Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Printable version)
Crisp vegetables, sweet mandarin oranges, and toasted sesame crunch with tangy dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, spinach, 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 (use vegan butter or oil for vegan 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 Prepare:
01 - Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and chow mein noodles or slivered almonds, then sprinkle with sugar. Toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed salad greens, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, 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. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust sweetness or acidity as desired.
04 - Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat all ingredients evenly. Sprinkle the cooled sesame crunch topping generously over the top. Serve immediately to maintain maximum crunch and freshness.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The sesame crunch topping is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything once you try it.
- It comes together in under thirty minutes with zero cooking stress and maximum flavor payoff.
02 -
- If you dress the salad too early the greens will collapse and the crunch topping will go soggy, so always wait until the very last moment.
- Letting the sesame crunch cool completely on a plate instead of in the hot skillet prevents it from over browning and keeps the texture shatteringly crisp.
03 -
- Use a microplane to grate the ginger as finely as possible so it blends into the dressing instead of leaving stringy bits behind.
- Double the sesame crunch batch because you will find yourself sprinkling it over rice bowls, stir fries, and plain greens for days afterward.