To continue with the Chinese New Year festivities, I’d like to share my Asian coleslaw recipe. It’s crunchy, filing, low calorie and delicious.  This recipe combines my love for coleslaw and my love for all things Asian infused into one giant bowl and I’m not mad about it one bit!d

Although other more traditional recipes for Asian coleslaw aren’t terrible for you, my recipe is closer to clean and has even more flavor. I substituted ingredients like almond butter for peanut butter, honey for brown sugar, and low sodium soy for the regular version. I jazzed the recipe up by adding slivered almonds and some dried cranberries.

Make this Asian coleslaw early in the week and guiltlessly enjoy it for days while the flavors intensify.  There is almost nothing quite like a coleslaw that’s been allowed to sit in its own juices for a few days, amiright?  Let’s be honest, ANY dish that’s been allowed to marinate to the point where all of the flavors can be pulled out of the dish is ten times better in my book.

While we’re on the subject of flavors, there’s just one topic that I have to ask about.  Cilantro.  Yes, this delicious (in my book) little green herb that apparently some people aren’t quite as jazzed about as I am!  I recently discovered that cilantro is one of those herbs that people either love or hate.  There’s supposedly a genetic link involved where some people think that cilantro tastes like soap!  I’m definitely not in that exclusive club, as evidenced by me piling my Chipotle plates high with this bright little green herb. In fact, it is a staple in most of our household dishes as well, and makes a special appearance in this asian coleslaw of course!

It goes extremely well alongside some Chinese braised short ribs.

Enjoy!

glass bowl of asian coleslaw on a stove

overhead view of green onions, carrots, purple cabbage, red onion, green cabbage, cilantro, garlic and cranberries

shredded purple cabbage

shredded green cabbage

carrots on a wooden cutting board with a knife

a cheese grater with a pile of shredded carrots

a pile of diced green onions

overhead view of ingredients for slaw dressing

bowl with ingredients for slaw dressing and a bowl with ingredients for asian coleslaw

overhead view of two bowls with ingredients for dressing and asian coleslaw

overhead view of bowl of prepared asian coleslaw on the stove

Asian coleslaw

5 from 1 vote
By Cassy
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
This recipe combines my love for coleslaw and my love for all things Asian infused into one giant bowl and I’m not mad about it one bit!d

Ingredients  

salad:

  • 1/2 head of purple cabbage thinly sliced
  • 1/2 head of green cabbage thinly sliced
  • 5 medium-sized carrots shredded
  • 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup thinly diced scallions
  • 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro aka Chinese parsley
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 inch section of fresh ginger peeled and minced
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced

dressing:

  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter

Instructions 

  • Combine all the vegetables, slivered almonds, and cranberries together in a bowl and stir.
  • Whisk together all the dressing ingredients until evenly combined.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and stir.
  • Top with more black sesame seeds and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 503mg | Potassium: 432mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 5791IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 157
Keyword: asian coleslaw, dairy free coleslaw

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About the Author

Cassy Joy Garcia, NC

Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit.


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10 Comments

  1. I decided to give this a try to serve with some Kalua pig and grilled pineapple, and I loved it. I will definitely be making it more often with my Asian inspired meals. Thanks!

    1. Wonderful!! I’m actually including an updated recipe in my upcoming book!