Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Printable Version)
Crisp vegetables, sweet mandarin oranges, and crunchy sesame topping with tangy ginger dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, spinach, or arugula)
02 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
03 - 1 cup shredded carrots
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup canned mandarin orange segments, drained
06 - 2 green onions, sliced
→ Sesame Crunch Topping
07 - 1 cup crunchy chow mein noodles or slivered almonds
08 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
09 - 1 tablespoon butter (or vegan butter for plant-based version)
10 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
→ Sesame Dressing
11 - 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
12 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
15 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and chow mein noodles or slivered almonds. Sprinkle with sugar and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, sliced red bell pepper, drained mandarin orange segments, and sliced green onions. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, freshly grated ginger, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Pour the dressing over the assembled salad just before serving and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the cooled sesame crunch topping generously over the salad. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sesame crunch topping is dangerously addictive and you will want to put it on everything.
- It comes together in thirty minutes flat with zero cooking stress.
- The dressing hits every note: sweet, tangy, savory, and just enough ginger heat to keep things interesting.
02 -
- The sesame crunch softens quickly once it hits the dressing, so always add it at the very last second for maximum crackle.
- Tasting the dressing before dressing the salad saved me from a too salty batch when my soy sauce was saltier than expected.
03 -
- Freeze your ginger root and grate it straight from frozen for fine, juicy shreds with zero stringy fibers.
- Double the dressing recipe and keep the extra in a jar in the fridge for impromptu salads all week long.