Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Printable)
Crisp vegetables, sweet mandarin oranges, and crunchy sesame topping with a tangy ginger-sesame 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 (or vegan butter/oil for vegan version)
10 - 1 tablespoon 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 pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and chow mein noodles or almonds, sprinkle with sugar, and toast for 3 to 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, 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.
04 - Pour the dressing over the assembled salad and toss to coat all ingredients evenly. Sprinkle the cooled sesame crunch topping over the salad and serve immediately to maintain maximum crispness.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sesame crunch topping is the kind of texture trick that makes people ask what your secret is, and you get to decide whether to tell them.
- It travels beautifully for lunches and potlucks without wilting into sadness like most dressed salads.
02 -
- If you dress the salad and let it sit, the crunch topping wilts into sogginess and the whole point collapses, so always keep components separate until serving time.
- Toasting the sesame seeds a minute too long is the difference between nutty and bitter, so pull the pan off heat when they still look slightly pale.
03 -
- Shake the dressing in a mason jar instead of whisking it, because a tight lid means you can store leftovers in the same container without dirtying anything extra.
- Toast a double batch of the sesame crunch and keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for spontaneous salads all week long.