Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Print Version)
Crisp vegetables, sweet mandarin oranges, and toasted sesame crunch 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 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 Make It:
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. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Pour the dressing over the assembled salad just before serving and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the cooled sesame crunch topping over the salad. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sesame crunch topping is absurdly addictive and you will want to eat it by the handful before it ever reaches the salad.
- It comes together in under thirty minutes with zero oven time, which makes it a lifesaver on hot days when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
- If you dress the salad too early, the crunch topping will go soggy and the greens will wilt, so always wait until the very last moment.
- The crunch mixture hardens as it cools, so spread it on parchment paper in a single layer or it will clump into one giant sticky sheet.
03 -
- Grate the ginger directly into the dressing using a microplane so the fibers melt right in and you never bite into a stringy piece.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for one minute before adding them to the crunch mixture for an extra layer of nutty flavor.