Chinese Napa Cabbage Salad with Rice Noodles Recipe
This crunchy salad with Napa cabbage and rice noodles is a lighter, salad-style take on Chinese stir-fry dishes. In China, similar salads are often served as cold appetizers before hot courses. It’s fresh, slightly tangy, with delicate noodles and a nutty sesame note – perfect for a summer lunch or as a side to grilled meat.
This salad combines the freshness of raw vegetables with the comfort of noodles and a fragrant sesame dressing. It’s inspired by Chinese cold appetizers, but adapted to be an easy, everyday dish that works both as a side and as a light main.
Chef's tips
Don’t skip rinsing the noodles in cold water – it stops the cooking and prevents them from sticking together. If you’re preparing the salad ahead of time, keep the vegetables, noodles, and dressing separate and combine them just before serving for the best crunch.
How to serve
Serve in a large bowl family-style, topped with extra toasted sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onion. It pairs well with grilled chicken, tofu, or simple pan-fried dumplings. For a more filling meal, add strips of baked tofu or leftover roast chicken directly into the salad.
Ingredients
- Napa cabbage half a medium head, finely shredded - 400 g
- rice noodles - 80 g
- carrot grated on a coarse grater or cut into thin matchsticks - 1 piece
- fresh cucumber cut into thin strips - 0.5 pieces
- spring onion cut into thin slices - 2 pieces
- garlic finely chopped - 1 clove
- rice vinegar can be replaced with light white wine vinegar - 3 tablespoons
- soy sauce - 2 tablespoons
- sesame oil for flavor, can be replaced with rapeseed oil and a teaspoon of tahini - 1.5 tablespoons
- sugar balances the sour taste - 1 teaspoon
- sesame seeds toasted in a dry pan - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Pour boiling water over the rice noodles for 3–4 minutes (or according to the package instructions) until they soften. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
- Finely shred the Napa cabbage. Transfer it to a large bowl.
- Grate the carrot on a coarse grater or cut it into thin matchsticks. Cut the cucumber into thin strips. Slice the spring onion thinly. Add everything to the bowl with the cabbage.
- In a small bowl, mix together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, chopped garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Cut the cooled rice noodles into shorter pieces with kitchen scissors (they’ll be easier to eat). Add them to the bowl with the vegetables.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the salad. Mix thoroughly with your hands or large spoons so the dressing coats every piece of cabbage and noodle.
- Sprinkle the salad with toasted sesame seeds. Set aside for 10–15 minutes at room temperature to let the flavors meld.
- Taste before serving and, if needed, adjust the seasoning with extra soy sauce, vinegar, or a pinch of sugar.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Kapusta z czasem lekko zmięknie, ale nadal będzie smaczna. Nie mroź, bo warzywa stracą chrupkość, a makaron się rozpadnie.
