Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Printable version)

Crisp greens, sweet mandarin oranges, and a crunchy sesame topping with tangy Asian dressing in every bite.

# What you 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)
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

# How To:

01 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and chow mein noodles or almonds, sprinkle with sugar, and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate 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.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together 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 - Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the cooled sesame crunch topping over the salad and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sesame crunch topping is genuinely addictive and you will want to put it on everything from soups to ice cream.
  • It comes together fast enough for a weeknight but looks fancy enough that guests always ask for the recipe.
  • The dressing hits every note, sweet, salty, tangy, and nutty, without needing a single specialty ingredient.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad too early the crunch topping will soak up moisture and turn soft, so always add both the dressing and the crunch at the very last second.
  • The sesame crunch mixture hardens as it cools on the pan, so spread it out right away if you want clusters instead of one giant slab.
03 -
  • Toasting the sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding the butter deepens their flavor even more and only takes a moment of patience.
  • If you want the crunch topping in perfect little clusters, spread the warm mixture onto parchment paper and let it cool completely without stirring.

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