You are probably already planning your Labor Day BBQ and looking for side dishes to serve along with grilled meats, so why not try our Asian Style Coleslaw with fresh crisp cabbage and light zesty dressing. We can’t believe how time flies this year. Do you feel the same that summer just arrived and now it is time to say adieu to the marvelously long days and balmy nights? For a few more months we can still enjoy summer-like weather in Southern California, but with each passing day, the evening arrives sooner and sooner and the air seems to chill with the setting sun.
Coleslaw has a fresh crunchy texture that makes a tasty side dish and with an incredible low glycemic index plus being rich in fiber, it is super healthy too. There are endless variations to this recipe and we always preferred a vegan style slaw without the mayonnaise or sour cream. In Germany you can enjoy many different sweet-sour and creamy versions of the “Krautsalat,” especially in the summer alongside a juicy steak, grilled chicken or fish. One aunt made such a sour Krautsalat that is puckered your lips, but it was still delicious next to meat.
You can easily make the Asian Style Coleslaw recipe a day ahead of your holiday rush and keep it in the fridge. Just reserve the dressing until about an hour before serving to the flavors can mingle and the dressing can infuse the crisp cabbage. It’s best to use organic ingredients if you can because the coleslaw is consumed raw. We were excited to find lovely red and green cabbage at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market.
Cabbage is thought of as a Superfood and is high Vitamin C, Vitamin E and other protective vitamins. It is said to be cholesterol lowering and cancer preventive. It is low in calories and high in fiber so is very filling. Ginger comes from Southeast Asia Ginger and has so many health benefits. It can help you fight a cold by generating sweat and is said to help with soothing the intestines and reducing gastrointestinal distress. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties called ginerols. The ginerols are supposed to assist in reducing arthritis pain and perhaps even protect or fight against certain cancers.
This gluten-free, low-carb, egg-free, raw, vegetarian, vegan Asian Style Coleslaw is on our list for the Labor Day BBQ weekend for sure since we are now living a more nutritionally conscious way of life and eating more Low Carb, which helped us to loose weight and feel more energetic. In about 2 months, including a 3-week Europe trip with lots of Gelato, Judit lost 14 pounds (hurray…) and Corina 9 pounds (finally her favorite jeans fit again…) without any deprivation from our favorite indulgences.
Asian Style Coleslaw is full of healthy ingredients and is low-carb so you can still be beach ready and it is much tastier than the Cabbage Soup Diet. Since it is so healthy, it will also leave room for some those delectable holiday desserts without feeling too guilty!
Perfect Glamorous Pairing: A Dr. Loosen Riesling from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region of Germany with stone fruit flavors or a Grooner Grüner Veltliner from Austria with citrus and apple notes. From California, a Lafond Vineyard Riesling Santa Barbara County with honey and floral tones.
Asian Style Coleslaw (Vegan)
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Agave or Raw Honey
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Seed Oil
- Sea Salt & freshly ground Pepper
- 1 Large Garlic Clove - smashed and minced to a paste with the salt
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger - finely minced or grated
Coleslaw
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds - toasted
- 4 cups Red and Green Cabbage 16oz. - thinly sliced or shredded
- 1 red Bell Pepper - thinly sliced
- 3 Green Onions - finely sliced on the bias
- ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro - torn into larger pieces
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Zest
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing first by combining all of the dressing ingredients in a medium glass bowl. For a Vegan option use Agave instead of Honey. Stir until well combined and set aside.
- In a sauté pan over medium high heat, gently toast the sesame seeds until golden brown. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine all of the fresh slaw ingredients, except the sesame seeds and lemon zest.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well. Let the mixture rest for at least 20 minutes so that the salad has a chance to absorb the dressing.
- Just before serving, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and lemon zest. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Diet: Gluten-free, low-carb, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, raw, diabetic-friendly, egg-free.
Asian Style Coleslaw (Vegan) Nutrition Facts:
Servings 8, Serving Size 3/4 cup: Calories 80 • Fat 4.8 g • Sodium 246mg • Carb 9.7 g • Fiber 2.1 g • Sugars 3.1g • Protein 1.8 g
You can serve this Asian Style Coleslaw Vegan with:
Grilled Salmon Kebabs
Rustic Beef Brisket
Lemon Rosemary Chicken
This Asian coleslaw looks fresh and inviting. I am not a huge coleslaw fan, but have to tell you this recipe is making me want to try it and if I ever have to bring a salad to a party this coleslaw right here is going to be it.
this recipe has quickly become a staple in my diet! even before i went vegan, i was never a fan of traditional coleslaw. this one is coloureful, light, &oh so delicious! a little adjustment i made to the recipe was swapping lime for lemon (just a personal preference!). also, for vegans, substitute agave for honey 🙂 thanks so much! <3
What a lovely coleslaw, the colours are inviting enough 😀
Definitely want to try it!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I think that coleslaw can be really really good, or really really bad … this definitely looks like it well and truly fits into the first category. It looks wonderfully colourful, but I love the sound of the sesame seeds and that beautiful dressing, as well. Nice one, girls!
I love coleslaw and the ingredients in this sound delicious!
We are happy you like it! It is such a healthy easy to make salad.
Absolutely stunning.
Merci Viviane!
Looks great! And sounds delicious, especially the dressing!
Thanks Medjeda, and the cabbage is so good and healthy for you!
I love Asian cole slaws, but have yet to make one this summer. I like that yours has no peanut butter…I’m going to try your dressing! Thanks!
Hope you will enjoy the coleslaw Liz and have a most wonderful summer! J+C
A colourful, healthy and delicious coleslaw! This exotic version is fantastic.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thank you Rosa, we love how easy it is to make and that it goes so well with summer BBQ’s or picnics. J+C
This coleslaw looks splendid! I like how you used such a light sauce and not the usual heavy kind. Makes this a healthy side to any meal. I can even take a bowl along for lunch.
Thank you Karen, we hope you get to try it for lunch soon. The light dressing allows you to really taste all the wonderful fresh vegetables. J+C
I’m a big fan of Dr. Loosen Riesling. It’s a perfect summer sipper. GREG
You are right Greg! We love how the citrus flavors complemented the tartness of the coleslaw. J+C
Gorgeous! I love how fresh and simple the ingredients are!!
Thank you, we had fun looking for all those vibrant veggies and the coleslaw goes quite well with grilled meats or seafood. J+C
The flavors of this Asian Coleslaw remind me of my last trip home and I like those light soy and sesame flavors. Very nice artistic photos of your recipe.
Hi Annie, how wonderful to have such flavors waiting for you at home! This Asian Style Coleslaw has become our go-to coleslaw favorite. J+C
I think what I love most about this is just how beautifully colourful it is! I think even fussy eaters would give this a go, it looks so gorgeous!
food, fashion and travel Owl Girl | A London lifestyle blog
Glad you like the coleslaw Candy, it surely is a flavorful way to eat all those healthy vegetables and the toasted sesame give is an extra little yummy taste. J+C
Fabulous coleslaw…that burst of colors and flavors makes it amazing.
Thank you Easyfoodsmith, we love how easy it is to make and it has become a go-to coleslaw for us 🙂
Absolutely yummy coleslaw and such a healthy recipe. I haven’t made coleslaw before, but now I will try this one since I do like soy and sesame a lot.
It is a nice light alternative to the usual coleslaw and quite easy to make. You can even make it ahead of time and take it along to a summer picnic. Hope you get to try it soon Kimberly!
Hi ladies, your salad is bringing back the sun in a corner in Europe. =D
Seriously we need more colorful (and healthy too!) dishes such as your Asian style coleslaw recipe. We will be back to Asia soon again so we will have enough sun in the next 8 months to come. That’s when I will make this salad for the family once. Thanks for sharing and I wish you both a great week ahead.
We are happy the coleslaw brought a little sunshine to you Helene! The days here are still like summer, but the mornings and evenings have gotten a bit cooler. How wonderful that you get to have a second summer in Asia and we hope that your family will enjoy this salad as much as we have. Hope you get a little sun this weekend! J+C
You two have such beautiful photos! Love the style (not doused in mayonnaise) and the flavours of this coleslaw. Pinning :).
We are glad you enjoyed the photos and recipe Jessica and thank you for Pinning! A lighter coleslaw is wonderful for a summer BBQ when you don’t want something with mayo sitting out on the table on those warm days. J+C
I love how beautiful and colorful this coleslaw is!!! Total yum!
We are happy you like the coleslaw Chris! It is a natural beauty from the vegetables 🙂 J+C
I love this. It is called “kerabu” in Malaysia. I believe it originated from the Thai influence in the north-eastern states of Kelantan and Trengganu but now, it is very popular nationwide. The Thais have many similar salad dishes with all kinds of ingredients. Very nice, healthy…all raw.
Thank you for the neat history to this dish suituapui! It is a good way to get all those healthy nutrients and also have something that tastes good and is easy to make. We had to make it twice again over this last weekend and it is slowly becoming our favorite light coleslaw recipe. J+C
Really like this slaw, the way it looks and the ingredients, adding sesame seeds is genius!
Thank you Cheri, the toasted sesame seeds balance out the acidic flavors and simply taste yummy!
I am in denial that summer is almost over! I’m excited for fall and everything pumpkins and apples, but not the cold weather that will soon follow! I love this looks of this Asian coleslaw! Sounds like a great addition to a bbq or get together!
We are luckily still getting a few glimpses of summer weather in the daytime, however the evenings have gotten cooler. This Asian Coleslaw makes a nice accompaniment for grilled meats or even can be served by itself for lunch with a piece of whole wheat bread. We ended up making it twice over the Labor Day weekend since it was so quick and if you keep the dressing separate you can take it along to a BBQ and mix it together there. J+C
I love that you keep the coleslaw crunchy. I think that is the best way to enjoy all of it’s wonderful nutrients. Pinning
You are right Cindy and it is a tasty way to get all those vitamins. Thank you for Pinning! J+C
This salad looks insanely good! I love how fresh and vibrant those colours are!
Thank you Lilli, we have made it several times already since it makes such a quick and god for you side that can go with a variety of meals.
I try to eat vegetarian and vegan so this is the perfect coleslaw salad for me. Fresh cabbage, lemon, bell peppers, green onions and a soy dressing, who can go wrong with such a healthy meal.
This coleslaw can be served as a side or even as a main course for lunch. If you can find organic cabbage and raw honey it makes it an even more healthy meal. J+C
I love cole slaw but not that sickly sweet fast food variety. I’m in love with yours!
We are happy your liked it Maureen, we are not fans of the over-processed type of coleslaw either. J+C
I find plain coleslaw boring. This one is so fun with great flavors and colors.
Thank you Evelyne! We love the touch of Asian flavors and already planing to make it for our weekend BBQ.
J+C
Just what I was looking for, a healthy coleslaw for Labor Day weekend! We are grilling hamburgers so this Asian Coleslaw would make an ideal side dish that even my vegetarian friends can have.
Hello Megan! Enjoy the coleslaw recipe and wishing you a wonderful Labor Day weekend! Happy grilling 🙂
J+C
I’m a huge fan of coleslaw and am always looking for new recipes. I’ve never made an asian style version, but this looks right up my alley. Pinned!
Thank you so much for the Pin, Kristi! Coleslaw is a fabulous salad and the flavors form this Asian style goes so well with grilled meat. Happy summer cooking 🙂
J+C
I love salads and this coleslaw looks so festive and good for you with all those fresh veggies and colors. The Farmer’s Market photos are cute too.
Thank you Edith! Tuesdays are really special here in Santa Barbara because the Farmer’s Market is held right middle of the State Street. This coleslaw recipe is very easy and does make a lovely summer lunch 🙂
J+C
As an Asian living in Asia, I approve of this recipe! 😀
Thank you so much for the approval, and it means a lot from an “Asian living in Asia” 🙂
J+C
Thank you so much for dropping by my blog today, I appreciate it. You have some wonderful recipes going on here.
Cheers
Laurie.
Thank you so much for your kind comment Laurie, and so glad that you enjoyed perusing our recipes 🙂
J+C
I’m not a big coleslaw fan, but this looks delicious–and it’s so pretty! 🙂
So glad that you like this coleslaw, Merril! Hope you will give a try 🙂
J+C
Looks extremely delicious. I like a cole slaw that is crunchy and not gloppy.
Thank you Jason! It is our current favorite and we like it crunchy too 🙂
J+C