Asian Chopped Salad

5 from 18 votes

This Asian Chopped Salad is a favorite in my household, especially in the warmer months. Made with a flavorful, creamy peanut dressing, fresh veggies, and crispy toppings, it will turn any salad hater into a salad lover. Add protein and serve this salad as the main dish, or enjoy it as a side with chicken or fish.

Prep Time25

Total Time25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: people

Author: Brianna May

Equipment

Ingredients

Peanut Dressing

1/4 cup natural peanut butter
3 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons EACH rice wine vinegar & soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil*
1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon EACH red chili flakes & granulated garlic

Asian Chopped Salad

2-3 cups EACH thinly sliced red & green cabbage
1 cup EACH thinly sliced bell pepper, carrot, & cucumber
1 cup shelled edamame*
1/3 cup EACH chopped green onion, cilantro, & salted peanuts*
crispy wonton strips & sesame seeds, optional for topping

Instructions

In a small jar or airtight container, add the peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, red chili flakes, and garlic. Shake until all of the dressing ingredients are completely combined. You can also use a small food processor or blender.
1/4 cup natural peanut butter, 3 Tablespoons honey, 2 Tablespoons EACH rice wine vinegar & soy sauce, 1 lime, juiced, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil*, 1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger, 1/4 teaspoon EACH red chili flakes & granulated garlic
In a large mixing bowl, add the red cabbage, green cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, edamame, green onion, cilantro, and peanuts.
2-3 cups EACH thinly sliced red & green cabbage, 1 cup EACH thinly sliced bell pepper, carrot, & cucumber, 1 cup shelled edamame*, 1/3 cup EACH chopped green onion, cilantro, & salted peanuts*
Add about two-thirds of the dressing. Toss until well combined. Taste and add more if needed.
Top with crispy wontons and sesame seeds.
crispy wonton strips & sesame seeds, optional for topping

Notes

Toasted Sesame Oil: Be sure to use dark-colored toasted sesame oil (vs regular sesame oil). It has a much more intense nutty flavor, which works well with this Asian chopped salad.
Peanuts: You can substitute peanuts for chopped almonds, cashews, or even sunflower seeds. Each of these options will help create a crunchy texture in the salad.
Edamame: You can typically find shelled edamame in the frozen vegetable section at the grocery store. I usually microwave it according to the package instructions and then cool it to room temperature in the fridge or freezer.
Use a vegetable slicer. Speed up slicing the veggies for this Asian chopped salad with a veggie slicer. This appliance will also help cut the vegetables into more even pieces.
Pat veggies dry. There are a few reasons why you’ll want to pat the veggies dry. For one, it helps the leftovers stay fresh for longer. The peanut dressing will also cling to the veggies better if they’re dry.
Make ahead. This recipe is a great make ahead option. Mix everything beforehand, but add the dressing and toppings right before serving to keep the salad fresh. This means, you can enjoy this salad for lunches during the week as long as you pack the toppings/dressing separately.
Add protein. Make this recipe more filling by turning it into an Asian chopped salad with chicken or tofu. Protein, like grilled chicken, will help keep you full along with the fiber in the veggies.
Include grains. You can also turn this Asian chopped salad into a main dish by adding grains. This variation will help make the recipe more filling. Rice, couscous, and quinoa all work great with this recipe.
Use different veggies. If you don’t like the listed veggies, you can always swap them out for your favorites. A few options that work great in this recipe include lettuce, baby bok choy, and sugar snap peas.
Try other nuts. Instead of peanuts, you can include almonds or cashews to help add crunch to the salad.
Chop veggies instead of slicing them. If you prefer, you can also chop the veggies instead of slicing them. This can make the salad easier to eat, especially if you include veggies like cabbage or lettuce.

Nutrition