Name: Asian Coleslaw
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 1/4 hispi cabbage ((or other cabbage)); 1 head pak choi (bok choy); 1 carrot; 1 chilli ((sliced and de-seeded)); 1 spring onion; 1 bunch leafy coriander ((according to taste)); 1 dsp sesame oil ((or olive oil)); 1 dsp tamari ((or soy sauce)); 1 tsp maple syrup ((or honey)); 1 cm ginger root ((finely grated)); 1 lime ((juiced)); 1 tbs sesame seeds

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This no-mayo Asian slaw will become a frequent favourite: a delicious healthy take on the classic slaw, it’s a crunchy pak choi salad with flavours of soy sauce and sesame. Serve as a side, or as a healthy lighter alternative to rice or noodles with a takeaway. Vegan and Gluten Free.

Table of Contents

About this Asian-Style Coleslaw Recipe

This pak choi (bok choy) salad is a crunchy, healthy salad with a fresh and zesty dressing. It’s a perfect twist on the classic mayonnaise-heavy coleslaw, and so easy to make at home.

When it comes to my diet and eating well, I have one simple mantra:-

Eat a generous portion of (raw) vegetables with every meal whenever you can!

This Asian slaw fits the bill perfectly. You will love this slaw because

It is cheaper to make than a fresh green salad – cabbage costs less than lettuce!
The ingredients keep for longer than green salad leaves, which wilt as soon as you get them home
The recipe is adaptable. Swap the ingredients, change the ratios – anything goes
Finely chopping is such an easy way to make it easy to eat several portions of leafy greens
A raw vegetable dish takes longer to eat, so you feel fuller and more satisfied for longer
This bok choy salad is both vegan and gluten free
With lime, ginger and chilli, it is bursting with flavour
There is plenty of texture from the crunchy vegetables and the sesame seeds
It is ideal to serve with a takeaway instead of rice or noodles.

Pak Choi Salad or Bok Choy Salad?

Both! What’s called pak choi in the UK is known as bok choy in the USA, but they’re the same thing – a variety of Chinese cabbage. According to the BBC, alternative names include Chinese celery cabbage, white mustard cabbage and horse’s ear!

Hispi cabbage is also known as pointed or sweetheart cabbage, but you can use any type of cabbage in this recipe.

Can I Make Asian Coleslaw Ahead Of Time?

It is fine to prepare this Asian Slaw ahead of time, but only assemble and dress the salad when you are ready to eat it. The dressing is good for a day in a jam jar in the fridge – just give it a good shake before using. The cabbage and carrot will remain crisp in a covered bowl in the fridge for half a day.

If you’re using fresh coriander (cilantro) from a packet, it’s best to take it out at the last minute, as I find it wilts really quickly.

How do I make Asian slaw?

Asian coleslaw is so quick and easy to make:

First wash the vegetables: hispi cabbage, pak choi (bok choy), carrot, chilli, spring onion and coriander leaves.

Second, grate the carrot, and shred the rest of the vegetables. Depending on your tolerance to heat you can keep or discard the chilli seeds and membranes.

Third make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients except for the sesame seeds.

To get more juice out of a lime give it a good roll on the counter top under the heel of your hand for about 10 seconds. Apply a good amount of pressure, but don’t completely squash it.

Fourth, dress the salad. When you use leafy greens in salads, you need to massage in the dressing to really coat and tenderize them.

Get your hand in there and give it a really good squeeze! Trust me – it does make a difference. Send those veggies for a good old spa treatment!

Finally, sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Hints, Tips & Variations

Keep fresh ginger in a tub in the freezer and grate it from frozen.
When juicing citrus fruit, roll them on the worktop under the heel of your hand for a few seconds – you will extract FAR more juice.
Tamari is gluten free but ordinary soy sauce contains wheat – either works well if you don’t have allergies to think about.
I like to use a mix of red and green chilli and black and white sesame seeds for visual effect.
If you don’t have pak choi or hispi cabbage, any crunchy cabbage or leafy green in season will do instead. A lot of the flavour comes from the dressing, so you won’t lose out. Try using regular green cabbage or Chinese broccoli. We are not keen on raw onion but if you love it, slice one up and throw it in!

How Do I Serve Asian Slaw?

As is, as a side salad.
With a takeaway instead of rice or noodles
In tacos
As a topping in burgers
With seared fish or pulled pork

For more fabulous fresh slaw inspiration you may like my asparagus salad recipe, or my rice noodle salad.

5 from 10 votes

A green rectangular plate, heaped with Asian slaw.

Asian Coleslaw

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

This no-mayo Asian Slaw will become a frequent favourite: a delicious healthy take on the classic salad, with flavours of soy sauce and sesame and lots of crunch from the different vegetables.

Serve as a side, or as a healthy lighter alternative to rice or noodles with a takeaway. Vegan, Gluten Free

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian, Gluten Free, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Asian Slaw

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 75 kcal

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Ingredients

For the Salad

1/4 hispi cabbage (or other cabbage)
1 head pak choi (bok choy)
1 carrot
1 chilli (sliced and de-seeded)
1 spring onion
1 bunch leafy coriander (according to taste)

For the dressing

1 dsp sesame oil (or olive oil)
1 dsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tsp maple syrup (or honey)
1 cm ginger root (finely grated)
1 lime (juiced)
1 tbs sesame seeds

Instructions

Finely shred the cabbage, pak choi and coriander (including the stalks). Peel and grate the carrot.
Slice the chili lengthways and de-seed. Finely slice the chilli and spring onion.
Measure out and mix the dressing ingredients (aside from the sesame seeds) and whisk together.
Add the dressing and chopped ingredients to a salad bowl and massage in with your hands.
Serve topped with the sesame seeds and a few extra coriander leaves.

Recipe Notes

Keep fresh ginger in a tub in the freezer and grate it from frozen.
When juicing citrus fruit, roll them on the worktop under the heel of your hand for a few seconds – you will extract FAR more juice.
Tamari is gluten free whereas regular soy sauce contains wheat. Use which you prefer.
Use either maple syrup (vegan) or honey in the dressing.
I used a mix of red & green chillies, and white & black sesame seeds purely to make this salad look more attractive. Again, use what you have.
Pak and bok choi are the same thing. You can also make this Asian slaw with regular cabbage, Chinese broccoli or other leafy greens.

Nutritional Information:

This recipe is 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

Nutrition Facts

Asian Coleslaw

Amount Per Serving

Calories 75 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1g 2%

Sodium 175mg 7%

Potassium 747mg 21%

Total Carbohydrates 13g 4%

Dietary Fiber 4g 16%

Sugars 6g

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 253.9%

Vitamin C 157.1%

Calcium 26.9%

Iron 13.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in March 2018, but was rewritten and republished with step by step instructions and hints & tips in August 2019.