Crunchy cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing

Scaling Back - day 3 crunchy cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing

So far, so good.  It’s day three, and I’ve managed to steer clear of cookies, candy, and potato chips.  My willpower probably won’t be tested until I hit day 10 or so.  This process reminds me that I prefer to eat healthy, whole foods prepared myself, but I get caught up in convenience and years of bad habits. We are programmed to crave sugary, greasy fattening foods.  It does take more time and a little bit of planning but eating healthy and cooking most of your meals should be enjoyable, not a chore.

scaling back - day 3 crunchy cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing

scaling back - day 3 crunchy cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing

I could eat a salad every day and never get tired of them.  The one thing I could to without is all the cleaning, chopping, and cutting that has to happen.  I find that if I prep a few days worth of greens and veggies and have them ready to go I am much more likely to throw a salad together rather than grab take-out on the way home.  This recipe is one that I’ve been making on and off for a few years, and I love it.  Crunchy Asian cabbage, sweet carrots, creamy avocados and nutty cashews topped with a spicy peanut dressing makes this one of my favorites.

I don’t like to press my readers into buying a lot of products, but I highly recommend investing in a mandolin if you don’t have one.  My favorite is by Benriner and will run you less than $25.00.  It takes up almost no room, is easy to clean and with three separate blades, incredibly versatile.  Having a mandoline slicer will save you the hassle of lugging out your food processor and will give you the most lovely looking salad in the neighborhood.  Being able to quickly and finely shred vegetables will make you much more likely to include them in your cooking.

They Feel free to adjust or add your favorite veggies or protein to the mix.  Sliced red pepper, shelled edamame or some shrimp or chicken all make great additions.  The one thing you don’t want to omit are the fresh herbs; they add a lot of flavors that compliment all the vegetables. Lightly dress the salad and taste it before adding more dressing, a little goes a long way, and leftovers are great to use a dip for spring rolls.

scaling back - day 3 crunchy cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing

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4.7 from 3 reviews
Day 3: crunchy cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing
Author: 
Serves: 4-6 servings
 
Ingredients
  • for the salad:
  • 1 head napa cabbage, thinly shredded
  • ¼ small head red cabbage, thinly shredded
  • 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
  • 1 cup snow peas, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • ¼ cup chopped roasted cashews
  • 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
  • for the dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon gluten-free soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sriracha
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Equipment required:
  • Mandolin
Instructions
  1. Combine the cabbages, carrots, snow peas, avocado and half the herbs in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing in a separate bowl, adding more water to thin if necessary.
  3. Toss the cabbage mixture with the peanut sauce and top with the reserved herbs, cashews and sesame seeds.

 

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scaling back - day 3 crunchy cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing

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  • Meet Tina | Scaling Back Blog

    Self-taught cook, photographer.  You can usually find me at a farmers market dreaming up alternative recipes for my allergy prone family.

    82 thoughts on “Crunchy cabbage salad with spicy peanut dressing

    1. Heather

      My dear husband made this tonight for dinner and it is one of my new favorite things! Had it with olive oil, lemon, red pepper Marinated grilled shrimp. Delicious!

      Reply
    2. Aggie

      This looks absolutely amazing and something my body is craving! I can eat salad every day too – and would be happier with something like this prepped for a couple days. Great recipe!

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Thanks Aggie,

        I usually prep a large portion and then just dress it when I’m ready to serve it. I just looked at your site, it’s lovely!

        Reply
    3. Megan Good

      This looks so good! I was looking for a recipe to use up some extra cabbage I had in my fridge, and I was happy to see I had everything needed to make this on hand. Might have to try it this afternoon 🙂

      Reply
    4. katebate

      I made this tonight. We are growing green and red cabbage in our garden so I didn’t use Napa cabbage. Also I forgot to buy the snow peas and the basil and the fresh ginger but I used some powdered which worked in a pinch. I also users less sriracha for the kids sake. I served it with teriyaki chicken and sushi rice.It was great. I will make it again.

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Kate,

        Regular cabbage works just fine in this recipe, I’ve definitely done the same. The nice thing about this salad is that you can use what you have in the veggie drawer. I do think the herbs really add something to the mix but I am really into fresh herbs in almost all my dishes!

        Reply
    5. Beth

      I’m making this for dinner tonight! It looks delicious, and I’m excited about it. I love colorful food, and I’m also glad to add another cabbage recipe to my repertoire. Thanks!

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Beth,

        I eat with my eyes as much as my stomach. I have to admit that I judge a dish my appearance before flavor sometimes I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Terri,

        You should get 4-5 servings out of the dressing so each serving should have roughly 80-100 calories

        Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Cindy,

        You could make it without the peanut butter or try using tahini (sesame seed paste) instead. You could also just toast 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds in a dry pan and then crush them with a mortar and pestle. Let me know how it works out if you try it!

        Reply
      2. Grace

        Hi Cindy, I’ve tried making the dressing using miso paste instead of the peanut butter – it’s delicious, give it a try!

        Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Erika,

        I’m glad you liked it. I like my salads to be dressed pretty lightly and the size of your cabbage can really make a difference. I know it didn’t have a lot of extra when I made it. Thanks for trying the recipe!

        Reply
    6. Amy T

      This salad looks and sounds fantastic. I see a trip to the Grocery store in my future. Thanks for the recipe, my family loves salad!

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        I’ve been really pleased to hear that this has gone over well with a lot of my friends kids and those that don’t necessarily love salads. I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Thanks Becky,

        I’m so glad you liked it. It’s been the most popular post on my blog this year. I checked out your post and I have to admit that I like my salads big! Hope you enjoy all the leftovers! If it gets a little bland ad a squeeze of lime juice or a tiny bit of vinegar to freshen it up!

        Reply
    7. Becky

      Tina, I posted on this recipe before but I wanted you to know that since adding this recipe to my blog http://www.newpinkapron.com, that sooooo many people have tried it and everyone is OBSESSED with the peanut dressing! As am I! I keep a huge tupperware container of this salad in my fridge at all times. I usually make up a double or triple batch of the dressing and keep it in the fridge for quick salads. It is so delicious!

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Becky,

        I’m so glad that you liked the dressing. It’s also great tossed with some noodles! Thanks again for trying the recipe!

        Reply
    8. kathie

      Ok I have bee looking for salad inspiration and this is it…will try it this weekend. The dressing sounds delish!
      Thanks

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Kathie,

        It’s one of our favorite dressings, it’s also great tossed with some noodles as well! I hope you enjoy the recipe!

        Reply
    9. Joanna

      This sounds yummy! Question though: I’m in Australia, what’s sriracha, and what could I use instead? Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Joanna,

        Sriracha is an Asian chili garlic sauce so if you can’t find it substitute your favorite hot sauce. Start with just a little bit and taste to suit your palate. Hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it and thanks for checking out the blog!

        Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Thanks for trying the recipe Ryan, I’m so glad you liked it. It’s one of my favorites too!

        Reply
    10. Cori

      Has anyone tried this without the sriracha? I don’t like Spicey food at all, so I was just curious of removing it from the recipe would take away from the flavor of this dish.

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Cori,

        You can definitely make the dressing without the sriracha, with the rice vinegar, garlic and ginger you have plenty of strong flavors and you won’t even miss the heat! Hope you like it if you try it!

        Reply
    11. Coby

      I have made this salad 3 times now its delicious!! The salad dressing is amazing , it will be going into my favourites for sure 🙂

      Reply
    12. Megan

      So good! I had to make like twice the dressing which probably decreased the health benefits somewhat but it made 2 huge portions with enough left over for my lunch tomorrow. We topped it with seared tuna and dinner was done. Will add this to the rotation for sure!

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Megan,

        I don’t like a lot of dressing on my salads normally and the amount of dressing you’ll need really depends on the size of your cabbage. I’m so glad that you liked it!

        Reply
    13. Lana

      This is delicious!! I just made it and substituted a few veggies. Added chopped broccoli and thinly sliced red onions instead of snow peas and red cabbage. Used flax seed and almond butter. Yum with extra sriacha drizzled on the top. This salad kind of reminds me of Houston’s thai steak salad. Just add steak, mango and tomato and you’ve got it.

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Lana, I’m so glad you liked it. It’s a really versatile recipe and I like to mix up the veggies I add as well. Thanks for trying the recipe!

        Reply
    14. monica

      Hi, thanks for the crunchy salad recipe. I do have a question without compromising the asian flavor how can I make the dressing without the gluten in the soy sauce? Any ideas? Many thanks for sharing this cabbage recipe.

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Monica,

        You could substitute tamari which is wheat-free and it wouldn’t change the flavor at all. Coconut aminos or Bragg’s liquid aminos are also a good option. Some fish sauces are also gluten free but you should double check before trying them. Let me know how it works out for you!

        Reply
    15. nina G

      I’ve made this recipe twice and it’s as good as it looks!!! This salad is soooo amazingly delicious. My 10 year old son, who doesn’t even like salad, loved it! The dressing is simply fabulous… and I would recommend making extra and using any leftovers for spring rolls. If you need a fabulous favor filled salad serve this… your guest will be begging for the recipe.
      Many thanks for sharing crunchy cabbage salad! simply delish:)!

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Nina,

        I’m so glad you liked it! The dressing is also great on soba or your favorite noodles. Thanks for trying the recipe!

        Reply
    16. Sile

      After pinning this a long time ago, I finally got around to making it. Really. Delicious. Love the dressing. This will definitely be a regular on the dinner table! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Sile,

        I’m so glad you liked the recipe, the sauce is so versatile I like to toss it with noodles or dip spring rolls in it as well!

        Reply
    17. Maribel

      Made this today and loved it. Have had something similar in a restaurant here with sliced steak on top. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

      Reply
    18. Jennifer

      Made this tonight with a leftover bag of coleslaw mix just added the fresh herbs. Was delish!! Next time I plan on adding some shrimp!
      Thank you for sharing the recipe.

      Reply
    19. Kate

      I made this today and it was soooo good! I was super bummed that I didn’t have the cilantro as I think that would have totally put it over the top. Instead of cashews, I coarsely chopped some almonds. The salad was easy to throw together and I served with some marinated/grilled chicken. Adding this to my rotation for sure. It’s such a forgiving salad – easy to change this or that without ruining anything! 🙂

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        The serving size really depends on how large your cabbages are. It makes 4 generous dinner size portions or 6 smaller salads. I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!

        Reply
    20. 13lfv

      I made this for the first time today and it is awesome! This will be a regular lunch in our house. I think shredding the veggies thin is important – I’m going to be more careful about that next time. I’m sure it would be great with a variety of different veggies as long as the base was some sort of cabbage.

      Reply
    21. Emily

      Hi there – found this recipe on Pinterest! Made it tonight and wow was it delicious. I’ve made a similar salad before with regular cabbage, but I used napa cabbage tonight and I loved the light, fluffy texture. Thanks for sharing! That dressing is to die for! Glad I doubled it 🙂

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Emily,

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I’m a huge fan of Pinterest myself and love finding new recipes to try. The dressing is also great on soba noodles or as a dipping sauce for salad rolls if you were looking for other ways to enjoy it!

        Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Thanks for checking out the recipe. The salad isn’t listed as a gluten-free recipe but if you substitute the soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos it will be!

        Reply
    22. Brooke

      Made this tonight for the first time and it was delicious! I used all organic ingredients and only made a couple modifications. Firsr, I added chopped green onion. Second, I added shredded chicken that I steamed in some vegetable stock and Braggs liquid aminos. Lastly, to the dressing, I added 1/2 TBSP extra rice wine vinegar and a drop extra of Siracha. I will definitely make this salad again and have already forwarded it on to my family members.

      Reply
      1. Tina Post author

        Hi Brooke,

        Thanks for trying the recipe! Poached shrimp is also a great addition. I agree about adding a little extra sriracha, I like it spicy!

        Reply
    23. Kelly

      Great salad and dressing. I used regular cabbage, sliced almonds, Italian parsley because that’s what I had, topped with tuna. It’s a keeper.

      Reply
    24. Ella

      I just made this salad today and loved it! It is so simple to prepare
      and yet so wonderful! I will definitely be making this salad again and again!

      Reply
    25. Debbie T

      Hi Tina, just spotted your recipe today.
      I’m LCHF-2 weeks into it and doing great. Can you please tell us the carb count-salad with and without the dressing per serving? It looks divine!

      Reply
    26. Dawn

      I made this a couple of days ago and I def made a mistake by adding the dressing and then refrigerating it for several hours. The dressing lost all its flavor! I was very disappointed because the dressing tasted great! So I will def add the dressing just before eating.

      Reply
      1. Tina | Scaling Back Blog Post author

        Hi Dawn,

        I’m sorry that the dressing let you down. It is best served right after dressing but you can revive it with a little squeeze of lime or a dash or vinegar. The acid breaks down and causes the dressing to taste a bit flat but it isn’t a lost cause. Thanks for trying the recipe!

        Reply
    27. Rosemaryandthegoat

      I’m making the salad for bunco tonight. I substituted sugar snap peas for the snow peas I cut them on an angle into 1/3s. I also added one thinly sliced jalapeño we like spicy so this made it extra spicy I added 2 tablespoons olive oil to the dressing I’m sure everyone will love the salad

      Reply
      1. Tina | Scaling Back Blog Post author

        Thanks, Emily, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! The vegetables take a bit of preparation so I like to make a huge batch and leave the salad in the fridge without the dressing so I can portion it out for a few days worth of lunches! Thanks again for trying the recipe!

        Reply
    28. Lucy

      Would love to know how you got the veggies so finely chopped – do you use a vegetable mandolin?

      Reply
      1. Tina | Scaling Back Blog Post author

        Hi Nicci,

        You can definitely make the dressing ahead of time but taste it before you dress the salad, you may need to add another squeeze of lime, it can dull down a bit as it sits. Hope you like the recipe if you give it a try!

        Reply

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