Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Printable Version)

Crisp vegetables, sweet mandarin oranges, and crunchy sesame topping with a tangy Asian 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
15 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make:

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 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, thinly sliced red bell pepper, drained mandarin orange segments, and sliced green onions. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, freshly grated ginger, and minced garlic until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the assembled salad and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the cooled sesame crunch topping over the salad and serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sesame crunch topping tastes like something you would find at a really good restaurant, but it takes barely five minutes to make.
  • It is one of those salads that actually keeps well for leftovers because the crunch stays separate until you are ready.
  • You probably have most of the dressing ingredients sitting in your pantry right now.
02 -
  • Keep the sesame crunch separate from the salad until the very last second or it will go soft and lose everything that makes it special.
  • The dressing can be made up to three days ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge, but the ginger flavor intensifies over time.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet for the sesame crunch so nothing stacks up and steams instead of toasting, a single thin layer is the goal.
  • Let the dressed salad sit for just two minutes before serving so the greens soften slightly and absorb the flavors without going limp.

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