3 cup. This is especially good made with Napa (Chinese) Cabbage. To make ahead:
- Prepare full recipe and hold in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours before serving.
- Prepare vegetables and dressing, storing separately in the refrigerator and mixing about 30 min. to an hour before serving for best flavor.
Nutrition
Note: this recipe was originally published in 2011 and has been updated with all new photos, clearer formatting and printable recipe. Enjoy!
More Favorite Slaws to Try:
margaret says
I will have to use chinese cabbage, my old tum objects to proper cabbage though I like it. I like toasted sesame oil on it too.
Jami says
I’ve used Chinese cabbage in this before, Margaret, and it’s really good.
margaret says
I am not sure if I am subscribed. I enjoyed your you tube bit on using heavy brown paper for flooring. thanks. Wonder if calico would work too. Easier to work AND a bulk buy wd make it economical. You could go nuts and stencil on it prior to laying and sealing. Old bushies used to paper walls with newspaper…interesting when old too.
Michelle Marine says
I love vinaigrette cole slaw and I’ve got cabbage right now so this is perfect timing! Happy Summer, Jami!!
Diane says
Our red cabbage is just ripening. How perfect! This slaw looks like a tasty way to serve it up! Thanks for sharing!
Shelly says
We love coleslaw and this looks like a delicious one we need to try. Yum!
Jami says
Thanks, Shel!
Suez says
What is healthy about soy sauce? One of the worse things you could eat? Sorry, but this is a little upsetting to me.
Jami says
I buy naturally fermented soy sauce, Suez, and we use it only weekly – and that just a few tablespoons for an entire dish. I’ve never heard that soy sauce is ‘bad’ for you, just that it contains a lot of salt and that the commercially available products are made poorly. (see: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/soy-sauce-the-good-the-bad-and-the-surprisingly-ugly/) Now, plain soy is another thing – that has become a problem because of people replacing protein with it and all the fake-meat foods which causes way too much consumption of soy. I guess you’d need to explain why you think a bit of soy sauce in a stir fry or salad is bad for me – I certainly don’t mean to upset you!
Bonnie says
I have been buying the Asian slaw mix at Fred Meyers and it is very good. I do add diced red and green peppers and green onions. But I certainly must try this. I also finally stopped at the Corner Market on River Road and they have great locally grown veggies. First visit gift is garlic whips or scapes. I will try them tonight.
Thanks for a great site, Bonnie from Eugene
Jami says
Thanks for the tips and kind words, Bonnie – nice to know a fellow Eugenian! 🙂
Anonymous says
I just made this again with the Srirachi sauce. Unbelievable. I am so hooked. Yippee!
brenda from arkansas
Amy says
mmmmm… that looks really good… i love slaw
Janet Marie says
Ooooooo…this looks wonderful!!
Anonymous says
Whoa. I had most of this on hand so gave it a try, with a few substitutions. Red wine vinegar in place of rice vinegar. Few shakes of Frank’s Red Hot(probably not even close to Srirachi). Despite the subs, it was pretty darn yummy. I’m getting the real stuff and doing it proper next time. Yippee!
brenda from arkansa
Kalyn says
Love the sound of this and the Thai variation as well!
Mindy says
Yum!!! I have some cabbage already cut up in the fridge – I think this will have to be mine. :o)
CAS says
Sounds delicious! I would probably add some chicken right into to the slaw and have an entire meal in one bowl. Well, that’s the way I fly around here in the AZ summer heat! Thank you for sharing!
Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage says
I am going to try this recipe this summer. It sounds delicious and refreshing on a hot day.