A quickly cooked vegetable slaw with red and green cabbage and Asian-inspired flavors, tossed in a zesty tahini dressing. Try this rainbow-colored salad as a side dish or lunch bowl.

Green and red cabbage slaw with no mayo, mixed with carrots, snowpeas and sesame dressing in a white bowl.

This colorful Asian-styles slaw bridges a gap — something between a salad and a vegetarian main dish. It’s nothing like your average cabbage slaw, which can sometimes be so sweetly saturated with mayonnaise that it can feel the opposite of light and refreshing.

My method takes it up a notch — I wilt a mixture of red and green cabbage, carrot, leeks, snap peas and bell peppers in a skillet, then it’s toss with in a tangy ginger-sesame sauce.

Cooking cabbage ever-so-slightly brings out its natural sweetness. When cabbage is lightly wilted it has a more tender texture than when it’s raw.

Green and red cabbage slaw mixed with carrots, snowpeas and sesame dressing in a white bowl.

How to slice cabbage for slaw

  1. Slice the head of cabbage into quarters with a large chef’s knife. Trim out the core.
  2. Place the halves cut-side down and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide ribbons.
  3. Alternatively, you can use a mandoline slicer or use the julienne blade in a food processor.

Serving ideas for cabbage slaw

5 from 1 rating

Wilted Veggie Slaw with Creamy Ginger Dressing

Karen Tedesco
This flavorful, fresh cabbage slaw is colorful and so easy to make. Add to your lunch meal plan or add some cooked protein for a hearty main dish salad.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the dressing

  • 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Asian chili garlic sauce or sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

For the slaw

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 leek, white and light green section thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 4 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas or snowpeas, sliced into slivers
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, tough stems trimmed off
  • 1 tablespoon black or brown sesame seeds
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

Instructions
 

Make the dressing

  1. Whisk the honey, tahini, sesame oil, lime juice, vinegar, ginger, chili sauce, salt and cayenne in a small bowl until blended.

Make the slaw

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and leeks and cook until softened slightly, about 3 minutes.
  2. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the remaining vegetables through the sugar snap peas to the pan.
  3. Cook just until the cabbage begins to wilt, tossing constantly with tongs, about 2 more minutes.
  4. Transfer the slaw to a large bowl and add the dressing and cilantro. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and scallions over the slaw and serve.

Notes

Undressed slaw will keep 3 days refrigerated.
Keep in mind that red cabbage will eventually tint the rest of the salad a shade of hot pink once you add a vinaigrette or salad dressing.
To slice cabbage for slaw:
  1. Slice the cabbage into quarters with a large chef’s knife. Trim out the core.
  2. Place the halves cut-side down and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch wide ribbons.
  3. Alternatively, you can use a mandoline slicer or use the julienne blade in a food processor.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 234kcal Carbohydrates: 29g Protein: 5g Fat: 12g Sodium: 661mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 17g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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5 from 1 rating

Wilted Veggie Slaw with Creamy Ginger Dressing

Karen Tedesco
This flavorful, fresh cabbage slaw is colorful and so easy to make. Add to your lunch meal plan or add some cooked protein for a hearty main dish salad.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the dressing

  • 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Asian chili garlic sauce or sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

For the slaw

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 leek, white and light green section thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 4 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas or snowpeas, sliced into slivers
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, tough stems trimmed off
  • 1 tablespoon black or brown sesame seeds
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

Instructions
 

Make the dressing

  1. Whisk the honey, tahini, sesame oil, lime juice, vinegar, ginger, chili sauce, salt and cayenne in a small bowl until blended.

Make the slaw

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and leeks and cook until softened slightly, about 3 minutes.
  2. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the remaining vegetables through the sugar snap peas to the pan.
  3. Cook just until the cabbage begins to wilt, tossing constantly with tongs, about 2 more minutes.
  4. Transfer the slaw to a large bowl and add the dressing and cilantro. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and scallions over the slaw and serve.

Notes

Undressed slaw will keep 3 days refrigerated.
Keep in mind that red cabbage will eventually tint the rest of the salad a shade of hot pink once you add a vinaigrette or salad dressing.
To slice cabbage for slaw:
  1. Slice the cabbage into quarters with a large chef’s knife. Trim out the core.
  2. Place the halves cut-side down and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch wide ribbons.
  3. Alternatively, you can use a mandoline slicer or use the julienne blade in a food processor.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 234kcal Carbohydrates: 29g Protein: 5g Fat: 12g Sodium: 661mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 17g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

Save to Pinterest
Tried this recipe?A star rating takes 5 seconds and helps more people find it.