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As a best-selling cookbook author and recipe-testing perfectionist, I’ve spent a lot of time figuring out the problem with most cabbage salads.
In general, cabbage tends to get watery as it sits in salad dressing. This doesn’t necessarily affect the overall flavor, but it can make coleslaw look limp and unappealing. (This is less than ideal if you want to use it as part of your meal prep routine.)
The secret is to do a little prep work— literally, one step— before you make the dressing. If you’re willing to take this extra step, you’ll be rewarded with less watery cabbage salad.
It’s as easy as that.
Follow the directions below, and you’ll have the best Asian coleslaw you’ve ever tasted. Enjoy it as a side dish or with burgers and tacos. It makes practically everything taste better!
Asian Slaw Ingredients
Like most salads, 90% of the flavor will come from the dressing. This one is made with rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, tamari (gluten-free soy sauce), honey, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
As far as vegetables go, use classic coleslaw staples like shredded green cabbage and carrots. Or, you can use coleslaw mix from the store for convenience, too! Add in chopped green onion and fresh cilantro for extra flavor.
If you have Napa cabbage or a head of red cabbage, those will work, too.
Craving a crunchy Asian coleslaw recipe?
You can add sliced almonds or crunchy ramen noodles for more texture.
How to Make Asian Cabbage Slaw
Here’s the secret to a less watery cabbage salad: salt your cabbage first! This technique is also common when working with other watery veggies, like zucchini or tomatoes.
If you have a salad spinner, use it for convenience. Otherwise, place the shredded cabbage in a colander and arrange that colander over a bowl. (The bowl will catch the water that drips from the cabbage.) Sprinkle two teaspoons of fine sea salt over the cabbage and toss well. Set it aside to “sweat” while you prepare the rest of the veggies and dressing.
(Ideally, it should marinate in the salt for an hour or two, but anything helps.)
When ready to dress the cabbage, rinse it under running water to remove most of the salt. This may sound counterintuitive, but it doesn’t cause the cabbage to lose its crunch.
Use the salad spinner to spin away the excess water. Repeat the rinsing and spinning process, if necessary, after draining away the water. The cabbage will taste seasoned, but shouldn’t taste too salty.
To prepare the dressing, add the rice vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, tamari, honey, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to a mason jar with a lid. Stir well until the honey is dissolved, then set this aside.
Transfer the drained cabbage to a large bowl and add the shredded carrot, green onion, and cilantro. Pour half of the dressing over the salad and toss well.
Taste the salad and add more dressing, as needed, to taste. It’s ready to serve as soon as you’re happy with the flavor.
If you feel like it needs tweaking, you can add a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a more tangy flavor, or an extra drizzle of honey to balance out the salt. Garnish with sesame seeds, if you like.
Looking for more salad recipes? Try my Italian Salad, Thai Peanut Salad, or Detox Salad.
Asian Slaw (Not Soggy!)
Ingredients
Slaw Ingredients
- 1 medium head green cabbage (about 1.5 pounds shredded)
- 2 carrots , peeled and shredded
- 3 green onions , chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro , chopped
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
Asian Slaw Dressing
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon Tamari (or soy sauce)
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger , minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional; for spice)
Instructions
- For a less watery/soggy salad, start by arranging a colander in a large bowl.(You can also use a salad spinner to make the process easier.) Place the cabbage in the colander and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt. Toss well, then let the salad rest for up to 2 hours, or at least 30 minutes. The cabbage will sweat and start to release excess water.
- While you wait for that, prepare the dressing. In a mason jar with a lid, combine the vinegar, oil, tamari, honey, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. (Note: Use a microplane to finely mince the garlic and ginger into the jar.) Stir until the honey fully dissolves, then set aside. You can store this with a lid in the fridge for up to 5 days to make it in advance.
- When you're ready to use the cabbage, remove the colander from the bowl and rinse the salted cabbage under running water. This is a crucial step to remove the excess salt. Run it through the salad spinner, if using, to remove excess water after rinsing it. Or, press it dry with a towel. This will give you crunchy cabbage that won't get soggy in the dressing.
- Transfer the drained cabbage to a large bowl and top with shredded carrots, green onion, and cilantro. Stir the dressing well, then pour a ⅓ cup of it over the salad. Toss well, and give the salad a taste. Add more dressing as needed, until the salad is flavorful. (You may want to use all of it, but everyone's taste buds are different.) The salad is ready to serve right away; garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.
- Leftover dressed salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir well again before serving, to make sure the dressing is well distributed.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this Asian coleslaw recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
Made this as a side with teriyaki wing, can highly recommend. Very yummy
Delicious!
Put it on hot dogs for a random twist.
This was a perfect recipe. I really liked the flavor. Will the olive oil that’s in the dressing solidify in the refrigerator?
I loved Asian slaw dressing! I added sliced brussel sprouts that needed to be used and some leftover red cabbage.
THIS is the recipe, everyone! I could eat the whole thing by myself. Perfect complement to plant-based burgers & seafood. Probably good with everything. Thank youuuuu!
Absolutely fabulous! Love, love LOVE the dressing. Would also be great tossed with soba noodles. Served at our cookout last night with chicken satay and everyone loved it!
Yum so good! Easier if I buy the already chopped and bagged cabbage
Very good! Followed recipe exactly and adding the almond butter. Kids even liked it.
I use peanut butter instead, but the dressing is amazing
Delicious. Your salad dressings are always my favorite! I grated in an apple to add some sweetness and reduced the maple syrup to 2 tablespoons.
Thanks for the lovely salad!