Asian Slaw Recipe (with Creamy Peanut Dressing!) - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published May 5, 2016. Updated May 14, 2019

ThisAsian Slawis packed with crisp veggies and fresh cilantro and is tossed in a creamy Thai peanut dressing. This is the perfect side dish for grilled chicken or shrimp, and it’s so easy to make!

Asian Slaw with Peanut Dressing

Crisp cabbage salads/slaws are the best! I’ve always loved coleslaw, and this is basically a Thai spin on American coleslaw.

Yes, it tastes entirely different but in such a good way! I’ll eat just about anything when it’s covered in a Thai peanut sauce.

I absolutely love the blend of flavors and textures here with the fresh cilantro and green onions, the crisp bell peppers and cabbage, the crunchy carrots, and that incredibly simple yet addictive slightly sweet, slightly sour,slightly salty, creamy peanut sauce.

This is the perfect side dish to your favorite Asian chicken recipes. Toss in some grilled chicken breasts and serve it up for lunch. Either way it’s going to be a win!

Asian Slaw Ingredients

For the Asian slaw base, you’ll need:

• Shredded cabbage
• Matchstick carrots
• Bell pepper
• Green onions
• Cilantro

And for the creamy Thai peanut dressing, you’ll need:

• Creamy peanut butter
• Lime juice
• Rice vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Honey
• Brown sugar
• Sesame oil
• Sriracha
• Ginger
• Garlic

How to Make Asian Slaw

• Prep the veggies, then add to a large salad bowl and toss to combine.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the Asian slaw dressing ingredients. Pour over veggies.
• Toss slaw to distribute the dressing, then garnish with sesame seeds.

Can I Make This Slaw in Advance?

I wouldn’t recommend tossing the slaw with the dressing until you’re ready to eat it, just because the cabbage gets soggy as it sits in the dressing. If you want to prep this slaw in advance, I recommend tossing the vegetables together and storing them separately from the dressing. Simply combine everything once you’re ready to enjoy!

Is There a Peanut Butter Substitute I Can Use?

If you’re allergic to peanuts, you may be able to substitute tahini in the Asian slaw dressing. I haven’t tried this myself, but I’ve had readers report success with this substitution. Obviously, the flavor will be totally different from the recipe I made, but I think the slaw would still taste good.

Tips for the Best Asian Slaw

• You don’t have to toast the sesame seeds before garnishing the slaw (although you totally can if you prefer the flavor of toasted sesame seeds!).
• If you have a sesame allergy, you can omit the sesame oil in the dressing. The flavor won’t be quite as deep, but it will still be delicious.
• You could make this slaw a meal by adding grilled chicken to it.

More Easy Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love:

• Classic Coleslaw
• Garden Veggie Pasta Salad
• Greek Orzo Salad
• Cowboy Caviar
• Quinoa, Black Bean and Mango Salad
• Broccoli Apple Salad