Chinese cabbage salad (Napa cabbage) Asian style – crunchy & fresh
A crunchy Asian‑style Chinese cabbage salad with ramen noodles, almonds and sesame. A simple recipe with a personal travel story.
A salad that stays with you
Some dishes you only make once, after which they disappear from your repertoire. Others stay with you for life, through move after move and trip after trip. This Chinese cabbage (Napa cabbage) salad is one of those dishes.
I first came across it in Oakville, Canada, at the house of my neighbour, Mary Chapin. It was always on the table: at barbecues, for a quick lunch with friends or simply on a weekday.
The recipe is simple: finely chopped Chinese cabbage, roasted ramen noodles, nuts and sesame seeds, all dressed with a light Asian dressing. It has lots of crunch and fresh flavours, and the dressing brings everything together beautifully.
During our trip through Alaska, I unexpectedly came across that salad again. On 4 July, Independence Day, we ended up at a 'halibut fry' in Ketchikan. Everyone had brought something along, and alongside the pasta and rice salads, stuffed eggs, crisps with artichoke dip, and desserts, there was also a Chinese cabbage salad.
It was tasty. But it wasn't quite as I remembered it from Mary's kitchen. Some recipes simply leave a lasting impression.
I’ve been making this version for almost twenty years now. It’s still just as simple, just as crisp and just as reliable. Every time I serve it, I think back to Canada and to the moment in Alaska when I realised once again that flavours and memories are intertwined.
Chinese cabbage (Napa cabbage) salad, Asian style
Crunchy, fresh and made for sharing
Cooking tips:
- Ideal for barbecues, buffets and potlucks!
- If you’re preparing the salad in advance, keep the dressing and the crunchy topping separate.
- Use sunflower or rapeseed oil instead of peanut oil to keep the flavour light and delicate.
- Any leftover dressing? It's delicious over cucumber or in a simple rice salad.
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
Salad:
- 1 medium Chinese cabbage (napa cabbage)
- 4 spring onions, including the green tops
- 2 packets of instant Asian soup noodles (ramen), roughly crumbled
- 50 g flaked almonds
- 30 g sesame seeds
- ½ bunch of coriander
- Fleur de sel
For roasting:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Dressing:
- 75 ml vegetable oil (sunflower oil or rapeseed oil)
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ to 1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
- 3 tbsp white rice vinegar
- ¾ tsp sesame oil
- 1 clove of garlic, finely crushed
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Optional:
- 1–2 carrots, coarsely grated
-
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables.
Finely chop the Chinese cabbage, spring onions and coriander. Mix everything together, adding the grated carrots if desired. Cover and place in the fridge.
-
Step 2: Make the crunchy topping
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the crumbled noodles and almonds over it. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 10 minutes, until everything is lightly golden brown. Add the sesame seeds and return to the oven for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with fleur de sel to taste and leave to cool completely.
👉 Please note: sesame seeds burn quickly and become bitter.
![Napa Cabbage Salad 101]()
-
Step 3: Make the dressing.
Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth or briefly blend in a food processor. Taste the mixture and season with black pepper.
-
Step 4: Assembly
Toss the dressing through the cabbage, then leave it to stand for about 15 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. Just before serving, add the crispy noodle and nut mixture.
![Napa Cabbage Salad 102]()
