Japanese Cabbage Salad -healthy and easy

Sesame and almond flavours dominate this Japanese cabbage salad filled with plenty of veggies and healthy plant proteins and fats. 

We’ve been eating this salad literally everyday for the past week. 

Because it’s THAT GOOD and we can’t get enough of it. But, also because there’s enough here to feed an army and we’ve only got 2 1/2 people in our house…. Make sure you have a large bowl ready for this one! It’s a perfect recipe to bring to a potluck and feed a crowd.

Because it’s THAT BIG. But, also because it tastes best on the first day. Like I said we’ve been happily chowing down on this salad for a week but the noodles were no longer crunchy beyond the second day.  The crunch factor of the noodles is a nice bonus on the first day. 

Now that I think of it, if you’re making this salad all for yourself (no judgments here!), what you could do is refrain from adding the noodles all at once and simply top your salad bowl up each day with some crispy noodles. That’s a stroke of genius, if I do say so myself! 

why this japanese cabbage salad is a smart choice

With edamame beans, almonds, and sesame seeds, this salad has plenty of healthy plant alternatives to meat protein. Eating too much meat is associated with higher rates of diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes. Replacing meat with plant alternatives is a great way of lowering your risk. 

We hard-boiled some eggs and sliced them to add to our salad bowls. This bumped up the protein content and made the salad entirely meal worthy! I would wager firm tofu or cooked chicken breast would be equally delicious. 

learn how to make this japanese cabbage salad (45 seconds):

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or snap a photo and tag it with #smartnutritionrecipes on Instagram!  I’d love to see your creations!

4 from 2 votes

japanese cabbage salad

Print Recipe

Sesame and almond flavours dominate this Japanese inspired cabbage salad filled with plenty of veggies and healthy plant proteins and fats. 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups almonds
• ½ cup sesame seeds
• 1 head cabbage shredded
• 1 lb sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups edamame beans
• ½ to 1 bunch green onions sliced
• 2 packages instant noodles ramen

Dressing:

• ½ cup sesame oil
• ½ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ cup mirin or 4 tbsp vinegar and 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 packages of instant noodle seasonings

Instructions

•  Turn the oven on to broil. Place the almonds in a baking pan. Bake for ~4 minutes or until they become fragrant and start to brown. Watch them like a hawk! They burn quickly!
• Pour the almonds into a large bowl and place the sesame seeds on the baking tray. Bake for 2-3 minutes or until they start to turn a golden brown. Again: watch them like a hawk! 
• Add the sesame seeds to the bowl along with the cabbage, mushrooms, edamame beans, green onions, and crushed instant noodles.
• Add all dressing ingredients to a blender. Start on low then turn up to medium and blend until smooth.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. 

Video

Notes

• This salad tastes best fresh! It’s still delicious the next day but after sitting a day in the fridge the noodles will turn soft. 
• Add a sliced hard-boiled egg to top each person’s bowl to make this salad meal-worthy!

Servings: 16 servings

Calories:

Author: Jessica Penner, RD

Calories:  346 | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 18g | Fibre: 5g | Sugar: 3.5g | Protein: 9g

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