Combine your love of Ramen noodles with coleslaw to make an unexpected, yet delicious crunchy Asian Slaw. It takes less than 30 minutes to put together, making it the perfect salad for a busy schedule.
This Asian cabbage slaw gives you the perfect reason to purchase one of those stunning cabbages at the farmers’ market. All you need by way of encouragement is this Asian slaw recipe.
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Table of Contents
What Is Asian Slaw?
Chinese slaw is another word for this delicious Asian slaw salad, a simple vegan slaw with the best slaw dressing ever that can be made ahead! You get a wonderful all-rounder side salad.
It consists of shredded cabbage just like traditional coleslaw. Apart from that, it couldn’t be more different! There’s no dressing laden with mayo, so this Asian cabbage slaw is bright, fresh, and crunchy. It’s certainly not lacking in flavor.
Why You Will Love This Authentic Asian Slaw
Sometimes you need an easy salad recipe in your recipe box for a potluck or even a picnic. Take Asian coleslaw along, and it will be a real winner, combining as it does two wonderful comfort foods, ramen noodles and coleslaw. Everyone will love how it tastes.
This crunchy Asian slaw recipe isn’t difficult to put together, so you don’t need a lot of time in the kitchen. What’s more, it’s budget-friendly because it’s made with common pantry staples. This Asian cabbage slaw can also be made ahead of time to eat later or even take to work.
This crunchy Asian slaw salad is pretty good for you – it’s full of goodies a healthy salad should have. And, it’s so bright and cheerful, it will make you want to dive right into it.
Ingredients for This Asian Slaw Recipe
The pleasing crunch in this Asian cole slaw is because of ramen noodles and almond slivers. Here’s what you need:
For the Slaw:
- Napa cabbage
- Green onions
- Ramen noodles
- Slivered almonds
- Butter
For the Dressing:
- Red wine vinegar
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Ground ginger
- Dry mustard
- Salt and pepper
How to Cut Cabbage for Slaw
- Using a sharp knife, slice a head of cabbage in half, then cut each half so you have quarters.
- Cut away the cabbage core in a triangular shape.
- Slice in quarter-inch pieces by going from right to left on a cutting board. If you are left-handed, move in the opposite direction.
- You can use a food processor or a mandolin, but slicing with a sharp knife is quick, and clean-up is easier.
How to Make Asian Slaw
- Slice the cabbage into 1/4 inch slices and slice the green onion tops.
- Toast the ramen noodles in melted butter.
- Add the noodles and the almonds to the salad and toss well.
- Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk thoroughly.
- Add the dressing to the salad and toss.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Since you are only using the green part of the onion, set aside the white portion for another recipe.
- When mixing the dressing, try using a dressing shaker or mason jar. This makes mixing the ingredients so much easier. You can just shake it until it’s combined and store it in the container when you are done.
- It helps to smash the noodles while in the package.
- If you don’t cook the ramen, the dressing will soften them just a tad. But sauteing the noodles in butter adds a little on the flavor side and also helps seal the noodles, so they don’t soften too quickly.
- Use ginger paste in a tube.
- If you are making this ahead, it’s best to keep the ramen separate and toss it in just before serving to preserve crunch.
Add-Ins and Substitutes for Asian Cabbage Slaw
This is a basic slaw recipe that can be used as a foundation for your own creations. Here are some ideas:
- If short on time, you could opt for one of those pre-shredded gourmet slaw mixes.
- Use green cabbage instead of Napa cabbage.
- If you want to avoid the sugar calories, substitute Equal or Splenda for the sugar.
- You might like to add a tablespoon soy sauce to the dressing.
- This Asian slaw recipe is also the perfect way to take care of all those leftover vegetables in the fridge – that remaining cabbage half, red cabbage, the stray parsnip or carrot, or the leftover green or red bell pepper.
- Add turnips, kohlrabi, jicama, radishes… pretty much anything crunchy!
- As an optional topper, you could use toasted sesame seeds or peanuts.
- Add some water chestnuts or a little sweetness with mandarin oranges.
- If you like a bit of spice in your Asian-style salad, add some chopped chilis.
- Add fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley.
- Use fried wonton strips instead of the noodles.
What Goes With Asian Slaw
This easy Asian slaw with Napa cabbage pairs perfectly with any simply prepared Asian chicken, fish, pork, or tofu dish.
It’s a great Asian-style slaw to stuff into tacos, use as a burger topping, add to Buddha bowls, or serve with chicken satay skewers.
Make a main course Asian chicken salad by adding some shredded chicken.
This Asian slaw with ramen noodles can also be made ahead for easy lunches. Keep it simple by adding a can of tuna or salmon, pre-cooked shredded chicken, boiled egg, or chickpeas.
How to Store This Simple Asian Slaw
This Asian slaw salad will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Plus, you can freeze slaw as long as it doesn’t have mayonnaise. Coleslaw with an oil and vinegar-based dressing is best suited to freezing. Store the slaw in an airtight container in your freezer, and it will last for several months.
Love Slaw? Try These Recipes!
Favorite Salad Side Dish Recipes
- Ambrosia Fruit Salad
- Betty Crocker Pasta Salad
- Grape Salad
- Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad
- Orange Fluff Jello Salad
- Sauerkraut Salad
- Thai Noodle Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad
Check out more of my easy salad recipes and the best side dish recipes here on CopyKat!
I have taken this Crunchy Asian Slaw to a couple of potlucks recently so I know this recipe is a real winner. What recipes do you bring to your potlucks? Let us know in the comments below.
And don’t forget to share your Asian Slaw with us on Instagram using #copykatrecipes.
Asian Slaw
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 pounds Napa Cabbage
- 2 cups sliced green onions 2 bunches
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 packages Ramen noodles
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
Dressing
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
For the Salad
- Get your largest bowl, you will need it, this salad makes a large amount of salad. Slice Napa cabbage into 1/4 inch slices, you may want to roughly chop the cabbage again so the pieces aren't too large. Slice green onion tops and add to the bowl.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan, add Ramen noodles to the saucepan breaking them as you put them into the saucepan. The most difficult part of this recipe is browning the noodles, and not burning them. It doesn't take long before the noodles are burnt, it seems to happen only a second or two after they are toasted, watch them carefully.
- Add toasted Ramen noodles to the salad. Add slivered almonds to the salad, use your hands and toss the cabbage, green onions, toasted ramen noodles, and almond slivers well.
For the Dressing
- To make the dressing, use a medium-sized bowl. Add sugar, vinegar, dry ginger, dry mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, and vegetable oil.
- Whisk thoroughly, it may seem the sugar won't dissolve, it will. Once the sugar as completely dissolved pour over slaw and toss to mix well.
Notes
- If you want to substitute the sugar, you can try Equal or Splenda to avoid the sugar calories.
- Since you are only using the green part of the onion, set aside the white side for another recipe.
- When mixing the dressing, try using a dressing shaker. This makes mixing the ingredients so much easier and you can store it in the container when you are done.
Billie
I like your recipe for the dressing. I have never had an exact recipe. I also add sunflower seeds and use a package of broccoli slaw instead of the Napa cabbage. Thanks for your recipes
Carole Mc
Fantastic recipe! It helps to smash the noodles while in the package. I added 2 tbs of soy sauce to the dressing. So good!!!
Melissa Waldron
My aunt made this asian slaw for my bridal shower, and it was a HUGE hit! Everyone took seconds and thirds, and soon the gigantic bowl she had prepared was gone! Them ramen noodles are amazing and the dressing is to fantastic! I would recommend this salad for any event!
I love to cook also and have a cooking blog in which I post my personal recipes which are mainly healthy with emphasis on taste and satisfaction. Please come check it out! If you have a cooking blog, too, please post it in my blog comments!
xoxo,
Corner Girl
Balustrade Inox
Looks incredible, I’m going to make me one now! Thank’s!
Tera
That looks good enough that I may even be able to get my hubby to give it a try.
Reeves@TastyThailand
We have something similar here in Thailand with the ramen noodles (they call them ‘mama’ noodles here (a Thai brand name). Love your recipe though. Sounds easy to do.
Lorie
I have made this salad before and it is awesome. The last time I made it, I substituted a head of cabbage fort the pre shredded slaw. Still as awesome.
Anonymous
Kristine I have added sliced almonds to the noodle and butter mixture.
Cheryl Davidson
I make one very similar to this one, but I do not cook the ramen at all. The dressing softens them just a tad. It is really delicious.
Stephanie
I think that sauteing the noodles in butter adds a little on the flavor side, but I also believe it helps to seal the noodles so they don’t soften as quickly as they would otherwise.
Clyde Marley
Almost without exception the calories are stipulated as kcals (1000 calories). Does this mean that recipes indicated to have 200kcals really have 200,000 calories? For that matter, is that per serving or for the entire bowl of salad?
Stephanie Manley
Calories are given by serving.