Best Asian Salad Recipe with Sesame Ginger Dressing
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This easy-to-make Asian salad recipe is packed full of veggies and tossed in a tasty sesame ginger dressing. It’s a fresh, crunchy, and seriously delicious side dish that takes just 15 minutes to make!
Whenever I make this salad for friends, they always ask for the recipe. And one of our readers, Megan, had the same experience. She commented, “I served this salad at a dinner party and received RAVES . . . thank goodness I increased the recipe because every single guest had seconds! Unbelievably delicious and I now make it just for us and plan to do so for dinner tonight. Thank you!!”
I just know that you’re going to love this one too, cause who doesn’t love a salad full of crispy veggies and crunchy roasted peanuts in a sweet sesame dressing? This easy-to-make Asian carrot salad is full of fresh and bright flavors.
This versatile Asian salad with sesame oil, ginger, and cashews is on high rotation in our kitchen. It has a lot going for it, and it’s a crowd-pleaser. We love the delicious mix of crispy veggies, crunchy nuts, fresh herbs, and tangy sesame dressing. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Why you’ll love Asian sesame salad
Here are a few reasons why I know you’ll love this salad recipe:
- It’s full of crunch – the right kind. We grate the carrots so they’re easy enough to chew (unlike chopped carrots.)
- The dressing is simple but delicious. It’s got the perfect sweet-tart combination and pairs perfectly with the subtle sweetness of the carrots.
- The salted peanuts offer the perfect taste and crunch.
- It’s easy to make, and we love easy recipes!
Gather these ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make the Asian salad recipe:
- The veggies: carrots, red pepper, celery, red onion, and cilantro
- Plus these flavor enhancers: toasted sesame seeds and roasted peanuts.
Here’s what you’ll need for the delicious dressing:
- Sesame oil, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic
Make ahead and storage
Make ahead: If you’re prepping for dinner ahead of time, you can chop all the veggies a day in advance and make the dressing several days in advance. But wait until you’re ready to serve it before you mix everything.
Store: While this salad is best eaten shortly after you make it, leftovers can be stored in your fridge and eaten for several days. It’s a great salad to make for meal prep!
Best Asian Salad Recipe with Sesame Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
Asian Salad
- 2 medium carrots (grated)
- 1 medium red pepper (finely diced)
- 2 stalks celery (finely diced)
- ¼ medium red onion (finely diced)
- ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts (can sub almonds or cashews)
Sesame Dressing
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 small garlic clove (grated (preferably with a Microplane))
- A pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Combine all the sesame dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake it well.2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 small garlic clove, A pinch of sea salt
- Add the Asian salad ingredients to a medium-sized bowl.2 medium carrots, 1 medium red pepper, 2 stalks celery, ¼ medium red onion, ¼ cup cilantro , 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat.
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
How to serve this Asian inspired salad
This versatile carrot salad recipe is perfect for pairing with any Asian-inspired meal. I love serving it alongside some slow-baked Asian salmon or glazed hoisin chicken drumsticks and our favorite coconut rice.
And if you love Asian-inspired salads, also try my easy Asian coleslaw made with mandarin oranges and cashews and Asian noodle salad with crunchy peanuts and sesame dressing!
Asian salad variations
There are lots of ways to customize this beautiful salad. Here are a few ideas to mix up:
- Add in some cooked edamame to make it a little more filling.
- Swap the peanuts for cashews or almonds.
- Use black sesame seeds (or a mix of black and white) for visual pop.
- Add some grated or julienned Asian pear for a more juicy crunch.
- Use orange juice instead of lemon in the dressing for a unique citrus-orange taste.
Hello! It looks great and I am looking for an Asian salad recipe. Do you use toasted sesame oil or regular sesame oil? There is a big difference so I wanted to ask. Thank you!
I use toasted sesame oil!
Has anyone tried with lime instead of lemon?
Lime is more Asian.
I think that lime would be great in this recipe, too!
I served this salad at a dinner party and received RAVES . . . thank goodness I increased the recipe because every single guest had seconds! Unbelievably delicious and I now make it just for us and plan to do so for dinner tonight. Thank you!!
I’m so happy to hear that the recipe was a hit! Thanks, Megan!
I made this for my girlfriends get together on Saturday. i added in shredded cabbage (red and white.) It was a huge hit and guess what? It makes great leftovers. I am enjoying it as I type this! Highly recommend.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Marta!
Easy, tasty and so pretty! I added store bought chopped slaw mix to it. Delicious!
So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Can I make this a day ahead or is it better made fresh?
It is better fresh. If you’re making it for a party, you can make the dressing the day before. You can even put all the salad ingredients into a bowl and just wait to pour the dressing on until you’re going to serve it.
Delicious and fresh! The dressing is amazing.
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!
Fabulous! I’ve now made it quite a few times and each time friends & family are really complimentary. It’s easy to make and the dressing really elevates it from ‘good’ to ‘sublime’!!
That’s so wonderful to hear! Hooray!!
Absolutely superb! Cannot fault it. Thank you ?
So happy to hear you liked it!!
I haven’t made this yet but it’s scheduled to pair with my 5 spice salmon on Thursday! I just wanted to say that i have no issue with calling a salad an asian salad. I typed into Google Asian salad recipe and boom yours came up first which means I am definitely not the only person to search for an “Asian salad”. If anything the names the perfect describes and the easiest way to search for the flavours you want. That garlicy gingery tangy yet sweet flavour to me is “asian”. Sooo I think your good.
Thanks for the recipe!
Mardi
I’m happy to hear I’m not the only one!!
Wonderful! Loved it so much i put it in my recipe box (on a handmade card), who does that anymore…. that’s how much i loved it!
I love that you still do that! Horray for loving the recipe!!
Delicious! I had it with a low carb Tom Ghan soup. Perfect compliment dish. I added cucumber sliced and sliced almonds. p.s. I’m also a nurse turned Product Manager and amateur cook! Thanks for the dish… And keep up the good work!
I love that we’ve followed a similar career path! Yay for cooking and food!!
Just tried this recipe, and it was wonderful! Didn’t have celery but added shredded nappa cabbage instead. I used sesame seeds instead of cashews, and doubled the dressing, using the second half of it as a Marinade for two chicken breasts which I then grilled, sliced and placed on top of what turned out to be two very large dinner salads. This was excellent, refreshing, and had a beautiful presentation, thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe. I think I’ll be making this often!!
Good call on using the dressing to marinate chicken. I think I’m going to do the same next time I make this!
Wow what a great recipe! I made it for BBQ & everyone love it. I added chilies & cucumber and still taste amazing.
Made this with grilled chicken and rice noodles for dinner – it was soooo good, and so easy. Bursting with flavour. Thanks for a great recipe!
just had the salad and really liked it. Thank you.