Chopped Thai Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
sandravalvassori.com
Bright and refreshing with beautiful shades of the rainbow, this Chopped Thai Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing is delightfully crunchy and absolutely packed with flavor. Gluten-free, vegan, and nut-free, it's the perfect no-cook salad for the summer season!
Servings: 6 -8
Ingredients
For the salad
- 6 cups chopped red cabbage (or a mix of green and red)
- 2 large carrots, diced or julienned
- 4 Persian cucumbers or 1/2 English cucumber, diced
- 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, thawed
- 6 green onion or 1 bunch, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, mint, basil or a mix
Sesame Ginger Dressing
- 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, grated or finely minced
- 1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons honey agave, or maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds plus more for garnish
- 3 Tablespoons cup soy sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons chili sauce (I use sriracha or sambal oelek) optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl or glass jar combine ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey (or sweetener of choice), toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, and chili sauce (if using). Whisk until combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, edamame, green onions, cilantro and parsley (or herbs of choice). Drizzle with half of the dressing and toss to coat. Taste and add more dressing, if needed. Garnish with more toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs, if desired.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Notes
- Cut the veggies into small pieces. The key to a good chopped salad is to cut the veggies into bite-sized pieces so that you get a variety of flavours and textures in every bite.
- For maximum crunch, chill the salad before dressing it. A great way to maximize the crunch in the chopped veggies is to refrigerate them, covered, for at least 30 minutes before adding the dressing.
- If transporting the salad, wait to toss with dressing. I know it goes without saying, but the salad will be crunchier and fresher if you store the dressing in a separate container and toss with the salad when you’re ready to eat.