Asian Cabbage Salad with Crispy Wontons

Name: Asian Cabbage Salad with Crispy Wontons
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 30 wonton wrappers, thinly sliced into strips; avocado oil, for frying; kosher salt; 1/4 cup avocado oil; 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil; 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar; 3-4 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons coconut aminos; 2 large cloves garlic, mined; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; fresh cracked pepper; 1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced; 2-3 cups other salad greens like romaine, butter lettuce, green leafy lettuce and/or spinach; 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 2/3 cup julienned carrots (from one large carrot); 1 cup edamame; 2 Ataulfo mangoes, cubed; fresh herbs: green onions, cilantro and mint; protein of choice: rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp, crispy tofu or extra edamame!; limes, for squeezing; optional but highly recommend: avocado, cucumbers, mandarin oranges, purple cabbage

by Erica on May 26, 2023 (updated Jun 1, 2024) 2 comments

Jump to Recipe· 5 from 2 reviews·Jump to video

Let’s talk about salads that don’t suck. Salads that are bright and beautiful but also flavorful and crunchy and zesty and drool-worthy. That is exactly what this Asian-y cabbage salad brings to the table.

Probably one of my most crave-able salad creations- let’s talk about how to make it!

Overhead shot of the main recipe featured on this page: a bowl with Asian cabbage salad topped with carrots, edamame, red bell pepper, shredded chicken, mango, fresh herbs and crispy wontons.

HOW TO MAKE:

First off, what will you need?

Ingredients

Cabbage: hearty cabbage provides a sturdy, crunchy base.

Other greens: choose your journey here, in addition to the cabbage I like to add some other leafy greens like green leaf lettuce and spinach. You can also use romaine, butter lettuce or baby kale.

Bell pepper: packed with vitamin c, the bell pepper adds some crunch and a little sweetness

Carrots: I love to buy the pre-julienned variety from the store

Edamame: also known as an immature green soybean, edamame provides an excellent boost of plant-based protein

Mango: I highly recommend using Ataulfo mango (also called Honey mango) as they are so consistently sweet and perfect. They are in season from Feb to early August. If you can’t find them, regular mango will work.

Fresh herbs: cilantro, basil, mint, green onions, any or all, don’t skip them!

Chicken: I use a rotisserie chicken to make this super easy but you can also use leftover shredded chicken breast or roast a chicken yourself!

Wonton wrappers: these are usually found in the produce section of the grocery store, in the refrigerated section with the other Asian condiments like kimchi, tofu, pickled ginger and fresh stir-fry noodles.

Toasted sesame oil: the key flavor component of the vinaigrette, make sure to get the toasted kind for added depth of flavor!

Avocado oil: or any other neutral flavored oil will work.

Rice vinegar: this adds a nice tang to the dressing, seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar will work

Honey: feel free to sub agave or maple or sugar, I just particularly like honey as the sweetness factor here

Coconut aminos: I regularly use coconut aminos, but you can easily sub soy sauce or tamari

Garlic: fresh garlic is superb in this dressing but in a pinch you can use jarred or dried garlic.

Ginger: freshly grated or dried powdered ginger work equally well here

All ingredients for this salad displayed in small bowls: crispy wontons, bright orange mango, julienned carrots, chopped green onioins, edamame, sliced red bell pepper, shredded chicken and thinly sliced cabbage

Instructions

Chop the veg and mango. You can julienne the veggies by slicing into thin strips or chop into cubes.

Thinly slice the cabbage. My favorite way to do this is using the blade attachment on my food processor set to the lowest setting. Alternatively you can slice the cabbage in half and remove the “core”. The core will look like a small triangle at the bottom of each half. Use a sharp knife to cut a triangle shape to remove it. Then cut the halves in half again, place flat side down and slice thinly.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust per your preferences if it needs a little more garlic, sweetness, sesame, etc.

Make the crispy wontons. More on that in a sec.

Toss everything together with the glorious dressing and serve it up!

TIPS FOR CRISPY WONTONS

slice the wonton wrappers into strips about ½ inch thick. You’ll get about 5 ‘stacks’ of strips from an average square wonton wrapper
run your fingers through the strips to separate and make sure none are sticking together
use a high heat neutral flavored oil (I like avocado oil) over medium high heat and add the wontons in batches, making sure they are separated, and taking care not to crowd the pan
I recommend using a stainless steel or cast iron pan
fry the wontons for about 60 seconds per side until golden brown, remove to a paper towel lined plate and salt immediately

Asian cabbage salad topped with carrots, edamame, red bell pepper, shredded chicken, mango, fresh herbs and crispy wontons.

MAKE AHEAD AND STORAGE

This is a FABULOUS meal prep salad. I chop the veggies, thinly slice the cabbage in my food processor and toss it with the other greens, chop the mango, make the crispy wontons and shake up the dressing.

Store the veggies, greens and mangos separately in airtight containers (I like these Pyrex containers) in the fridge. Keep the dressing in a mason jar or this salad shaker in the fridge. Keep the wontons in an airtight bag or container.

Each time you want a salad simply toss a little of each thing in a big bowl and voila! Lunch perfection.

FAQ

How can I make this gluten free?

The only component of this salad that contains gluten are the wonton wrappers. As a substitute you could fry up some rice noodles, use crispy fried onions or toast up some gluten-free ramen noodles. You could also sub roasted cashews or almonds.

Can I use a bag of coleslaw instead of a head of cabbage?

Absolutely! I’m a diva and bags of shredded cabbage are often not sliced as thinly as I like but if you aren’t as high maintenance, coleslaw mix is an EXCELLENT shortcut

Can I prep this ahead of time?

Yep! Refer to my make ahead and storage instructions above.

Asian cabbage salad topped with carrots, edamame, red bell pepper, shredded chicken, mango, fresh herbs and crispy wontons. Plated next to a glass of water and a fork.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS ASIAN CABBAGE SALAD

Although this salad is a fabulous meal on its own it would also go wonderfully with…

Fresh veggie summer rolls

Pad Thai

OR Curried butternut squash soup

And if you like this recipe you’ll definitely want to check out other salads that don’t suck like…

Ultimate shaved brussels sprouts salad

Arugula, watermelon and feta salad

Springtime vegetable quinoa salad

Sesame Ramen Crunch salad

Check out the video to see how easily this gorg salad comes together!

Alright friends, go crush your lunch this week and don’t forget to share your creations with me on insta! Cheers to a great week!

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2 comments Leave a comment »

2 comments on “Asian Cabbage Salad with Crispy Wontons”

Heather — March 16, 2024 @ 4:18 pm Reply

So yummy!
Kayleigh Sliman — April 19, 2024 @ 2:56 am Reply

This salad is so delicious! I forgot to make the wontons and my husband and I still found it filling and enjoyable!