Name: Asian Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons soy sauce (See note); 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1 teaspoon sriracha ((optional)); 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger; 1 garlic clove, (minced); 5 cups shredded cabbage ((about 2 1/2 pounds; red, green or a mix)); 1 cup shredded carrots ((about 2-3 medium carrots)); 1 medium red bell pepper, (sliced into thin strips); 1/2 cup chopped scallions ((about 2 scallions)); 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

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This zesty Asian slaw is packed with flavor and whips up in minutes! You need to make this show-stopping side dish for your next summer cookout.

Bowl of Asian Slaw with a wooden spoon in it.

My vegan coleslaw is one of my favorite summer sides. And with cookout season right around the corner, I'm starting to crave cool summer salads. I thought maybe this time I'd take things up a notch though. Are you guys ready for more slaw?

And I've had Asian slaw on my list of recipes to work on forever. And well, summer is unofficially about to begin, with Memorial Day weekend coming up fast, so I figured now was the time!

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What is Asian Slaw?
Ingredients You'll Need
How It's Made
Shelf-Life & Storage
More Summer Side Salads
Asian Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing

What is Asian Slaw?

Blue surface set with plate of Asian Slaw, chopsticks, napkin and cilantro.

Is Asian slaw a new thing for you? It's a lot like coleslaw, but instead of a creamy mayo dressing, Asian slaw is made with a light, zesty dressing with Asian-inspired flavors, like the sesame and ginger you'll find in this one.

Ingredients You'll Need

Rice vinegar. Look for this in the international foods section of your supermarket.
Soy sauce. Gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted if needed.
Maple syrup. Another liquid sweetener such as agave or coconut nectar could easily be substituted for this.
Toasted sesame oil. This should also be available in the international foods aisle at the store.
Sriracha. Leave this out if you'd prefer a milder version of this dish.
Fresh ginger.
Garlic.
Cabbage. Red cabbage, green cabbage, or a combination of both will work just fine!
Carrots.
Red bell pepper.
Scallions. Also known as green onions.
Fresh cilantro. This can be left out if you're a cilantro hater.
Toasted sesame seeds.

Tip: Feel free to substitute some of your favorite veggies. Napa cabbage would work in place of the red/green cabbage, broccoli would be a great sub for the carrots or bell pepper, and daikon radish would be a great way to add some bite!

How It's Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!

This stuff is just as easy as classic coleslaw, and the method of making it is pretty similar!

Start by mixing up your dressing. You'll be using some rice vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Stir everything together and give it a taste-test. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes.
Next, shred some cabbage and carrot. You'll also be slicing up a bell pepper as well as some scallions and cilantro for this.
Throw everything into a big bowl, drizzle in your dressing, and give it a good toss!

Collage showing the 4 steps for making Asian Slaw.

You can taste-test again and readjust the seasonings if you like — more vinegar for extra tartess, more maple syrup if yours is too tart, more ginger for zip, or more garlic just because you can never really have too much garlic. Just make sure to mix your slaw up well if you add anything.

Bowl of Asian Slaw with cilantro, napkin, plates and chopsticks in the background.

I like to top my slaw with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Tip: You can serve this slaw right away, or chill it for a bit. I like it best when it's been chilled for about 2 hours.

Shelf-Life & Storage

Asian slaw will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. It will lose some crispness over time, so the sooner you eat it, the better!

More Summer Side Salads

Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!

4.93 from 13 votes