Asian Salad Recipe with Sesame Vinaigrette Dressing
This Asian salad recipe is a traditional dish made with a homemade sesame vinaigrette recipe. Perfect salad for serving during a summer picnic and BBQs, or as an addition to a regular meal.
I love making salads that I can make ahead of time. In fact, quite a few of the salads I have shared with you like, carrot, celery, cabbage, and tomato can all be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge.
Almost every time I have guests over for dinner, I like making this Asian salad. Because it always gets everybody talking and enjoying a salad. This Asian chopped salad does not have droopy veggies like cucumber and tomatoes that need to be used up immediately.
What is Asian salad?
Asian salad is a type of salad that incorporates ingredients and flavors commonly found in Asian cuisine. It typically includes a mix of fresh vegetables, such as lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers, combined with Asian-inspired dressings and toppings.
Why you’ll love this salad
- This quick and easy salad is simple, light, and flavorful and gets ready in minutes. Healthy, crunchy vegetables make a fantastic base for our tangy dressing, which combines Asian flavors of sesame oil, soy, honey, and lemon juice.
- There is no much chopping of veggies. In fact, I have used a box grater. But you can use the food processor to make shredded the cabbage and lettuce.
- It works perfectly as a side dish to any main course, be it fish, chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, or pork.
- The best thing about this salad is that you can make it ahead of time and chill it in the fridge. Making it ahead means the veggies absorb more flavor.
- The Asian dressing adds the nice flavor of sesame, which is great over shredded veggies. It can also be used over other salads, such as a garden salad.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Veggies – I like using cabbage, carrots, celery, and lettuce, which can be kept for long. They also add a nice crunch to the salad.
- Green onions – Add a slightly pungent flavor, but you can certainly omit it.
- Mirin – Is a Japanese sweet sauce. But, you can certainly use honey instead.
- Oil – when it comes to Asian salads I like to use cooking oil with some sesame oil for flavor. I find olive oil to be too strong, but, you certainly use extra virgin olive oil as well.
- Rice wine vinegar (aka rice vinegar) – Gives a subtle vinegar flavor, and yet you can certainly use lemon or lime juice as well.
- Optional ingredients – You can also add your favorite veggies like sliced green or red bell pepper, romaine lettuce, Napa cabbage, or purple cabbage. And few toasted nuts like cashews also add a nice crunch to the salad.
Step-by-step: Easy Asian salad Recipe
- Sesame vinaigrette – In a mason jar, combine all the Asian salad dressing ingredients. Give it a good shake and set aside. You can also use a small bowl and whisk to stir.
Pro tip – You can double or triple the dressing as it saves in the fridge for up to a week.
- Salad – In a large bowl, combine all the shredded veggies. Sprinkle the nuts. Season with salt and pepper.
Pro tip -You can combine this salad and leave it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It is best to add the dressing just before serving.
- Dressing – Pour the salad dressing over the veggies. Use two forks and toss it all to ensure everything is well combined.
- Serve – Transfer to a salad bowl and sprinkle with more toasted sesame seeds.
Tips for making this Asian salad recipe
- To toast the sesame seeds toss them on a frying pan over medium heat.
- It is best to shred the veggies really thin. It makes for a better presentation and eating experience.
- The sesame vinaigrette can be used on a variety of salads so feel free to double and triple the dressing. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- This salad is perfect for meal prep because it can stay for longer in the fridge compared to other salads. We serve with a side of roasted cauliflower and edamame.
Variations
- Asian chicken salad – add shredded leftover chicken to the salad.
- Asian beef salad – perfect when you have leftover beef roast.
- or Asian seafood salad – grilled shrimps, scallops or lobster meat make a great addition too.
- Make it a meal – if you like salad as a meal, top this with proteins – try some smoked salmon, grilled shrimp, or baked tofu, crispy wontons, or even a chopped steak.
- Asian slaw – the same veggies and herbs can be used to make an Asian slaw but drizzle with a creamy mayonnaise dressing instead of vinaigrette.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cup Napa cabbage shredded
- 2 cup Carrots straws or shredded
- 1 cup Celery thinly sliced
- 2 cup Romaine lettuce thinly sliced
- 1 cup Cilantro chopped
- 1 cup Green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 tbsp Sesame seed oil
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Mirin or honey
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 Ginger slices
- 1 Garlic slices
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds toasted
- ¼ cup Cashew nuts or similar
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds toasted for garnish
- ¼ tsp Salt taste first
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Method
- Sesame vinaigrette: Combine all the Asian salad dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Shake well and set aside. You can also stir in a small bowl with a whisk.1 tbsp Cooking oil, 1 tbsp Sesame seed oil, 2 tbsp Soy sauce, 1 tbsp Mirin, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 Ginger slices, 1 Garlic slices, 1/4 cup Water
- Salad: Combine all the shredded veggies in a bowl. Sprinkle with the nuts. Season with salt and pepper.2 cup Napa cabbage, 2 cup Carrots, 1 cup Celery, 2 cup Romaine lettuce, 1 cup Cilantro, 1 cup Green onions, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Pepper
- Dressing: Pour the salad dressing over the veggies. Use two forks to toss to combine everything.
- Serve – Transfer to a salad bowl and sprinkle with more toasted sesame seeds.2 tbsp Sesame seeds, 1/4 cup Cashew nuts, 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
Notes
- To toast the sesame seeds toss them on a frying pan over medium heat.
- It is best to shred the veggies really thin. It makes for a better presentation and eating experience.
- The sesame vinaigrette can be used on a variety of salads so feel free to double and triple the dressing. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- This salad is perfect for meal prep because it can stay for longer in the fridge compared to other salads. We serve with a side of roasted cauliflower and edamame.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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Frequently asked questions
Common dressings used in Asian salad include soy sauce-based dressings, sesame ginger dressings, peanut dressings, and citrus-based dressings like lime or orange vinaigrette. These dressings often feature a combination of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors.
Yes, you can prepare the components of Asian salad ahead of time. However, it’s best to dress the salad just before serving to prevent the vegetables from becoming soggy.
Asian salads often include a combination of vegetables such as lettuce, Napa cabbage, bok choy, bean sprouts, carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, radishes, and green onions. Feel free to add or substitute other vegetables based on your preference and availability.
Absolutely! Adding protein is a great way to make your Asian salad more satisfying. Grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu, beef, or even cooked edamame are popular choices for protein additions. You can marinate the protein in Asian-inspired flavors to complement the salad.
Popular toppings for Asian salad include crunchy elements like toasted sesame seeds, slivered almonds, crispy wonton strips, fried noodles, or crushed peanuts. Fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, or Thai basil can also add a burst of flavor.
Absolutely! Asian salad is highly customizable, and you can adjust the flavors to suit your taste. You can experiment with different dressings, add more or less spice, and play around with the ingredients to create a salad that suits your preferences.
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I am concerned about the amounts of both the garlic and the ginger. The recipe says “slices” but a bite of a large slice of either one could certainly be overwhelming and maybe ruin the experience. Are the slices really thin and what’s the amount you use?
Hi Sharon. Yes, the garlic and ginger should be thinly sliced, not thick pieces. The amounts are meant to add flavor to the dressing without overpowering it, but you can certainly use a little less if you prefer a milder garlic or ginger flavor. Hope that helps!
A perfect salad for summer! The dressing tied everything together beautifully. I’ll be making this for meal prep.
Thank you so much, Laura, for the lovely feedback.
Such a light yet satisfying salad! The flavors were well-balanced, and I loved the addition of peanuts for crunch.
Thank you so much, James, for the lovely feedback.
Made this for lunch, and it was so refreshing! The combination of veggies and dressing was delicious
Thank you so much, Emily, for the lovely feedback.
I love how colorful and crunchy this salad is! The sesame dressing was perfect, and I added grilled chicken for a full meal.
Thank you so much, David, for the lovely feedback.
This salad was so fresh and flavorful! The dressing was just right—not too sweet or overpowering. Will be making this again!
Thank you so much, Olivia, for the lovely feedback.
this was super helpful, easy and simple to understand
This is the perfect salad recipe. On it’s own works so well but I can’t wait to start taking it to BBQs this summer.