Fresh and Crunchy Vietnamese Coleslaw

Nothing is more satisfying than a good crunchy Vietnamese coleslaw, especially with meats from the grill.  When I am looking for a perky side dish to jazz up a meal and complement the other flavours on my table, I often turn to a zesty, colourful coleslaw.

This Vietnamese coleslaw is delicious on burgers and sandwiches.  It is also a perfect underpinning for grilled meats or baked tofu.  The tartness of lime and the freshness of the herbs wake your palate so you can better enjoy the other foods on your plate.

Personally, I have never been a creamy coleslaw fan.  However, I find a crunchy coleslaw with tart, salty, sweet dressing hard to resist.  This recipe hits all those notes.  Plus, it’s super healthy.

Cabbage, An Underrated Nutritional Powerhouse

Cabbage may look a lot like lettuce.  However, it’s actually a member of the brassica family. So, it’s a relative of broccoli, cauliflower and kale.  Just like those vegetables, cabbage is a a nutritional overachiever.

A mere cup of cabbage contains:

• Vitamin K: 85% of the RDI
• Vitamin C: 54% of the RDI
• Folate: 10% of the RDI
• Manganese: 7% of the RDI
• Vitamin B6: 6% of the RDI
• Calcium: 4% of the RDI
• Potassium: 4% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 3% of the RDI

Plus, it is high in fibre and rich in antioxidants.

A recent Danish study demonstrated that cabbage is linked to a significant reduction in risk for type 2 diabetes.  In addition, it improves digestion and has been shown to contribute to cardiovascular health.

Thus, any recipe that makes cabbage easy to eat and delicious deserves to be part of your family’s repertoire.

About this Recipe

Vietnamese fresh rolls are a treat my family really enjoys.  In fact, I’ve found that fresh rolls are a terrific way of sneaking lots of healthy veggies into unsuspecting children!  However, fresh rolls are slightly fussy to make and not something I am up to every day to the week.

So, I decided to develop a simple Vietnamese coleslaw with the flavours my family enjoys so much in those fresh rolls.  What I love about this recipe is the fact that it’s fast enough to eat on busy weeknights.  In fact, when I’m really pressed for time, I pick up a bag of pre-shredded slaw mix at the supermarket and use that to make this crunchy, nutritious salad!

I hope your family enjoys this nutrition-packed salad as much as mine does.  Bon appétit!

Yum

Fresh and Crunchy Vietnamese Coleslaw

February 21, 2018

by Jeanette Marie

Cuisine Vietnamese

Category Gluten free Salads

Persons

6

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette

• 2 limes, juice of
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 Thai red chilies, finely chopped, or to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• salt, to taste

For the Salad

• 350 grams (12 oz) shredded cabbage (purple or green)
• 4 spring onions, finely shredded
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander (stems and leaves), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Taste for salt, and adjust as needed. Then, set aside to allow the flavours to blend.
2. Meanwhile, toss the salad ingredients together in a bowl, until all the vegetables are well distributed.
3. Drizzle dressing over the vegetables, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

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Tags

coleslaw,

Gluten free,

recipe,

salad,

Vietnamese