Asian Broccoli Slaw with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

This crunchy Asian Broccoli Slaw recipe is tossed in a zesty sesame ginger dressing. It's fresh, nutty, and pairs well with almost any meal! (Vegan, gluten-free, refined oil-free.)

This crunchy Asian Broccoli Slaw is packed with fresh flavors and vibrant colors! If you've ever seen bags of pre-shredded broccoli slaw at the store, this is a great way to turn it into something fantastic.

We build on that simple base by adding red cabbage, carrots, green onions, cilantro, and roasted sunflower seeds. Then it's all tossed in a zesty sesame-ginger dressing that's savory, sweet, tangy, nutty, and slightly creamy. (All without any refined oil!)

This slaw is also vegan, gluten-free, and only takes about 20 minutes to assemble. So it's a perfect side dish for summer cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and weeknight dinners. I find it pairs well with almost any meal!

Ingredients for Asian Broccoli Slaw

For this recipe, you'll toss together in a large bowl:

• Broccoli slaw: You'll need a 12-ounce bag of prepared broccoli slaw mix. You can usually find this in the refrigerated produce section of your grocery store. I've seen it labeled as "broccoli slaw" and "broccoli coleslaw". It's shredded stem of broccoli, but sometimes includes other veggies like carrot or cabbage - that's totally okay. (If you can't find broccoli slaw, this recipe should work great with regular coleslaw mix as well.)
• Red cabbage: This adds extra nutrition and beautiful color to the mix!
• Carrot: I buy pre-shredded carrot for convenience. But you can shred or julienne your own if you prefer.
• Green onions: Also called scallions.
• Sunflower seeds: Seek out dry-roasted seeds if you need refined oil-free. I use roasted, salted sunflower seeds.
• Fresh cilantro
• Broccoli slaw dressing: We'll whisk together this flavorful homemade Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing. It's a delicious blend of savory, sweet, tangy, and nutty. (I find one full batch is a great match for the amount of veggies listed, but you can adjust if desired.) Feel free to make this in advance and store it in the fridge until you're ready.

Customizing

Vegetables: Toss in other veggies like red bell pepper, cucumber, sugar snap peas, fresh baby spinach, or anything else that sounds good.

Nuts & seeds: Slivered almonds, roasted cashews, roasted peanuts. (Or simply add more sunflower seeds and sesame seeds which are already included.)

Edamame: Stir in cooked, shelled edamame for extra plant-based protein.

Make it spicy: Give it a kick with red pepper flakes, black pepper, or include sriracha in the dressing.

Health Benefits

Just a quick note because I think it's pretty cool: Broccoli stems are just as nutritious as the florets and even contain more potassium, calcium, and fiber. They're also rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, vitamin K, and folate. As a bonus, their flavor is slightly sweeter and milder than the florets, making them perfect for fresh slaws like this one! (If making your own broccoli slaw from scratch, first peel away the tough outer layer of the stems to reveal the tender, crisp center.)

Serving

Prepping ahead: If making in advance, feel free to store the dressing and veggie mix in separate containers. Then toss together when ready. After it's combined, you can serve it immediately (at room temperature) or let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours first.

Storing

Store your slaw in an airtight container in the fridge. I find it keeps for about 2-3 days. (Once it's tossed with the dressing, the color starts to dull after a day.)

For more inspiration, also browse all vegan side dish recipes.

If you're enjoying this Asian Broccoli Slaw Salad recipe also check out:

• Kale Slaw
• Black Bean Walnut Burger

Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, X (Twitter), or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.