This Asian coleslaw is quick and delicious and goes great with burgers, fish or other Asian-inspired dishes. A creamy peanut butter and rice vinegar dressing brings it all together.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
We eat a lot of cabbage here. Could be my father’s German roots in Minnesota, but for some reason coleslaw is on the menu several times a week.
What goes in an Asian coleslaw?
The defining ingredients of an Asian slaw are cabbage, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. This version also has some peanut butter in the dressing and some double roasted peanuts.
Asian coleslaw, as far as we know, is not actually Asian. It is so called because it gets its flavor from ingredients that are fundamental to Asian cuisine.
What can you serve with this coleslaw?
Anywhere you would serve coleslaw – like next to a sandwich or a burger – you can serve this. It is well suited as a light and refreshing accompaniment to fish and shrimp.
So good! We had to stop eating this Asian slaw after our “test kitchen” tasting just to save enough for dinner.
Make-ahead tips
You can prepare the dressing and dry salad ingredients for this coleslaw a few days in advance. Keep refrigerated. Wait to toss them together and add garnishes until you’re ready to serve.
Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days, but the coleslaw will become wilted and watery.
Do you love coleslaw? Here are a few more
- traditional coleslaw
- Citrus cabbage salad with cumin and coriander
- No mayo slaw
- Coleslaw and kale salad with cumin ranch dressing
- Fennel salad with mint vinaigrette
asian coleslaw
The dressing on this salad is based on peanuts. If you have a food allergy to peanuts, you can substitute (or omit) tahini for the peanut butter and substitute toasted sesame seeds for the peanuts.
ingredients
For the dressing:
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1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
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6 tablespoon vegetable oil
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1/2 teaspoon roasted (dark) sesame oil
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4 tablespoon flavored rice vinegar (If flavored rice vinegar isn’t available, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to the regular rice vinegar.)
For the salad:
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8th cups thinly sliced cabbage (Napa, Green, Purple or a combination)
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1 Cup grated carrots
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1/2 Cup roasted, salted, peeled, peeled peanuts
For garnish (optional):
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1/2 Cup chopped fresh coriander
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2 thinly sliced green onions or chives
method
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Prepare dressing:
Place peanut butter in a medium bowl. Add the vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil and stir until nice and smooth. Stir in the seasoned rice vinegar and do a taste test.
Depending on how you like your dressing, how salty your peanut butter is, how flavorful your rice vinegar is, you may want to add a little more vinegar, a little more sugar, or a little salt. (Makes about 3/4 cup dressing.)
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Roast Peanuts:
Although store-bought roasted peanuts may already be cooked, toasting them just a little will give you an even better flavor.
Heat a small pan over medium-high heat and add the nuts to the pan. Do not ignore or the nuts can easily burn.
Stir a little with a wooden spoon until the peanuts start to brown in places and you can smell the roasted aromas. Transfer the peanuts from the pan onto a plate.
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Throw the salad together:
In a large bowl, toss together the chopped cabbage, shredded carrots, and peanuts, plus any other optional side dishes like some chopped cilantro or green onions.
Mix in the dressing just before serving.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 267 | calories |
| 21g | Fat |
| 16g | carbohydrates |
| 6g | protein |
