Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad

Name: Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 16 oz package cabbage slaw; 1 1/2 cups red cabbage (- chopped); 1 cup shredded carrots; 1/2 cup green onions (- diced); 8 oz. shelled edamame; 3 oz. package ramen noodles (- broken into pieces, and toasted); 1/2 cup slivered almonds (-toasted); 2 teaspoons sesame seeds; sunflower seeds (- optional topping); 1/2 cup regular sesame oil (- or canola oil); 1/4 cup honey; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce (- or a few dashes more); 2 teaspoons chili paste or sriracha (- for a little spice and taste (optional)); salt and pepper (- to taste)

Salad & Sandwich· Side Dish· Summer BBQ and Party Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share a commission.

Jump to Recipe

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad is a classic potluck dish that I’ve made a hundred times. I tweaked the recipe slightly, by adding shelled edamame and adjusting the salad dressing to up the health factor. Still SO good and an easy recipe I keep coming back to again and again!

Overhead view of a large white bowl of crunchy asian cabbage salad, with a jar of dressing and wooden spoons.

I may be dating myself, but how many of you recognize this cabbage salad? You know the one with ramen in it? Well, if your hand is up, stay tuned because I’ve made this one HEALTHIER. It’s still awesomely tasty, but it has zero refined sugar and skips that nasty salt bomb in the tiny little packet of the ramen noodles. Is this ringing a bell yet?

My mother made this salad for SO many potlucks back in the day, and I have too. I’ve made a lot of salads over the last couple of years, and love playing with ingredients to make it both tasty and healthy. Gone are the days of eating boring lifeless salads. Bring on all of the flavor, the crunch, and the familiarity.

Ingredients needed for this Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad Recipe:

Packaged Cabbage Slaw – but you could chop your own green cabbage.
Red Cabbage – or use an equivalent amount of extra packaged slaw.
Matchstick Carrots – you could also cut your own here.
Shelled Edamame – found in the frozen vegetable section of your grocery store.
Green Onions
Package of Ramen Noodles – broken up and toasted.
Slivered Almonds – toasted as well.
Sunflower Seeds – optional salad topping.

Overhead shot of Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad in a white bowl, separated by ingredient, with salad dressing in the center.

Ingredients needed for the Salad Dressing:

I did most of the tweaking here, because salad dressings shouldn’t be loaded with sugar.

Oil – use either regular sesame oil or canola oil.
Apple Cider Vinegar – or Rice Wine Vinegar would be nice too.
Honey – used to sweeten instead of sugar.
Soy Sauce – to give an Asian flavor.
Chili Paste or Sriracha – for some added flavor (and color!). This won’t make it super spicy, it’s just for flavor. Try it, you’ll like it!
Salt and Pepper – to taste.

How to make Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad:

Mix the salad dressing together, and shake vigorously. Set aside, or in the refrigerator if you are prepping in advance.
Microwave the frozen edamame. Add a pinch of salt, and let cool.
Break up the ramen noodles, and toast on the stove top until fragrant and slightly browned. Set aside to cool.
Toast the slivered almonds as well. Set aside to cool.
Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. To serve, drizzle salad dressing on top, and mix well. EAT.

Close-up shot of the salad dressing for Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad, with veggies surrounding the jar.

You can do either of three things with the dressing:

Add all the salad dressing when you make it, or well in advance of your meal.
Before adding the ramen or nuts, add the dressing, and then add ramen and nuts right before serving.
Apply dressing to individual salads at meal time.

Since cabbage is a strong vegetable, it doesn’t wilt easily and will hold up to the dressing for awhile. I tend to like it better when the salad has time to soak up some of the flavors from the dressing, but you do you. 😀

Overhead shot of the asian cabbage salad mixed with the dressing.

Other Potluck Salad Ideas:

What do they call potlucks now? Share-a-dish? Bring-a-plate? Hmmm. Do tell. What do YOU call it?

Creamy Potato Salad – my mom’s awesome recipe
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad – one of my all-time favs
Mexican Quinoa Salad – a recent obsession

Enjoy, ya’ll!

A white serving bowl of asian cabbage salad, with two wooden spoons serving it.

Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)

Make this salad next: Healthy Broccoli Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing

Please let know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

xoxo ~Sue