Now that the weather is warming up, salads and slaws are always on the menu in my house! One of the easiest (and tastiest) slaws to make is this Asian Slaw with Nuoc Cham Dressing. Nuoc Cham is found on most Vietnamese tables as a dipping sauce, but here I’ve made it into a super delicious dressing for this mildly spicy slaw.

How to make this slaw recipe

This slaw is so easy it barely needs an explanation! Am I right?

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cabbages, pickled onions, sliced jalapeños, and cilantro.
Mix together with the Nuoc Cham dressing until thoroughly coated.

How to make pickled onions

Add sliced red onions to a medium bowl. Pour boiling water over the onions to cover and let sit for 20 seconds. Drain onions and place in jar or bowl.
Heat apple cider vinegar, lime juice, 1/8 cup sugar, chili flakes, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes.
Pour vinegar mixture over onions.
Allow to stand at room temperature, until fully cooled. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

How to make Nuoc Cham dressing

In a medium glass mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fish sauce, lime zest, lime juice, sambal oelek, cilantro, mint, shallots, garlic, sugar, and salt and taste for seasoning (ie, more salt).
Store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks or freeze for up to six months.

Nuoc Cham dipping sauce is a staple at most Vietnamese tables. This sauce compliments so many Asian dishes and we’ve prepared our own version of this versatile sauce. This magic sauce goes great with seafood, but also with steak, spring rolls, Asian salads, you name it! Easy to prepare, you can whip this up in about 10 minutes!

TIPS & TRICKS

You can buy pre-shredded veggies for the quickest preparation. There are often a variety of cabbages in one bag, plus shredded carrots. Make it easy on yourself!
Sometimes I like to throw roasted peanuts on top of this slaw for more texture. I have some family members with peanut allergies so I don’t always add them!
Nuoc Cham also makes a great dipping sauce! This magic sauce goes great with seafood, but also with steak, spring rolls, Asian salads, you name it!

WANT MORE?

If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Japanese Bean Sprouts Salad. It’s quick and easy, and so refreshing!

Asian Slaw with Nuoc Cham Dressing

★★★★★ 5 from 8 reviews

Author: Asian Caucasian
Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Salads
Method: No cook
Cuisine: Asian-Fusion

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Description

Tangy, sweet and spicy, this Asian Slaw with Nuoc Cham Dressing is perfect as a side dish or on top of any protein like fish, burgers, or chicken!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Slaw:

½ cup shredded red cabbage
½ cup shredded napa cabbage
½ cup pickled red onions
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
½ cup matchstick carrots
½ cup fresh cilantro

For the Nuoc Cham:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus juice from 1 lime
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (red chili paste)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch Kosher salt

Instructions

To make the Nuoc Cham: In a medium glass mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients together and taste for seasoning (more salt). Store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. (This also makes a great dipping sauce for so many Asian dishes!)

To make the Slaw: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the shredded cabbages, pickled onions, sliced jalapeños, carrots and cilantro. Toss thoroughly with the Nuoc Cham dressing. Top with roasted peanuts if desired.

Notes

You can buy pre-shredded veggies for the quickest preparation. There are often a variety of cabbages in one bag, plus shredded carrots. Make it easy on yourself!
Sometimes I like to throw roasted peanuts on top of this slaw for more texture. I have some family members with peanut allergies so I don’t always add them!
Nuoc Cham also makes a great dipping sauce! This magic sauce goes great with seafood, but also with steak, spring rolls, Asian salads, you name it!

Keywords: Asian slaw, healthy slaw, slaw, nuoc cham