Some nights, the clock hits half six and everyone is hungry, tired, and staring into the fridge. That is exactly when this Asian cabbage salad with sesame dressing earns its place in our rotation. It comes together in about twenty minutes, uses one pan and one bowl, and tastes far brighter than the effort involved.

Recipe Overview

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 4 (or 3 very hungry people)
• Difficulty: Easy — no special skills required

Why You’ll Love This Asian Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing

• It is genuinely fast. Ten minutes of chopping, ten minutes at the hob, and dinner is on the table before anyone has finished setting it.
• One pan, one bowl. The cabbage gets a brief kiss of heat in the pan, the dressing is whisked in a bowl, and that is the whole of the washing up.
• The dressing does the heavy lifting. Sesame, soy, rice vinegar, and a touch of honey turn humble cabbage into something you will actually crave.
• It holds up beautifully. Unlike leafy salads that wilt within minutes, cabbage stays crisp for hours, which makes it a brilliant make-ahead option.
• Everyone can build their own. I put the components on the table and let the family pile on whatever they fancy, which keeps even fussy eaters happy.

Asian Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing

15 min prep  ·  30 min cook  ·  4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 small green cabbage (about 700 g), finely shredded
• 2 medium carrots, julienned or coarsely grated
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 400 g cooked chicken, shredded (or see variations below)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for the pan
• 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• Small handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• Salt and white pepper, to taste

Tip: Shred the cabbage as thinly as you can manage — about 3 mm is ideal. Thin ribbons soak up the dressing far better than chunky wedges, and they soften just enough in the pan without turning limp. If you have a mandoline gathering dust, this is the moment to use it.

How to Make Asian Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing

1. Mix the dressing first. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and garlic. You want it glossy and slightly thickened, with the honey fully dissolved. Give it a taste — it should be salty, tangy, and a little sweet all at once. Set it aside while you prep.
2. Prepare the vegetables. Shred the cabbage, julienne the carrots, and slice the spring onions. Keep the white and green parts separate; the whites go into the pan, the greens go on top at the end. The cabbage should look like fine pale-green ribbons, not chunks.
3. Heat the pan properly. Place a wok or large frying pan over a high heat and add the neutral oil. Wait until the oil shimmers and a single shred of cabbage dropped in sizzles immediately. If it sits there quietly, the pan is not hot enough yet.
4. Flash-cook the cabbage. Add the cabbage and carrot and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. You are not cooking it through — you are just taking the raw edge off. The cabbage should turn a shade brighter and start to soften at the edges while still keeping a firm bite. If it starts releasing lots of water, your pan was not hot enough; tip it out and start again rather than letting it steam.
5. Add the aromatics. Stir in the spring onion whites and the chilli flakes, if using. Cook for 30 seconds only — you want the sharp raw bite to mellow, not disappear. The smell should turn fragrant and slightly sweet.
6. Toss with the dressing. Take the pan off the heat and pour over the dressing. Toss everything together until each shred is coated and glossy. The pan will hiss a little as the cool dressing hits the hot cabbage, which is exactly what you want.
7. Fold in the chicken. Add the shredded chicken and toss gently so it warms through without breaking up. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt and a crack of white pepper. If it needs more lift, a splash more rice vinegar does the trick.
8. Finish and rest. Scatter over the sesame seeds, spring onion greens, and coriander. Leave the salad to sit for 5 minutes before serving — this short rest lets the flavours settle and the cabbage absorb the dressing properly.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Wok or large frying pan
• Sharp knife
• Spatula
• Small bowls for prep

Tips From My Kitchen

• Shred the cabbage the night before. Stored in a sealed bag with a piece of kitchen paper, shredded cabbage keeps for two to three days. On a busy weeknight, that means you are only ten minutes from dinner. The paper absorbs excess moisture, which is what makes cabbage go slimy.
• Make a double batch of dressing. It keeps in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Shake it before using, since the sesame oil separates. Having dressing ready turns this from a recipe into a habit — I make this at least once a week, and it has become a family favourite.
• Toast your own sesame seeds. Tip them into a dry pan over a medium heat and shake until they smell nutty and turn a shade darker, about 2 minutes. The difference between raw and toasted seeds is bigger than you would expect, and it takes almost no effort.
• Do not dress it too early. If you are making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss it through just before serving. Cabbage is forgiving, but an hour is about the limit before it starts to lose its crunch.
• Use white pepper, not black. White pepper blends into the pale cabbage and gives a warm background heat without the speckled look. It is a small thing, but it makes the finished salad look much cleaner on the plate.
• Keep the pan hot and work in batches. If your pan is crowded, the cabbage steams instead of searing. Cook it in two batches if you need to, then combine everything back in the pan at the end.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the pan: When cabbage is piled too deep, the moisture it releases has nowhere to go, so it stews rather than sears. Use the biggest pan you own, or cook in two batches. You are looking for bright, slightly charred edges, not a soggy pile.
• Wrong temperature: The pan needs to be properly hot — the oil should shimmer before anything goes in. If you can hold your hand above the pan and feel real heat, you are ready. Too cool and the cabbage weeps; too hot and the sesame oil in the dressing will turn bitter when it hits the pan.
• Skipping the rest time: Those five minutes after tossing are not optional. The cabbage needs a moment to absorb the dressing and the flavours need time to settle. Serve it straight away and it tastes sharp and separate; wait five minutes and it tastes like one dish.

Delicious Variations to Try

• Spicy Version: Add a teaspoon of chilli oil or a finely sliced red chilli to the dressing, and finish with extra chilli flakes. If you want heat without changing the texture, a dab of chilli paste stirred into the dressing works beautifully.
• Vegetarian/Vegan Option: Swap the honey for maple syrup and leave out the chicken entirely. Add 200 g of shelled edamame beans and a handful of crushed roasted peanuts for substance. A block of firm tofu, cubed and pan-fried until golden, also works a treat.
• Different Protein: Shredded beef, prawns, or leftover roast chicken all work here. If you have a little spare time, the slow-cooked approach in this beef stroganoff recipe makes excellent leftovers to fold through. For something a bit different, a spoonful of the spiced filling from these buffalo chicken sliders adds a lovely warmth.

What to Serve With Asian Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing

• Steamed jasmine rice or plain noodles for something more filling
• Warm flatbreads or roti for scooping
• A bowl of vegetable biryani if you want a fuller spread
• Simple cucumber and tomato salad on the side
• Iced tea or sparkling water with lime

Frequently Asked Questions

Asian Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing

A vibrant, warm cabbage salad featuring flash-cooked green cabbage and carrots tossed in a glossy sesame-soy dressing, then folded with shredded chicken and finished with sesame seeds, spring onions, and fresh coriander. It's a quick, flavorful main course that balances salty, tangy, and sweet notes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian-inspired

Calories: 350

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 small green cabbage about 700 g, finely shredded
• 2 medium carrots julienned or coarsely grated
• 4 spring onions thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove finely grated
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 400 g cooked chicken shredded (or see variations below)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for the pan
• 1 tsp chilli flakes optional
• Small handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Mix the dressing first. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and garlic. You want it glossy and slightly thickened, with the honey fully dissolved. Give it a taste — it should be salty, tangy, and a little sweet all at once. Set it aside while you prep.
2. Prepare the vegetables. Shred the cabbage, julienne the carrots, and slice the spring onions. Keep the white and green parts separate; the whites go into the pan, the greens go on top at the end. The cabbage should look like fine pale-green ribbons, not chunks.
3. Heat the pan properly. Place a wok or large frying pan over a high heat and add the neutral oil. Wait until the oil shimmers and a single shred of cabbage dropped in sizzles immediately. If it sits there quietly, the pan is not hot enough yet.
4. Flash-cook the cabbage. Add the cabbage and carrot and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. You are not cooking it through — you are just taking the raw edge off. The cabbage should turn a shade brighter and start to soften at the edges while still keeping a firm bite. If it starts releasing lots of water, your pan was not hot enough; tip it out and start again rather than letting it steam.
5. Add the aromatics. Stir in the spring onion whites and the chilli flakes, if using. Cook for 30 seconds only — you want the sharp raw bite to mellow, not disappear. The smell should turn fragrant and slightly sweet.
6. Toss with the dressing. Take the pan off the heat and pour over the dressing. Toss everything together until each shred is coated and glossy. The pan will hiss a little as the cool dressing hits the hot cabbage, which is exactly what you want.
7. Fold in the chicken. Add the shredded chicken and toss gently so it warms through without breaking up. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt and a crack of white pepper. If it needs more lift, a splash more rice vinegar does the trick.
8. Finish and rest. Scatter over the sesame seeds, spring onion greens, and coriander. Leave the salad to sit for 5 minutes before serving — this short rest lets the flavours settle and the cabbage absorb the dressing properly.

Notes

For variations, substitute shredded pork, tofu, or shrimp for the chicken. Adjust chilli flakes to taste. Ensure the pan is very hot to avoid steaming the cabbage.

Weeknights are short, and nobody wants to spend them at the sink. This Asian cabbage salad with sesame dressing is the sort of thing I reach for when I want something that tastes considered without demanding much of me — a hot pan, a quick whisk, and dinner is done. If you give it a go, I would love to hear how you made it your own, so leave a comment below and tell me what you piled on top.