
Easy Asian Coleslaw with Orange Sesame Dressing
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This colorful and delicious Asian Coleslaw Recipe makes the perfect side to any BBQ. It's loaded with crunchy veggies, sweet mandarin oranges, and roasted cashews and tossed in a (mayo-free!) creamy orange sesame dressing. You will LOVE it!

Salad season has officially arrived and I have the most delicious Asian coleslaw recipe for you. It is delicious enough to eat as a stand-alone, veggie-loaded meal but I love it as a healthy side for whatever I've got sizzling on the BBQ.
All about the best Asian coleslaw recipe:
- Any coleslaw is only as good as what it's tossed in and this Asian coleslaw is tossed in a sesame mandarin dressing that is INSANE. It's seriously delicious enough to warrant that full caps yelling. Creamy from the tahini (no mayo!) and sweet from the juiced mandarin and a little honey or maple syrup, this salad dressing is bursting with flavor.
- Mandarins. Because there are no better oranges.
- Cashews. Or roasted garlic cashews because they are the best things ever.
- All the crunchy veggies tossed together like a pretty rainbow.
Video: how to make this Easy Asian Coleslaw recipe

Mayo-Free Coleslaw Dressing
Don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for mayo-based coleslaw dressings. But when your coleslaw is sitting out for an hour at a picnic or BBQ, you want a mayo-free dressing.
Or when you're trying to lighten things up, mayo-free is the way to go.
This Asian coleslaw dressing has the perfect mild creaminess from a little tahini. ← also big-time flavor going on here because of that sesame paste.
Here's how to make your Asian Coleslaw Dressing:
Step 1: put everything into a jar and give it a good shake.
Step 2: celebrate that there is no step two! ?

See those cashews up there? Those delicious little things are garlic roasted cashews. And they're the best things ever.
If the store you shop at carries something similar, buy them! If not, buy roasted and salted cashews.
But always be on the lookout for garlic roasted cashews. They're pretty much life-changing. One day I'll experiment with making my own with some garlic powder. When I do, you'll be the first to know.

See that perfect salad dressing pour up there? I owe a shout-out to my dad for that one. He's often a TEM taste-testing guinea pig when he comes over for dinner. This time I put him to work with the photoshoot.
Thanks for the help, dad! I'll pay you with burgers and Asian coleslaw anytime.
And if you're looking for another delicious summer salad recipe, check out my Greek Salad Recipe!

Easy Coleslaw Recipes:
- Classic Broccoli Coleslaw with Lemon Buttermilk Dressing
- Broccoli, Cauliflower, Blueberry Coleslaw
- Carrot, Beet, and Apple Coleslaw with Cumin Mint Vinaigrette
- Fennel Apple Coleslaw with Candied Almonds

Easy Asian Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients
Orange Sesame Dressing
- Juice from 1 mandarin orange (about ¼ cup)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons each: toasted sesame oil and avocado oil (or another light flavored oil)
- 2 tablespoons each: rice wine vinegar, honey (or maple syrup for vegan), and soy sauce (sub coco aminos for paleo)
- ½ teaspoon each: finely minced ginger and garlic
Easy Asian Coleslaw
- 1 lb thinly shaved cabbage (I like half purple and half green cabbage)
- 2 carrots (sliced into thin strips (a mandolin works great for this))
- 1 red pepper (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup roasted salted cashews
- 3 mandarin oranges (peeled and segmented)
- ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a 2 cup glass jar and give it a good shake. It's ready to go when it's creamy. Note: if your tahini is very thick, mix it with the orange juice first then add the rest of the ingredients and shake.Juice from 1 mandarin orange, 2 tablespoons tahini, 3 tablespoons each: toasted sesame oil and avocado oil, 2 tablespoons each: rice wine vinegar, honey (or maple syrup for vegan), and soy sauce (sub coco aminos for paleo), ½ teaspoon each: finely minced ginger and garlic
- Add all the Asian coleslaw ingredients to a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat.1 lb thinly shaved cabbage, 2 carrots, 1 red pepper, ½ cup roasted salted cashews, 3 mandarin oranges, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.