Asian Cashew Salad

This crunchy Asian cashew salad is packed with texture and flavor, an Asian salad with edamame and cashews and a peanut butter dressing. It’s so good! It’s an Asian chopped salad, great for meal prep, and stays crunchy for days in the fridge. The peanut butter Asian dressing is so simple to make and so delicious, the perfect compliment to this healthy light meal.

Jump to:

• What’s so good about this Asian edamame salad:
• Ingredients you need for Asian cashew salad:
• How to make this easy crunchy Asian salad:
• Making ahead and storing leftovers:
• Expert tips and tricks:
• Asian Cashew Salad FAQs:
• For more delicious salad recipes:
• Asian Cashew Salad

What’s so good about this Asian edamame salad:

• The crunch from the two different types of cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, and cashews is SO good. It makes this salad so fresh tasting and fulfilling.
• The peanut butter sesame oil dressing is really simple, but adds heaps of flavor. Using garlic and ginger powder instead of the real thing cuts down on prep time without sacrificing any flavor.
• Edamame is one of my favorite things to eat, and besides the yummy flavor, it’s a great way to add protein to this salad.
• Adding roasted cashews gives this extra flavor, nutrients and deliciousness.
• Because there are no leafy greens, leftovers still retain their crunch, so this is a great salad to make in advance. Perfect for meal prep!

Ingredients you need for Asian cashew salad:

Olive Oil: Good quality extra virgin olive oil.

White Vinegar: Gives a great tangy taste to the dressing, you can also substitute with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Sesame Oil: If you want, you can just add extra olive oil instead of sesame oil but the sesame oil gives a great Asian flavor.

Honey: If you want the salad to be vegan, you can substitute with maple syrup instead.

Peanut Butter: You can also substitute this for almond butter or tahini, both will add great flavor! Use regular peanut butter, or the all natural one, both work.

Edamame: If you can find frozen shelled edamame, this will make your life easier! Otherwise, do what I did and boil some edamame pods according to the bag directions, then shell and use in the recipe.

Cabbage: I use both purple and green cabbage but you can use all of one type if you prefer.

Carrot: Make sure to cut these into really thin matchsticks, because you want to be able to fit these in little mouthfuls without breaking your jaw with every bite!

Red Bell Pepper: This adds a mildly sweet flavor, and a beautiful color.

Cilantro: You can leave this out if you don’t like the flavor, but I love having cilantro in Asian inspired dishes.

Cashews: I like using ready roasted and salted cashews, they have so much flavor. You can also use roasted peanuts instead, or raw cashews.

How to make this easy crunchy Asian salad:

1. Make the dressing by shaking together all the dressing ingredients in a jar, or whisking thoroughly with a fork. Set aside, you can store in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Prep the edamame by boiling according to package instructions. Drain.
3. Layer the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, coriander, and green onions in your salad dish. Toss to combine.
4. Top with the edamame and cashew.
5. Right before serving, drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine. Enjoy!

Making ahead and storing leftovers:

If you know you are making this in advance, then I’d store the dressing separately and the salad in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Once you are ready to serve, drizzle the dressing in and toss to combine. I’d also add the cashews right before serving to keep the maximum crunch

If you did toss the salad in the dressing and have leftovers, they’ll still keep really well for 1-2 days. Some things may start to soften, like the cashews and the edamame but it’ll still be delicious!

Expert tips and tricks:

• Shred the cabbage using a coarse grater, or shred with a sharp knife ( I find this easier). Cut the bell pepper and carrots into thin strips so it’s easier to get a little of everything in each bite.
• If you want to cut down on your prep time, then you can purchase a bag of ready mixed slaw, some even come with carrots mixed in!
• Boil the edamame in advance to cut down on your prep time. Try to find ready shelled edamame.
• Add protein by adding shredded chicken, cooked prawns, flaked salmon or even thin slices of steak. All will pair so well!

Asian Cashew Salad FAQs:

For more delicious salad recipes:

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