Crunchy Asian Chopped Salad

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 a Cobb 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 – romaine lettuce 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.

Dressing: I love the chili almond dressing I created for this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: creamy balsamic dressing, cilantro lime dressing or peanut dressing.

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!
  
• On the Environmental Working Group Clean 15 list – meaning it is one of the lowest fruits and vegetables with pesticide residue. Woo!

How to Store Asian Chopped Salad

This salad stores super well!

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. 

More Kale Salads to Try

• Garlicky Kale Salad
• Massaged Kale Salad
• Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
• Sweet Potato Kale and Quinoa Salad
• Detox Salad
• Kale Salad with Peanut Dressing
• Sunflower Crunch Salad

The Most Popular Salad Recipes

• Fattoush Salad
• Easy Spinach Salad
• Classic Broccoli Salad
• Greek Salad
• Chicken Waldorf Salad
• Massaged Kale Salad
• Healthy Potato Salad