20 Minute crunchy Asian Chopped Salad Recipe with colorful red cabbage, lettuce, edamame beans, cilantro and easy Asian salad dressing. A crunchy, fresh, and flavorful salad recipe ready so fast!

It literally goes with everything! We served salad with Instant Pot ribs but baked honey garlic chicken would pair nicely as well.

Healthy Asian chopped salad in a glass bowl.

Chopped Asian salad is filled with fresh, crunchy, and vibrant vegetables that are easily accessible year round. It’s healthier and tastes better than any salad kit!

Filled with red cabbage, shelled edamame beans, crunchy peppers and herbs, I like to make this Asian salad ahead to last a few days. It is one of the most sturdy healthy salad recipes I know.

Super easy Asian salad dressing ties all veggies together so nicely. And you can literally serve it with anything from turkey burger recipe in the summer to baked chicken breast in the winter.

Please meet one of my favorite salads ever!

Ingredients in Crunchy Asian Salad

You can use as much or as little of these veggies as you have on hand for this chopped salad recipe. Also add your own crunchy additions, see my favorites below!

  • Cabbage: Thinly sliced red, green or even napa cabbage or savoy cabbage work.
  • Bell pepper: Red bell pepper, yellow or orange peppers are sweet. Green pepper would add more bitterness which I equally love. Peppers contribute to the crunch factor.
  • Edamame beans: Edamame are soy beans. I buy them shelled in a bag in frozen section of most supermarkets. If available, I choose organic. Kids love edamame which are high in protein, fiber and antioxidants. You can eat edamame raw. I give instructions in the recipe how to thaw them.
  • Lettuce: Iceberg or romaine lettuce make salad lighter, more tender and bulky. If you use only cabbage, Asian salad comes out more like a slaw. I prefer to buy any thin leafy greens organic because they are sprayed and absorb pesticides heavily.
  • Green onions and cilantro: I love to add lots of herbs because they are a nutrition powerhouse we can’t just eat on their own. You can skip either or both, or add less.

Healthy Asian Salad Dressing

Healthy Asian salad dressing in glass jar with golden spoon and knob of ginger and black sesame seeds on a counter.

A simple homemade salad dressing with sesame seeds is so easy to make!

  • Toasted sesame oil: It is important to use toasted sesame oil because that is what makes the dressing. Pay attention to label because there are many non toasted brands on the shelves.
  • Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the most raw, unprocessed and nutritious oil choice for a salad dressing.
  • Rice vinegar: It is the most authentic Asian vinegar. But white vinegar or lemon juice are good substitutions.
  • Soy sauce: I use Bragg’s liquid aminos, they have same amount of sodium as regular soy sauce. Low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos will work.
  • Maple syrup: Dissolves better than honey in a dressing but liquid honey will work. If it solidifies, warm up in a microwave quickly.
  • Sesame seeds: Black or white, toasted or raw. Using toasted sesame oil eliminates the need to use toasted sesame seeds.
  • Fresh minced garlic and ginger: Great additions but you can skip either or both. That is in case you want to whip this salad on a whim.

How to Make Asian Chopped Salad

Don’t get discouraged if you are missing some ingredients! Any fresh ingredient offers lots of flavor and are key to eating healthy and tasty. 🙂

  • Make dressing: Combine soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger; whisk and set aside. Prepping dressing first allows its ingredients “to marry each other” while you are making salad. More flavor!
  • Thaw edamame: Place frozen shelled edamame in a bowl with warm water and let it thaw while you are chopping vegetables. Then drain.
  • Chop veggies: Slice lettuce, cabbage, bell pepper, carrots, onion and cilantro; place in a large salad bowl for serving.
  • Combine everything: Add drained edamame to the bowl with veggies, give a whisk to the dressing and then pour over, stir salad with tongs until well coated.
Edamame, purple cabbage, carrots, cilantro, bell pepper and lettuce in a glass salad bowl.

Favorite Additions and Variations

Can This Salad Be Made Ahead?

Yes! Refrigerate bowl with veggies covered for up to 2 days. Salad dressing can be made for up to 7 days in advance and refrigerated. Combine everything before serving.

Meal prep this salad with Instant Pot whole chicken for healthy lunch ideas.

How to Store Leftovers?

You can store salad leftovers for up to 48 hours without salad becoming soggy. One of many reasons I love this salad!

More Salad Recipes to Try

Browse over 50 of my favorite healthy salad recipes!

Healthy Asian chopped salad in glass bowl with serving spoons.
Healthy Asian chopped salad in a glass bowl.

20 Minute Crunchy Asian Chopped Salad Recipe

Crunchy Asian Chopped Salad Recipe with colorful red cabbage, lettuce, edamame beans, cilantro and easy homemade Asian salad dressing.
5 from 15 votes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 174
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 2 cups iceberg or Romaine lettuce chopped
  • 2 cups red cabbage thinly sliced
  • 1 large red, yellow or orange bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 cup carrots shredded or julienned
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups edamame beans shelled

Asian Salad Dressing:

Instructions 

  • In small bowl, add soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and whisk with a fork. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, add frozen edamame, cover with hot water and set aside.
  • In a large salad bowl, add lettuce, cabbage, bell pepper, carrots, onion and cilantro. Drain edamame beans and add to the bowl with other veggies. Pour dressing over salad and toss well.

Notes

  • Store: You can store salad leftovers for up to 48 hours.
  • Make Ahead: Refrigerate bowl with veggies covered for up to 2 days. Salad dressing can be made for up to 7 days in advance and refrigerated. Combine everything before serving.
  • Toasted sesame oil: It is important to use toasted sesame oil because that is what makes the dressing.
  • Rice vinegar: It is the most authentic Asian vinegar. But white vinegar or lemon juice are good substitutions.
  • Soy sauce: Low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos will work.
  • Fresh minced garlic and ginger: Great additions but you can skip either or both.
  • Edamame: You can find shelled edamame beans in a bag in frozen section of most supermarkets. If you have fresh edamame, no need to place in hot water.
See recipe post for more tips and FAQs.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 197mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Asian
Author: Olena Osipov
Did you make this recipe?Mention @ifoodreal or tag #ifoodreal!

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About Olena

Welcome! I grew up in Ukraine watching my grandma cook with simple ingredients. I have spent the last 11 years making it my mission to help you cook quick and easy meals for your family!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made this twice in one week – I could not get enough of it! Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have rice vinegar so I used apple cider vinegar before I saw your note to substitute with wine vinegar or lemon juice. Would either of those have been a better choice? I will have to remember to buy rice vinegar during my next shopping trip, because I’ll be making this quite often. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!

    1. So happy to hear this, Mary! Any light color vinegar will work, any acid. It just depends what you prefer the taste of more.:)

  2. 5 stars
    My husband and I made this and ate the whole bowl in one sitting. That’s how delicious this is. Fantastic and easy!!!!

  3. 5 stars
    FABULOUS SALAD!!!!
    Wonderful refreshing crunchy deliciousness ! You should bottle the dressing .
    Thank you for another amazing recipe !!!!

  4. 5 stars
    Great salad ! Very nice dressing! Enjoyed leftovers the next day as the flavours were even better tasting! I added some raw sweet potato too!

    Will be making this one again and again 🙂 great for dinner party make ahead.

  5. 5 stars
    Made this for lunch yesterday and it was well received by all. My 9 year old said it tasted like the top of the Thai Chicken Pizza at CPK. Will make again. Thanks for the great recipes…..glad to have found your site!

  6. 5 stars
    I made this for some of my family, and it was loved by all.
    When the kids ask for the recipe, you know it was good.

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