A bright and refreshing Japanese coleslaw made with a mix of oil and vinegar and a little extra!
Spring is almost here and I can feel it in the air!
The birds are back and I can see teeny tiny buds growing on tree branches. The sun is shining a little stronger than a week ago and all I want to do is take long and slow walks in the middle of the day. I love this time of the year because it signifies the rebirth of everything surrounding me, including myself!
As much as I think a fresh coat of snow can be one of the most beautiful and romantic things to see, deep down inside I am a sunshine girl. I need to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin and absorb some of that vitamin D to perk me up. It’s also the time when I get excited about making quick and easy dishes like this Japanese coleslaw. After all, who wants to stay indoors when it’s this beautiful outside?!
Japanese cabbage salad is something that’s very common in Japanese cuisine. It’s very simple and tastes extremely refreshing and cleansing.
There are many different versions of Japanese coleslaw but most of them include soy sauce and a squirt of lemon juice. Think of when you order tonkatsu or any fried dishes at your favorite Japanese restaurant. Chances are the fried portion of the meal will most likely come on top or next to a mountain of shredded cabbage salad dressed with a soy sauce and lemon vinaigrette.
That’s the traditional way Japanese coleslaw is served and I could eat it every day. My husband on the other hand prefers flavors that are more acidic and pungent so instead of using lemons, I am using rice vinegar and bonito flakes (katsuobushi) to suit his palate.
The result is just as refreshing but with more kick and depth of flavor.
The combination of all seven ingredients tastes like a mix between a Vietnamese chicken slaw and a traditional Japanese cabbage salad. A little pungent, nutty, salty and acidic. For this recipe I’m using a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix in order to keep it as quick and easy as possible. This Japanese cabbage salad takes less than 5 minutes to make from start to finish!
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together in a bowl and pour it over the shredded coleslaw mix. Toss well and top with sesame seeds and bonito flakes
Notes
This Japanese coleslaw will keep refrigerated for 1-2 days.
Bought some coleslaw mix today and made the sauce. Very good. Also had goma and furikake with bonita.
Do you have a ginger dressing for lettuce? Always get it in a Japanese resturant.
Hi Kuba, I have a ginger carrot dressing which you can find by typing ‘japanese ginger carrot dressing’ in the search box 🙂 I hope it’s the one you are looking for!
Instead of using pre-shredded coleslaw mix, I used pre-packaged japanese cabbage salad. My guested loved it and I didn’t need any of the other ingedients.
Caroline Caron-Phelps is a Japanese/French Canadian recipe creator, food blogger, and photographer. She showcases delicious, authentic Asian recipes, especially Japanese, vegan, and vegetarian, with beautiful photography, easy-to-follow instructions, videos, and practical recipe variations. Caroline has been featured on Bon Appetit, Shape Magazine, Self, Today Show, and more.
Clarification please: light soy sauce meaning low sodium or Usukuchi Shoyu?
Hi Andrea! It’s usukuchi 🙂
hello, used kadoya sesame oil instead of canola oil and added a bit of crushed and minced garlic – took this dish to another level!
Bought some coleslaw mix today and made the sauce. Very good. Also had goma and furikake with bonita.
Do you have a ginger dressing for lettuce? Always get it in a Japanese resturant.
★★★★★
Hi Kuba, I have a ginger carrot dressing which you can find by typing ‘japanese ginger carrot dressing’ in the search box 🙂 I hope it’s the one you are looking for!
I make this recipe and it taste good
Thank you for providing such a fantastic recipe.
★★★★★
Instead of using pre-shredded coleslaw mix, I used pre-packaged japanese cabbage salad. My guested loved it and I didn’t need any of the other ingedients.
That’s great Ahito! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Would apple cider vinegar be ok to use if you don’t have rice vinegar?
Hi Anna! Yes, apple cider is okay to use 🙂
you can sub Braggs Liquid Aminos for soy sauce to be GF.
Thank you Bonnie for the tip!