Napa Cabbage Salad (凉拌大白菜)

5 from 2 votes

Napa Cabbage Salad (凉拌大白菜)

A crisp and refreshing Chinese Napa cabbage salad tossed with a bold, tangy dressing and crunchy toppings. Simple, quick, and seriously tasty!

Prep Time6

Total Time6

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Chinese

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Wei Guo

Ingredients

½ medium Napa cabbage about 1 lb (450g)
2 fresh chili peppers or to taste
½ medium red onion about 3.5 oz (100g)
1 small bunch cilantro
¼ cup roasted peanuts about 1 oz (30g)
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

for the dressing

1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon black rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice from half of a lime
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil or Chinese chili oil
1 teaspoon garlic minced

Instructions

Separate the Napa cabbage leaves and rinse them under running water. Shake off excess water, or better yet, pat each leaf dry with paper towels. Stack several leaves at a time and lay them flat on a cutting board. Starting from the root end, slice them crosswise into thin strips.
Remove the stems and seeds from the chili peppers, then slice them to match the size and length of the cabbage strips. Similarly prepare the onion. Cut the cilantro into sections.
Add all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and mix well until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Put all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl, top with peanuts and sesame seeds, then pour the dressing over them (see note 2). Toss everything vigorously to help the flavors absorb. Transfer the salad to a serving plate and enjoy.

Video

Notes

1. To achieve an extra crunchy texture, use only the white part of the Napa cabbage and save the green leafy part for other dishes, such as soups, stir-fries, or braised dishes.

2. Don’t mix the vegetables with the dressing until you’re ready to serve. Letting the seasoned salad sit too long isn’t ideal, as the salty condiments in the dressing will draw out excess moisture, making the salad overly wet.

Nutrition