Chinese-American Coleslaw with Sesame Soy Dressing

This Chinese-American coleslaw is one of those recipes that feels like a little family treasure. 💛

It’s inspired by a coleslaw my dad used to make all the time — crunchy, sweet, tangy, a little spice, and so flavorful without being heavy. The kind of salad that doesn’t feel like “ugh, I guess we should eat vegetables”… it feels like a reward.

I’ve adapted it over the years to work with ingredients I can actually find easily here in small-town Wisconsin (because while I love a specialty market… I don’t always find what I need). The good news is: it still has the same amazing taste and texture, and it’s easy enough to throw together any night of the week.

This slaw is perfect for serving with Asian-Style Po’Boys, grilled meats, baked or fried fish, rice bowls, dumplings… or honestly just eaten straight out of the bowl while you “clean the kitchen.”
(A very real and important hobby.)

Why You’ll Love This Chinese-American Coleslaw

• Crisp + crunchy with the best texture
• Sweet + tangy (with a slight kick) dressing that balances everything
• Easy to prep with simple, everyday ingredients
• Perfect for same-day meal prep (make it ahead and let it chill!)
• Great for parties and weeknight dinners alike

It’s fresh, bold, and the toasted walnuts add the kind of crunch that makes you go “wait… what is that??” in the best way.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Coleslaw

• 4 cups Chinese Napa cabbage, thinly sliced/shredded
• 1 small carrot, shredded
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped or torn
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

For the Sesame Soy Dressing

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Chili Crisp
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, grated

Ingredient Notes + Easy Swaps

Napa Cabbage vs. Coleslaw Mix

Napa cabbage is a little more tender and has that perfect “crisp but not tough” bite. That said, bagged coleslaw mix works great and keeps this recipe super convenient.

Walnuts

Toasted walnuts give this slaw a cozy, slightly nutty crunch. If you don’t have walnuts, you can swap in:

• sliced almonds
• cashews
• sesame seeds

Nut allergy? Skip the nuts completely — it’ll still be delicious.

Cilantro

If cilantro isn’t your thing (I hear you, cilantro soap club 😆), you can:

• leave it out completely
• or swap in fresh parsley

Soy Sauce

Chinese light soy sauce or Japanese dark soy sauce is best for this recipe.
If you want to learn the difference (and which one to keep in your pantry), check out my Soy Sauce 101 post!

Gluten-Free Tip: Use tamari instead of soy sauce.

Want more heat?

This recipe includes a small amount of chili crisp for a gentle kick. If you love spice, feel free to add a little extra on top or mix in another teaspoon.

How to Toast Walnuts (Quick Tip)

Toasting the walnuts takes this from “good” to wow.

Stovetop method:

1. Add walnuts to a dry skillet over medium heat.
2. Toast 2–4 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Remove as soon as they smell nutty (don’t walk away—nuts burn fast!).

How to Make Chinese-American Coleslaw

1) Make the dressing

Whisk everything together until the honey is dissolved and the chili crisp is evenly mixed in.

• vegetable oil
• rice wine vinegar
• soy sauce
• honey
• toasted sesame oil
• grated garlic
• Chili Crisp

2) Add the slaw ingredients

Add to the bowl:

• shredded cabbage
• shredded carrot
• salt
• toasted walnuts
• cilantro
• green onion

3) Toss until coated

Toss everything well until the dressing coats all the cabbage evenly.

4) Serve or chill

You can serve it right away, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Make Ahead + Storage Tips

This slaw is great for prepping early because the flavor gets even better after a little rest.

• Serve immediately if you want it extra crunchy.
• Chill 30 minutes for the best flavor.
• Store covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.

After day 2, it’ll still taste good, but it becomes softer as the cabbage breaks down.

What to Serve with This Slaw

This recipe is especially perfect with:

• Chinese-Style Po’Boys (the dream combo!)
• fried shrimp or fried fish
• rice bowls or noodle bowls
• dumplings
• pulled chicken sandwiches
• grilled steak or pork (check out my Chinese Five Spice Marinade)
• potstickers + quick weeknight meals

Basically… if your dinner needs crunch, this slaw is ready for duty. 🥬✨

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