Sesame Coleslaw
I promise this Sesame Coleslaw will be your go-to side dish salad this summer. You can whip it up in minutes and the super yummy sesame-flavored dressing turns the crunchy cabbage and carrots into a mouth-watering bite.
I originally shared this recipe on February 11, 2014. I have updated the images and some of the text today.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Asian Coleslaw with Sesame and Ginger
This Asian-inspired sesame coleslaw is mayo-free and made with an oil and vinegar dressing, loosely inspired by my Sesame Soy Dressing. We’ve added crunchy colorful red and green cabbage, a necessity in traditional coleslaw, but we have also added in more colorful crunchy veggies for color, texture and flavor!
Serve it with Maple Teriyaki marinated chicken, Sesame Noodles or pair with our Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Short Ribs.
Ingredients For This Asian-Inspired Coleslaw
For the Dressing:
- White vinegar: You can also use cider vinegar learn more about vinegars here.
- Maple syrup: You can sub in white sugar if you like.
- Tamari: This is a type of gluten-free soy sauce. If you are following a paleo diet you can use Coconut Aminos instead.
- Oil: I use a blend of toasted sesame oil, avocado oil and flax seed oil (for a nutritional boost because it is a great source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.)
- Seasoning: You’ll need ginger, salt and pepper. I recommend grating the ginger for the best flavor and so that it blends into the dressing well.
For The Slaw:
- Cabbage: You can use green, a mix of green and red (or purple) or even savoy or Napa cabbage if you prefer. Here’s how to cut the cabbage for the slaw.
- Vegetables: These add contrasting color and crunch. Shred the carrots on a box grater, and julienne cut the peppers and radishes. Then simply slice the scallions finely.
- Toasted sesame seeds: for garnish
How To Make Sesame Coleslaw
To make the dressing whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, ginger, flax oil, avocado oil, toasted sesame oil and salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Once the dressing is made add in the veggies and sesame seeds and toss the coleslaw combine.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Make Ahead Instructions
- You can make the dressing ahead. Do so up to a week in advance.
- The cabbage and other veggies can be cut one day ahead. Keep in a resealable container, or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
- If the oils in the dressing become solid, set the jar in a bowl of warm tap water to warm up to room temperature. Shake the dressing well before pouring over the salad.
Leftovers
This Asian Coleslaw sits well for a picnic or barbecue. Serve with a slotted spoon or tongs as it will get watery in the bottom of the bowl. It can be made up to 8 hours in advance. Leftovers will last up to three days.
What To Serve with Soy, Ginger and Sesame Coleslaw
- I love these Peanut Noodles. They have plenty of ginger!
- You could make these Hoisin Glazed Asian Turkey Meatballs and rice for a nice meal.
- I adore this Maple Tahini Roasted Salmon, and this coleslaw would be a great side dish.
- This Thai Coconut Lime Grilled Skirt Steak is always very popular and would make a nice compliment to these Asian flavors.
- Or try it with short grain brown rice and these uber delicious Korean BBQ Meatballs.
More Healthy Coleslaw Recipes
We have amassed quite a few coleslaw recipes here at Healthy Seasonal Recipes. Between celebrating the month of May for National Salad Month and making healthy side dishes for summer potlucks, backyard barbecues and picnics, there are too many opportunities to whip up another bowl of coleslaw. We have more than a half dozen slaws here!
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Sesame Coleslaw
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
I promise this Asian Coleslaw will be your go-to side dish salad this summer. You can whip it up in just minutes and the sesame dressing goes well with so many dishes.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar, or cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari, see **ingredient note
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 cups finely chopped cabbage
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup sliced bell peppers
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions
- 1/4 cup radishes
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Whisk vinegar, oil, maple syrup, tamari, sesame oil, ginger, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a large bowl.
- Add cabbage, carrots, peppers, scallions, radishes and sesame seeds and toss to coat.
Notes
**Ingredient note: to make this PALEO, substitute coconut aminos for the tamari.
Make Ahead Instructions
- You can make the dressing ahead. Do so up to a week in advance.
- The cabbage and other veggies can be cut one day ahead. Keep in a resealable container, or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
- If the oils in the dressing become solid, set the jar in a bowl of warm tap water to warm up to room temperature. Shake the dressing well before pouring over the salad.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 322 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
This is a perfect side dish for a bbq! It’s so delicious!
I love the flavor in this slaw! The flavors are so fresh and yummy. It is a perfect side for a lot of meals.
This has my name written ALL over it! I love everything in this, thank you!
huge fan of this recipe! thanks for sharing
We love trying different coleslaws! Love the Asian flavors of this one!
Same! I love bringing a twist on the classic to a BBQ. Hope you like this Jessica.
I’m so glad I just found this blog today. I’m the cook in the household, and my wife and I just started getting a CSA veggie share box, so often times there are things in there I’ve never cooked before. I’m trying a slightly altered version of one of your beet green salad recipes later tonight, but this looks amazing! Will almost certainly make it this weekend for a Fourth of July BBQ.
Also, shout out from Philly!
Welcome Michael! I love that beet green salad- I would have never thought that possible long ago- since I thought I hated them. Now I am growing extra beets to ensure that I can make that! Ha ha. Let me know how the recipe goes, and if you ever have questions feel free to email me! Happy Cooking!
Great tips! The salad looks perfect 🙂
Thanks so much Pamela! Have a great day!
That’s a great lesson in knife skills – makes me think, I really need to get myself a properly sharp knife. I watched a couple of demo videos on youtube recently and quickly realised why I struggle with cutting small and fast! And I must try this recipe too – sounds delicious. I must admit to still buying ready made coleslaw sometimes, I don’t know why, it’s just not the same (not to mention what strange ingredients may be hiding in it!).
A sharp knife is so important. I need to sharpen mine right now. It makes cooking so much more enjoyable, doesn’t it? No worries about the coleslaw Ian, the way I see it is that it is a bag of cabbage. It isn’t like Doritos or something.
Thanks Bill, I agree totally about assumptions. I tend to sometimes err on the other side and include waaaay too much info in a recipe, which can make them seem long and complicated, when they aren’t. Culinary school was amazing, and I would do it again if given the choice, I learned so much. But I agree about the food service industry, it was hard and I never got to see my family.
I love this post. I think if we’ve been cooking for a long time, we assume that readers know what we mean when we specify something is second nature for us. Makes me realize I need to be clearer when I write a recipe. I wish I could have gone to culinary school, but I never wanted to work as hard you have to in the food industry!
How helpful — thank you the approachable info! Also, your photography is beautiful.
Aw thanks Hannah. I am glad you find this helpful/useful. That makes me so happy.
Thanks for the knife lesson. It’s very enlightening.
Thanks Joshua, my hope is that for someone like you you’d find this post helpful to share with your students or to help clarify the differences.
This looks great Katie, and I love the knife lesson! You always put so much helpful information in your posts!!
Thanks Ari:) Since posting I have thought of a hundred things I should have added to this. Looks like there will be a part two coming along…
Ahhhh yes, this post instantly takes me back to my first class of culinary school. I even had a little 3-D card that had models of all of the knife cuts. Also – beautiful coleslaw. These are the kinds of flavors I am ALWAYS craving at lunchtime.
Thanks Lori. That card sounds sweet. I don’t think we had anything like that. I am a salad for lunch kinda girl most days, especially if it has good dressing.
yum this sounds so delicious Katie!! I love sesame everything, and this would be perfect to top on a turkey burger
I love the idea of piling this onto a turkey burger Christine. That is a great idea.