Description
Crisp cashew crunch salad dazzles with Asian-inspired sesame dressing, blending nutty textures and zesty flavors. Refreshing greens and toasted cashews create a delightful harmony you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables and Produce:
- 2 cups (480 ml) shredded green cabbage
- 2 cups (480 ml) shredded red cabbage
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (240 ml) shredded carrots
- 3 scallions, sliced
- ½ cup (120 ml) cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh grated ginger
Protein and Nuts:
- 1 cup (240 ml) roasted cashews
- Optional: edamame or avocado
Dressing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tahini or peanut butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: crispy wonton strips
Instructions
- Whisk the dressing components vigorously in a glass container until a silky, uniform texture emerges, ensuring all elements blend seamlessly and developing a harmonious flavor profile.
- Slice cabbage into delicate, translucent ribbons and julienne carrots with precision, creating thin, elegant strips that will enhance the salad’s visual appeal.
- Dice bell peppers into uniform, petite cubes and finely chop scallions, releasing their subtle, pungent essence into the vegetable mixture.
- Gently combine the prepared vegetables in a spacious mixing vessel, allowing the ingredients to intermingle and create a vibrant, colorful foundation.
- Roughly chop cashews to introduce a robust, textural element, breaking them into irregular pieces that will provide delightful crunch throughout the salad.
- Sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro across the vegetable medley, infusing the dish with its bright, herbaceous notes and adding a layer of complexity.
- Cascade the meticulously crafted sesame dressing over the salad, ensuring each ingredient receives a delicate coating of the aromatic liquid.
- Toss the salad with deliberate, sweeping motions, guaranteeing an even distribution of dressing and maximizing flavor integration.
- For optimal texture, serve immediately, celebrating the crisp vegetables and crunchy cashews, or allow the salad to rest briefly, enabling the flavors to meld and intensify.
Notes
- Choose raw, unsalted cashews for the best crunch and neutral flavor profile in the salad.
- Toast cashews lightly in a dry skillet to enhance their nutty essence and add deeper complexity to the dish.
- Swap cabbage for kale or mixed greens to create a different texture and nutritional variation for those wanting alternative base ingredients.
- Prepare dressing ahead of time and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days, allowing flavors to develop and intensify before using.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 392
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 307 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg