How To Make Colorful Asian Cabbage Slaw

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Asian Cabbage Slaw With Sweet Soy Dressing

Recently I gussied up an old favorite recipe for an Oriental cabbage slaw. It's been a favorite for years. So what's been the knock on this tasty salad?

The flavor is amazing but quite honestly, it always looks kinda bland and boring. The pale brownish-green color reminds me of socks that should have been presoaked.

So I zinged it up with a punch of color and I love the new look! Check out those beautiful jewel tones!

I'm on a cabbage kick and it seems most of America is too. And why not? A head of cabbage is a bargain. Cabbage is rich in antioxidants, lasts a long time in the refrigerator, and is the most Changeable Charlie of all veggies.

Cabbage has found its way into the schmaltziest restaurants and is the new darling of cooking shows on TV. This cruciferous vegetable, once the staple of only the poorest kitchen, now enjoys rock-star status.

How Cabbage Slaw Went From Boring To Beautiful

Crisp, delicious green cabbage is the foundation of this old favorite. The one we've loved for years. But it needed some pizazz. The solution was right in my crisper drawer!

Purple cabbage and carrots added so much color to this delicious cabbage slaw! Like choosing the right accessory for an outfit, this simple addition made it a standout! What's more, it did not change the flavor profile; it just made it look better on the plate!

Crunchy Almond and Noodle Topping Is The Best Part

Ramen noodles, from your old starving-college-student days, are the base of the slightly sweet, crunchy salad topping. Recently, two of the top ramen noodle brands relabeled "Oriental" as "soy-flavored".

Apparently, it is a move to more accurately depict the flavor because there are so many different sauces in Asian cuisine. Soy is by far the most popular in the U.S. and this is the flavor you'll want to choose for this recipe. Set aside the flavor packets for the dressing. Now on to making the topping!

Melt butter in a skillet and add the brown sugar. Crunch up the uncooked noodles into small pieces and heat them along with the almonds and sunflower seeds until everything is a little bit toasty and lightly browned.

The butter and brown sugar create a crisp, tasty glaze on everything. Set aside to cool. I always snitch a little when I make it, I can't help myself!

Next Shake Up The Tasty Asian Slaw Dressing

Combine dressing ingredients in your favorite salad dressing shaker or a small glass jar and mix or shake it like crazy until everything is combined.

How To Create This Beautiful Colorful Cabbage Slaw

All you need to do is toss together the cabbage and carrots, drizzle on the dressing, and stir it all together. Wait until serving time to add the crunchy topping and mix it in.

Hint: This salad is best when it's all eaten on the day that you serve it. The crunchy doesn't stay crunchy in the refrigerator!

Here's what I do when I make it for just Papa and me. The slaw itself keeps well in the fridge for a few days. I keep the topping separate in a zip lock bag and add it to part of the salad when we eat it. Crunch, crunch, crunch, yeah!

That's it! You may want to add sesame seeds to the topping or some green onion to the slaw; you know, make it your own! We like the soy dressing on the sweet side; you may want to adjust the sweetness for your family.

Yield: 10 servings

Colorful Asian Cabbage Slaw

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Colorful Cabbage Slaw with a slightly sweet soy dressing and a crunchy glazed noodle and almond topping.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a medium head of green cabbage, shredded fine. About 4 or 5 cups.
• 2 cups purple cabbage, shredded fine.
• 1 cup grated carrot.

Dressing

• 2 flavor packets from soy flavored ramen noodles
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce

Crunchy Topping

• 1/4 cup butter
• Noodles from 2 packages soy flavored ramen noodles, crushed
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 3 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

1. Combine shredded cabbages and grated carrots in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine dressing ingredients in a salad dressing shaker or small glass jar. Shake well until ingredients are well mixed. Set aside.
3. Topping Instructions: Melt butter in a skillet and add noodles, almonds, sunflower seeds, and brown sugar. Stir and mix until everything is lightly toasted and slightly browned. Let cool and set aside.
4. Just before you are ready to serve the salad, shake the dressing again, pour it over the vegetables, and toss together. Add crunchy topping and mix into the slaw.
5. Hint: The crunchy elements do not stay crunchy in the refrigerator so if you do not expect the whole salad will be eaten at one meal, serve the topping on the side and let each guest add it to their portion. The cabbage mixture itself keeps well in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 388Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 1033mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 8g

This would be something unique and interesting to take to a potluck! Remember to add the topping just before it is served! Do you have a favorite recipe for cabbage?

When I was growing up, Scandinavian-style sweet and sour red cabbage was always on the table for Christmas!! Cabbage Steaks are another fantastic way to enjoy cabbage! Cabbage is cool now, guys! Eat it up!

If you liked this recipe, you are my people! You might also enjoy this coconut pie recipe. So please share this post on your social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest if you enjoyed this recipe today. It would sure tickle me, and I'd be ever so grateful; thank you! 

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Love, GB (Betty Streff)

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