An Asian cabbage salad featuring pan-fried cabbage dressed with white miso, lemon and sesame oil, with a lower-carb option.
The pan-browned cabbage keeps its crunch, the miso and lemon dressing livens it up, and the cashews add a satisfying bite. This Asian cabbage salad starts with finely sliced cabbage seared over high heat, then tossed off the heat with a white miso, lemon and sesame oil dressing. For 2 people, allow 15 minutes: 5 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking. This recipe joins my collection of keto soups and salads.
What is Asian cabbage salad?
Here, the word salad refers to vegetables that are cooked, then dressed off the heat. Cabbage remains the main ingredient: pointed cabbage for a juicy texture or white cabbage for a firmer bite. The Asian touch comes from a few ingredients: white miso, sesame oil and mung bean sprouts, often sold as bean sprouts.
The finely sliced cabbage goes into a pan over fairly high heat: it softens without wilting completely and caramelizes in places, mellowing its flavor. The red bell pepper follows for a brief cook, the very briefly blanched sprouts provide the final crunch, and the cashews go in at the last moment. This light dish is ideal for meals ready in 20 minutes.
The inspiration behind this version
In this version, the cabbage is sautรฉed to bring out its sweetness, then dressed off the heat to keep it fresh. White miso provides umami, lemon adds acidity, and sesame oil brings aroma. The edges of the cabbage develop a rounder, almost nutty flavor, while the center keeps its bite.
The balance comes from quick cooking followed by dressing off the heat, preserving the salty note of the miso and the acidity of the lemon. For a lower-carb variation, replace the cashews with macadamia nuts or almonds.
The main ingredients
Pointed or white cabbage forms the base: finely sliced, it cooks evenly, with the former staying juicy and the latter firmer. A red bell pepper adds color, sweetness and a little crunch; add it as soon as the cabbage starts to brown. Use 250 g of mung bean sprouts, briefly blanched, then rinsed under cold water and drained thoroughly so they do not dilute the dressing.
The dressing relies on three elements. Three tablespoons of gluten-free white miso provide saltiness and umami, the juice of one lemon adds acidity, and one teaspoon of sesame oil brings aroma without overpowering the other flavors. Two tablespoons of maple-style syrup round it all out; its ingredients often differ from those of pure maple syrup, something to watch for in the lower-carb version.
For cooking, two tablespoons of avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil help the cabbage brown without masking the miso and lemon. Two handfuls of cashews, added just before serving, provide crunch and richness.
Cooking tips and serving
Use a large, very hot frying pan, spreading the cabbage out so it sears rather than steams. The bell pepper needs only a very brief cook, then the dressing and sprouts are added off the heat, while the vegetables are still lukewarm or already cold. Keep the nuts separate until the last moment to preserve their crunch.
For a similar salad, try my Japanese cabbage salad.
Another cabbage salad to try is my pointed cabbage salad.
For everyday keto cooking, browse all my low-carb recipes.
Store the salad in the refrigerator in a sealed container; if the vegetables release a little water, give it a toss to redistribute the dressing. The sprouts must be impeccably fresh; blanching improves their texture without eliminating all the risks associated with sprouts. As a side dish, it pairs well with fish, poultry or grilled tofu; allow for 9 g of net carbs per serving, depending on the syrup, miso and nuts you choose.
Asian Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pointed cabbage or white cabbage
- 1 red bell pepper
- 250 g mung bean sprouts
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tablespoons white miso gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup sweetener
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 handfuls cashews
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil
For a lower-carb version
- NO cashews use macadamia nuts or almonds instead
Instructions
- Cut the pointed cabbage into thin strips. Sautรฉ over fairly high heat in a generous amount of oil.1 pointed cabbage, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil
- Wash the bell pepper and remove the membranes and seeds. Cut into pieces. When the cabbage begins to caramelize slightly, add the bell pepper. Cook just until the pepper softens a little.1 red bell pepper
- Place the mung bean sprouts in a sieve or colander and pour boiling water over them. You can also blanch them briefly (cook very briefly by dipping them into boiling water for a moment and removing them immediately). Then rinse with cold water.250 g mung bean sprouts
- Mix the miso with the sesame oil, lemon juice and maple sweetener.3 tablespoons white miso, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 lemon, juiced, 2 tablespoons maple syrup sweetener
- Let the cabbage and bell pepper cool, or keep them lukewarm. Toss with the dressing. Fold in the mung bean sprouts.
- Divide among plates and garnish with cashews.2 handfuls cashews, NO cashews
