Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Printable)
Crisp vegetables, sweet mandarin oranges, and a toasted sesame crunch with tangy ginger dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, spinach, or 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 for dairy-free)
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
# Directions:
01 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and chow mein noodles or slivered almonds, sprinkle with sugar, and toast for 3–4 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 until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the assembled salad and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the cooled sesame crunch topping over the top and serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sesame crunch topping is dangerously addictive and you will want to put it on everything.
- It comes together in under thirty minutes with zero cooking stress.
02 -
- Add the sesame crunch at the very last second or it will soften and lose the texture that makes this salad special.
- The dressing intensifies as it sits so make it up to two days ahead but keep it refrigerated in a jar.
03 -
- Toast the sesame crunch just until you think it might be getting too dark, because it continues cooking from residual heat after you pull it off the stove.
- A tiny pinch of red pepper flakes in the dressing adds a gentle heat that most people cannot identify but everyone enjoys.