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This Asian slaw recipe is built on crisp cabbage and carrots, crunchy toppings, and protein-packed quinoa, all tossed in a savory, sweet, and tangy sesame ginger dressing. It’s fresh, satisfying, and makes salad feel exciting again.
If you love quick Asian recipes, try my Chicken Lettuce Wraps next!
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Asian Cabbage Slaw
Whether it’s a summer cookout, a potluck, or meal prepped lunches, Asian cabbage salad is as delicious as it is nutritious and loved by everyone. No one can resist tender crisp cabbage in a sesame ginger slaw dressing.
Just like my classic homemade coleslaw recipe, Asian coleslaw is made with simple, everyday produce, which makes it accessible, customizable, and super budget-friendly.
Enjoy this cabbage slaw as an entrée for lunch or dinner, or serve it as a side dish for any occasion. It travels well and can be dressed just before serving.
Ingredients You'll Need
Ingredient amounts are listed in the full printable recipe below.
- Shredded Red Cabbage – Also called purple cabbage. This adds vibrant color to Asian slaw.
- Shredded Green Cabbage – Use green cabbage for a firmer texture or Napa cabbage for a softer, restaurant-style Asian slaw.
- Cooked Quinoa – An unexpected but welcome ingredient that adds nutrients, texture, and volume.
- Carrots – Any color or variety works to add crunch, flavor, and nutrients.
- Cilantro – Fresh parsley or Thai basil can be used instead.
- Cashews – Add nutty flavor and hearty crunch.
- Sesame Seeds – Black or white sesame seeds both work well.
- Green Onions – Use both the stalks and tops.
Sesame Ginger Dressing for Asian Slaw
You’ll love how easy it is to make this restaurant-quality sesame ginger dressing using a few simple pantry ingredients. It’s the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors for cabbage slaw — some readers have even called it drinkable.
- Rice Vinegar – I recommend unseasoned rice vinegar because it’s sodium- and sugar-free, so you can control the seasoning.
- Soy Sauce – Adds savory depth and balanced saltiness.
- Fresh Ginger Root – Freshly grated ginger is best, but ginger powder can work in very small amounts.
- Fresh Garlic – A microplane grater makes quick work of garlic for a smooth dressing.
- Maple Syrup – Or honey, agave nectar, or your preferred sweetener.
- Sesame Oil – Toasted sesame oil adds deeper flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – An olive oil blend works well, too.
- Black Pepper and Salt – Add these to taste.
If you like a little heat, add a small amount of Sriracha, chili paste, or cayenne pepper once the dressing is blended.
How to make this recipe
Ingredient amounts are listed in the full printable recipe below.
Toast the cashews and sesame seeds in a 350°F oven for 3–5 minutes, then cool completely. Toasting adds extra flavor, but you can skip this step if you’re short on time.
Whisk or blend the ingredients for the sesame ginger dressing. Cover and refrigerate.
Combine all Asian slaw ingredients in a large mixing bowl without the dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the slaw and toss to coat.
Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container.
Tips and Variations
- Prep the cabbage ahead: Use pre-shredded cabbage or shred whole cabbage a day or two in advance and store it in an airtight container so it stays crisp.
- Cool the quinoa: Let cooked quinoa cool completely before adding it to the slaw. Warm quinoa releases moisture and can make the slaw soggy.
- Dress at the right time: For crisp slaw, toss with dressing just before serving. For a softer slaw, add dressing, toss, cover, and refrigerate for 2–24 hours.
- Start with less dressing: Add about half the dressing first, toss, then add more as needed. You may not need it all.
- Turn this Asian slaw into a Thai-inspired version by swapping the sesame ginger dressing for this mild peanut sauce recipe.
- Add other vegetables to the Asian slaw, like snow peas, snap peas, bell peppers, daikon, and any other crunchy veggies you'd like.
What To Serve With Asian Slaw
More Asian Recipes To Try
- Pickled Carrot and Daikon
- Vegetable Thai Red Curry Recipe
- Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
- Thai Cucumber Salad
- Easy Pho Recipe
- Vegan Lo Mein Noodles
📖 Recipe
Easy Asian Slaw Recipe with Sesame Ginger Dressing
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
Slaw Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Cashews, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds, black or white
- 3 cups Red Cabbage, about ⅓ pound, shredded
- 3 cups Napa Cabbage or Green Cabbage, about ⅓ pound, shredded
- 1 cup Cooked Quinoa, cooled completely or chilled
- 1 cup Carrots, about ¼ pound, shredded
- ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
- 2 Green Onions, thinly sliced
Sesame Ginger Dressing (about ⅔ cup)
- ¼ cup Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup, or preferred sweetener
- 2 teaspoons Soy Sauce, or Tamari or Aminos
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, finely grated
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil, light or dark
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Toast the nuts and seeds (optional):Toast CASHEWS and SESAME SEEDS using one of the methods below, then transfer to a plate to cool completely.Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread nuts and seeds on a baking sheet and bake for 3–5 minutes, until lightly toasted.Stovetop: Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add nuts and seeds and toast for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Prepare the slaw: In a large mixing bowl, combine CABBAGE, QUINOA (cooled), CARROTS, CILANTRO, and GREEN ONIONS. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Do not add dressing yet.
- Make the dressing: In a mixing bowl, whisk together RICE VINEGAR, MAPLE SYRUP, SOY SAUCE, GINGER, and GARLIC. Slowly drizzle in EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL and SESAME OIL, whisking until fully combined. Season with SALT and BLACK PEPPER to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
- Assemble and serve: Just before serving, add the toasted CASHEWS and SESAME SEEDS to the slaw. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Storage: Store dressed slaw in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Undressed slaw can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- salad spinner optional
- 7-cup food processor optional for shredding cabbage
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Magdalena says
This salad is wonderful. I love the combo of crunchy, sour, and sweet. Thank you for this amazing recipe and many others on your website.
Traci says
So glad you loved it, Magdalena! That crunchy, sweet, and tangy combo is one of our favorites too. Thanks so much for trying my recipes and sharing your results. 🙂
Heidi Miller says
Your sesame ginger salad dressing adds the perfect cozy flavors to this slaw. I especially love the added touch of the fresh ginger and garlic! Then the maple syrup adds that perfect pop of sweet to finish it off. Talk about mmm mmm good!!
Traci says
So glad you loved it! 😊 Fresh ginger and garlic really bring the Asian flavor, and I agree—the little bit of sweetness ties everything together. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Kimoria says
This is so so good! I used everything bagel seasoning since I didn’t have the cashews or sesame seeds but otherwise followed word for word. It’s refreshing and light, and super tasty with tuna or shrimp mixed in as well. It’s become a regular in my rotation, the sauce is so good!
Traci says
I'm glad you were able to make it work out and I love knowing you'll be making it more often. Thanks for trying my recipe and for sharing your feedback. Enjoy!
Jennifer says
Good but needed lime juice.
Traci says
You're welcome to add it 😉 Thanks!
Rosalee says
Oh my word!! Amazing
Need a recipe for a lunch I am preparing later for family
Can I use brown rice (short grain) instead of quinoa?
NOT a fan of the texture.
Believe me, I have tried, but just can't move past the
texture of it
Traci says
I'm so glad you're loving my Asian slaw 🙂 You can use any grain you want, or none at all, totally up to you! Thanks for trying my recipe and for leaving feedback. Enjoy!! xoxo
Cindy says
The salad was wonderful. The dressing had a bitter aftertaste. Next time I may substitute the rice vinegar for white balsamic vinegar
Traci says
Hi Cindy, I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad. Before switching the vinegar away from the Asian flavor, try adding a little more sugar or salt to balance the flavor. Also, make sure your oil is fresh, as that can affect the taste. Thanks for your feedback—enjoy! xoxo
Ramona says
Very Easy and great flavor! I will definitely make this again! The dressing was just right for my taste!
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. We're making this for our lunches this week. Can't wait for that dressing LOL! Thanks for the feedback!
Nancy L Watson says
Too vinegary for my liking.
Traci says
Ok. It's a pretty standard Asian vinaigrette, but you could always add a touch of mayonnaise or yogurt to soften the vinegar flavor if you decide to go for it again. Enjoy!
Perri Wooding says
Hi Traci, delicious dressing, did add a little fresh lime juice. Thank you! Can't wait to try more of your recipes.
Best regards, Perri
Traci says
Yay! I'm glad you found your way to my recipe and went for it with lime. YUM! Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂 Enjoy!
Deni says
This was delicious! I used brown rice in lieu of quinoa because I had some cooked already on hand.
We served this with an Asian inspired roasted salmon and sautéed broccoli.
I can easily see doing this Thai inspired with mint & basil along with a peanut dressing.
Traci says
Yay! It is a very versatile salad and your combination sounds divine 🙂 And Thai would be great too! Thanks for sharing your experience. Enjoy!!
Char says
Generally, this was a good recipe. However, the final step, "add salt and pepper to taste" is crucial. I had to add quite a bit of salt (I used seasoned salt) to bump up the flavor. If i make it again, I may make more dressing which should make the slaw more flavorful as well.
Traci says
Yes Char, adding salt and pepper to taste is very important, which is why I added that step to the recipe instructions. The dressing yields 2/3 cup and you are most welcome to increase it 🙂 Thanks and enjoy!
Bella Mater says
Heckin' good! Just for fun, added a generous 'blorp' of coconut milk to the dressing... try it: you will not be sorry
The Kitchen Girl says
So glad you enjoyed! And that sounds delicious 🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
Jeff says
I've had this Asian slaw exactly as it is, but also with chicken. I'm not a big slaw guy but something about cabbage with sesame Asian slaw dressing really makes a perfect lunch. Healthy too! Thanks for another winner Kitchen Girl!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! You are so welcome and I'm glad you love it as much as I do 🙂
Doney says
I LOVE this salad. Made it a second time this week. Holds up great for days if you don’t add dressing until time to eat. Light, fresh and delicious!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayyy! I'm so glad you love it as much as we do. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback 🙂