Napa Cabbage Slaw

I have a love/hate relationship with the popular Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad.  I love the crunchy noodle topping and the deliciously seasoned dressing made from the flavor packet.  I don't love all of the sodium and unhealthy ingredients in the Ramen package.  (I won't go into details because I don't want to bad mouth the Ramen noodle companies - but you can google it for yourself.)  

This recipe is my attempt to recreate the famous Ramen Noodle Salad with a healthier - but equally yummy - twist. The dressing for the popular salad was not an easy thing to replicate but I really wanted to make something without using MSG.  I also left off the crunchy noodle topping for my version of cabbage salad because I didn't want to add the extra carbs.  Turns out - I really didn't miss them.  My Napa Cabbage was actually really yummy and it's healthier!

Napa Cabbage Slaw
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
​2 teaspoons canola oil
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small head napa cabbage, sliced thin
2 carrots, peeled and grated
4 scallions, sliced thin
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Bring wine vinegar to a simmer and reduce to 2 Tablespoons.  Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.

​Whisk in sesame oil, canola oil, rice wine vinegar, soy, sugar, ginger and salt. 

Add cabbage and carrots and toss to coat. 

Add scallions and sesame seeds and toss to combine.

This salad is the perfect side dish for any backyard barbecue or casual dinner.  It goes with just about any meat and if you added a few grilled shrimp to the top - it turns into a complete meal.  

Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C and vitamin B6. It is also a very good source of manganese, dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin B1, folate and copper. Additionally, cabbage is a good source of choline, phosphorus, vitamin B2, magnesium, calcium, selenium, iron, pantothenic acid, protein and niacin.  What more do I need to say?  Eat your cabbage friends. 

Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe