This Asian chopped salad is loaded with fresh veggies and tossed with a creamy almond dressing. You’ll love the crunch and flavor! Dairy-free, gluten-free and low-carb.
The reason my habit of having a daily salad (#saladeveryday) is so fun and easy is because I switch things up and keep my salads exciting.
Don’t get me wrong, I definitely go in phases of loving certain salads. I was on aCobb salad kick for a bit and now my new go-to is this Asian chopped salad. I feel like whenever I create a new salad I eat it every day for a week or two and then get the itch for change so I create another combo.
Are you a meal repeater? Or do you like to keep things fresh and new every day?
Ingredients in Crunch Asian Salad
napa cabbage – romainelettuce will work as well.
purple cabbage – see my note below about all the healthy benefits.
carrots and red bell pepper – these fresh veggies add a nice crunch to the salad.
avocado – for some added creaminess and healthy fat.
green onion – if you don’t have green onion, yellow or red onion are both great alternatives.
cilantro – adding fresh cilantro to this salad gives it such great flavor.
almonds – for some added crunch.
chicken – some protein to make this salad even more filling.
chili almond dressing – the real star of the show here! It’s amazingly creamy and is legit giving me life right now. I’ve been drizzling it on everything!
Notes and Substitutions
Napa cabbage: A crunchy lettuce like romaine would work as a good substitute.
Vegetarian: You can omit the chicken for a vegetarian salad and add in some chickpeas, tempeh, or tofu for added protein.
Red pepper:Not a fan of red bell peppers or don’t have any on hand? Feel free to use green or yellow instead.
Cheese: If you’re looking to add in some cheese to this salad I think feta would work well.
OXO salad chopper bowl: You certainly don’t need the salad chopper but it makes this salad super easy to toss together and is probably my favorite salad accessory. 😉 So many people have told me they bought the salad chopper because I recommended it and their lives have been forever changed… just sayin’!
Benefits of Cabbage
Both napa and purple cabbage have a lot of great health benefits, but I’m going to focus on purple because that’s the real nutrition powerhouse!
Purple cabbage is:
Packed with Vitamin C – as in, more than oranges! Vitamin C helps boost your immune system and repair tissues in your body.
Anti-inflammatory – this means it helps fight inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation shows up in our body in so many different ways – IBS, acne, pain – the list could go on!
Loaded with Vitamin K – helps with a variety of body functions – everything from blood clotting to bone health.
High in antioxidants – you’ve probably heard that term but what does it mean? Have you heard of free radicals? They are the same as oxidative damage or stress in the body. Antioxidants combat those free radicals which essentially counteracts the damage happening in our bodies. Important stuff!
To make it in advance: If you’re making this as a meal prep salad I recommend adding some dressing to the full batch but saving some to add just before serving as well. The cabbage doesn’t get soggy but you lose a little flavor from the dressing as it sits so I like to add a drizzle when I serve it. I also recommend adding the avocado right before serving.
To store leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
This Asian chopped salad is loaded with fresh veggies and tossed with a creamy almond dressing. You’ll love the crunch and flavor! Dairy-free, gluten-free and low-carb.
I adore this salad! I’ve made it many times, with and without chicken. Even non bird food eaters love it lol! The salad dressing is a must. Absolutely delicious!!!
This was such an amazing salad and dressing recipe! All of the flavors blended together so well from the dressing and gave the perfect crunch, and was a great mix of sweet and savory, with a little kick from the chili pepper in the dressing! Will definitely be making this again, and even use it in tacos next time!
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I love this salad! Great for prepping ahead and the dressing is really good. I didn’t have the pepper for the dressing so used sriracha to taste.
Woo! Love to hear this, Rachel. Thaks for sharing the swap you made and leaving a review, I appreciate it!
Yummy dressing, but the salad was too dry for me. I made it with chickpeas and tofu instead of chicken.
Sorry you thought the salad was too dry. Did you feel as though it needed more dressing?
I adore this salad! I’ve made it many times, with and without chicken. Even non bird food eaters love it lol! The salad dressing is a must. Absolutely delicious!!!
Ahh yay! I’m so glad this salad has been a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I appreciate it. 🙂
This was such an amazing salad and dressing recipe! All of the flavors blended together so well from the dressing and gave the perfect crunch, and was a great mix of sweet and savory, with a little kick from the chili pepper in the dressing! Will definitely be making this again, and even use it in tacos next time!
Yay!! So glad you loved this salad, Niki. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
Hi I just made this recipe today and I can definitely recommend it to anyone. Delicious.