Elevate your salad game with this vibrant and irresistible Napa Cabbage Salad with a Crunch! Perfectly balancing fresh, crisp vegetables like Napa cabbage, grated carrot, and sliced red bell pepper with the rich nuttiness of toasted almonds and sesame seeds, this recipe is all about bold textures and flavors. The secret to its addictive crunch? Lightly toasted ramen noodles, adding a playful twist to every bite. Tossed in a tangy-sweet sesame dressing made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey, this quick and easy salad is ready in just 25 minutes and ideal for a light lunch, side dish, or potluck favorite. Enjoy it fresh for peak crunchiness or let the flavors meld in the fridge before serving!
Prepare the vegetables: shred the Napa cabbage, grate the carrot, thinly slice the red bell pepper, and slice the green onions.
Toast the slivered almonds and sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Remove from skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, lightly toast the crushed ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes until they are slightly browned and crunchy. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, neutral oil, salt, and ground black pepper to create the dressing.
In a large salad bowl, combine the shredded Napa cabbage, grated carrot, sliced red bell pepper, and green onions.
Add the toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and crushed ramen noodles to the bowl, reserving a small handful of each for garnish if desired.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to evenly coat all the ingredients.
Garnish with the reserved almonds, sesame seeds, and crushed ramen noodles. Serve immediately for the best crunch, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour before serving.
Calories |
2224 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 135.9 g | 174% | |
| Saturated Fat | 12.9 g | 64% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 15.9 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 3033 mg | 132% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 212.6 g | 77% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 31.8 g | 114% | |
| Total Sugars | 47.1 g | ||
| Protein | 63.2 g | 126% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 566 mg | 44% | |
| Iron | 9.4 mg | 52% | |
| Potassium | 2354 mg | 50% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.