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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad with a Crunchy Topping

    UPDATED May 19, 2020 · PUBLISHED Oct 22, 2013 BY Marjory Pilley · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Chinese Cabbage Salad Pinterest

    Chinese napa cabbage salad is tossed with a sesame soy dressing and topped with ramen noodles and slivered almonds that have been crisped in butter. A party favorite!

    Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad in a bowl with two forks next to it

    Have you ever been to potluck dinner where there’s a salad that’s the talk of the food table? Caribbean Salad with Honey Lime Dressing and Cucumber Onion Salad wear this badge of honor.

    Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad with a crunchy noodle and nut topping is a contender for the hall of fame of side dish cookout recipes.

    It’s tasty and unique and you just can’t get enough of it. You want to sneak seconds (and maybe even thirds.) But, well…it just wouldn’t be polite to gobble it all up before everyone else has had a chance to experience its deliciousness. I confess I have to reign in this type of behavior at times.

    The crunchy topping of ramen noodles and almonds browned in butter is what really takes this dish over the top. But, I love the dressing with a hint of sesame too. It's similar to the Sesame Dressing used in Chicken Arugula Rice Salad.

    The light, crinkly napa cabbage with it's tender and slightly peppery flavor makes it easy to devour.

    head of Chinese Napa Cabbage

    In case you're not familiar with it, this is Nappa or Napa or Chinese or celery cabbage. Yep, it goes by all these names.

    I didn’t bring this Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad to the get-together, another mom did. And, she was kind enough to share the recipe with everyone so we could all go home and make up a gigantic salad that we wouldn’t have to share with anyone. 🙂 That was 10 years ago at T-ball end of season party. Yikes. Where does the time go?

    Over the years, I've lightened it up quite a bit by using less butter and some olive oil. I also nixed the seasoning packet that comes with the ramen noodles which eliminates that animal protein...not to mention, there's just too much MSG and artificial ingredients in that little packet. You won't miss it.

    Serving Suggestions and Tips

    • Make the dressing and crunchy topping ahead of time. Keep separate until ready to serve. The cabbage also stores well after you chop it for a day or two.
    • Add shrimp or chicken (or your favorite protein) for a complete, one-dish meal.
    • Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
    • Another option is to use pre-shredded coleslaw found in the produce area.

    two bowls of chinese napa cabbage salad with name of recipe in between

    I hope you enjoy this party favorite!

    Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad with a Crunchy Topping

    Chinese Napa cabbage salad is tossed with sesame soy dressing and topped with ramen noodles and slivered almonds browned in butter. A party favorite!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 632kcal
    Author: Marjory Pilley

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 1 large head crinkly Chinese cabbage aka Napa cabbage thinly sliced
    • 5-6 green onions sliced thin

    Dressing

    • ½ cup canola oil
    • 2 Tablespoons Stevia Blend to equal ¼ cup of sugar
    • ⅓ cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

    Crunchy Topping

    • 2 Tablespoons butter margarine or dairy-free substitute
    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 package Top Ramen noodles broken into small pieces (any flavor, we discarded the packet, but it can be used if desired)
    • 1 cup slivered almonds
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Mix sliced cabbage and green onions in a large bowl.
    • Combine dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight lid and shake well to mix.
    • Pour dressing over cabbage mixture, toss to coat and set aside.
    • In a large frying pan, melt butter and stir in olive oil.
    • Add broken noodles, almonds and salt (if desired.)
    • Saute until noodles and nuts are lightly golden brown.
    • Sprinkle crunchy noodles and almonds over the cabbage mixture.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 815mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1043IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 265mg | Iron: 3mg
    Nutritional and Food Safety Disclaimer

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kathy

      March 26, 2014 at 12:31 pm

      this is a yummy salad!! I always add a little toasted sesame oil the dressing and it makes it even better. Toasted sesame oil is strong and a little goes a long way! yum!

      Reply
      • Marjory

        March 26, 2014 at 1:17 pm

        Toasted sesame oil is awesome! Thanks for the tip.

        Reply
      • Jackie

        April 22, 2020 at 6:51 pm

        I came searching for this recipe after having a “crunchy Chinese salad” at a restaurant near my work. I love to try and see if I can replicate meals I order out at home. I remember telling my co-worker, “I could eat this at every meal for the rest of my life.” Your recipe seriously tastes spot on! The only thing I did differently the second time making this salad was toasting the sliced almonds and ramen noodles in some coconut oil and sesame oil instead of butter. I liked that flavor a little better- and it ended up being less greasy than using butter and olive oil.

        Reply
    2. Claire

      September 03, 2017 at 7:18 am

      Lovely recipie. I substituted lime juice and honey for the vinegar and sugar in the dressing. Delicious, thank you.

      Reply
    3. Karen

      February 04, 2018 at 12:27 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this for a party and it was HUGE hit. So tasty!

      Reply
      • Marjory

        February 04, 2018 at 3:34 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    4. Shayne

      August 04, 2019 at 7:52 pm

      Can this be made a day in advance without the ramen becoming soggy? Thank you

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        August 05, 2019 at 7:15 am

        Hi! I've not tried making the topping the day before. Unfortunately, I do think it will become a little softer if you do that. The cabbage can definitely be prepped in advance as well as the dressing.

        Reply
    5. Rebecca

      September 10, 2019 at 4:35 pm

      5 stars
      Made this on Sunday and there was none left. My oldest son was raving, and that takes alot. Tonight we're having blackened chicken breast AND lemon pepper chicken ( granda- daughter's favorite) and this salad again. Yes, I'm making enough for leftovers. Great ideas. My daughter and I just discovered your website and love it. So impressed with the clean and easy recipes. What's not to like? I even signed up for your e-class, something I never do.
      Thanks again for your delicious recipes and hard work.

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        September 11, 2019 at 2:31 pm

        Yay! Made my day! 🙂 I appreciate your kind words and hope you find more recipes to love!

        Reply
    6. Aline

      April 08, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Loved it thx for sharing ❤️ So yummy 😋🙏

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        April 08, 2020 at 9:54 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    7. Diana Mc

      August 03, 2021 at 12:59 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful salad! I kept the dressing in a separate container so the salad would stay crisp. I did use Stevia instead of sugar and a leek for the green onions because I had it on hand. My husband added chicken to his, but I ate it without. Fantastic for leftovers.

      Reply

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