Asian Slaw, easy homemade cabbage slaw recipe with quick dressing and delicious Asian pears. Great as a salad or side dish, or on top of tacos, sandwiches, burgers, and more for the best addition!
Love that this Asian Slaw recipe is quick and easy to put together and great year-round! If you’d never had an Asian pear, I strongly recommend it for this recipe. Give it a try!
As I mentioned above, I’d strongly recommend looking for the Asian pear for this recipe. If you’ve never had one, it’s kind of a cross between an apple and pear and perfect for this slaw.
Not really a lot of ingredients for this slaw so hopefully you’ll have most already.
Asian Slaw Ingredients
- Coleslaw mix (cabbage & carrot)
- Asian pear
- Green onion
Asian Slaw Dressing
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil (I used toasted, but you can use regular if you’d like)
- Brown sugar
- Lime juice
- Soy sauce
- Garlic powder
How to Make Asian Slaw
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In a large mixing bowl, gently mix together the coleslaw mix, pear, and green onion.
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In a separate small bowl whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, and garlic powder until well combined.
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Drizzle dressing over coleslaw mix and toss gently to combine.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Use a firm ripe Asian pear for the best flavor and texture in the slaw.
- Serve the slaw soon after making if you want it crunchy. If you prefer a softer slaw, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour or two.
- Different brands and types of rice vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce can have different tastes so go with ones you like.
- To save time, go for the package of precut cabbage slaw that has shredded cabbage and carrots. You can, however, make your own coleslaw mix.
Asian Slaw FAQ
Can I use a different size bag of coleslaw mix?
Yes, if you can’t find the same size bag of coleslaw you can use a slightly larger or smaller bag. Although, there is probably enough dressing you may need to adjust and add more or less.
What are some Asian pear substitutes?
If you can’t find an Asian pear, you can use a firm sweet apple or pear. If you can find an Asian pear though I’d definitely give it a try.
How do I store this coleslaw?
If you want the coleslaw more on the crunchy side, serve it right away. If you prefer coleslaws that are more soft than crunchy, place the slaw in the refrigerator for at least an hour or more. Store the coleslaw, and any leftovers, covered in the refrigerator.
How long with coleslaw last?
Depending on the freshness of the ingredients, the slaw should last in the refrigerator a few days but will get soft over time.
What else can I add to this slaw?
To make the Asian Slaw even more crunchy you could add chopped ramen noodles, chopped peanuts or almonds, or even fried wontons. You can also add your favorite vegetables such as kale or cucumbers.
Can I use a different sweetener in the dressing?
Yes, you can try using other sweeteners. You could try using honey, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, sugar substitute, or whatever you’d like. Just know you may need to adjust the amount of sweetener to your personal preference and to make more or less sweet.
Can I make this slaw spicy?
If you like things a bit more on the spicy side you could add some minced jalapeño or red pepper flakes.
Other Side Dish Recipes You May Enjoy
- Broccoli Salad – easy salad with fresh broccoli and a yogurt dressing.
- Coconut Rice – an easy Asian inspired side dish. Yum!
- Japanese Cucumber Salad – lots of fresh cucumbers in this simple Asian salad. Looks perfect for summer!
What to Serve with this Asian Slaw
- Tacos – Add some of this slaw to the top of your favorite tacos instead of lettuce. Would be great on fish or seafood tacos such as tuna tacos or shrimp tacos.
- Sandwiches – Add to your favorite sandwich for a little crunch and for extra veggies and fruit. Great on burgers too even chicken or turkey burgers.
- Pasta – Mix the slaw with spaghetti or Asian noodle for a completely different dish.
- Meat – Serve as a side dish alongside your favorite Asian beef, pork, chicken, fish, or vegetarian dishes. Great with BBQ ribs! Or add meat, fish, seafood, or more veggies to the slaw for a main dish.
Hope you enjoy this quick and easy Asian Slaw!
This slaw would also be a great addition to these Chicken Lettuce Wraps or as a side dish with these Honey BBQ Ribs!
Asian Slaw
Ingredients
- 10 ounces cole slaw mix (cabbage & carrot)
- 1 Asian pear peeled, cored, and cut into long thin strips
- 2 green onions thinly sliced (white & green parts)
Slaw Dressing
- 4 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil (I used toasted, but you can use regular)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, gently mix together the coleslaw mix, pear, and green onion.
- In a separate small bowl whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, and garlic powder until well combined.
- Drizzle dressing over coleslaw mix and toss gently to combine.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
Pat says
The most refreshing and delicious slaw!
We loved it
I added some roasted cashew nuts on top and used fresher garlic as I didn’t have garlic powder
Lisa Huff says
Thank you so much Pat! I love the idea of adding cashews!! Thanks for sharing!
Zaheer Baber says
Exceptionally good Asian slaw recipe
Lisa Huff says
Thanks! :)
Rose says
Is that toasted sesame oil or regular?
Lisa Huff says
Oh good question! I need to add that to the post, thanks! I used toasted, but you could use regular if you prefer.
Fuji Sushi says
Thank you! Worked great!
Alyssa says
This goes so well with my favorite chicken teriyaki recipe. I love how fresh it is, and the convenience of using bagged slaw mix.
Beth Neels says
Such an easy, delicious salad! The Asian pears add such a nice sweet note! I love it on tacos!
Lizzy says
This looks so fresh and crunchy! I’d love to try it on fish tacos
Hayley says
I love the addition of Asian pear to this slaw! So yummy!
Traci says
Yummm, perfect Asian slaw…easy and delicious. Thanks for this tasty recipe! :)