Mandarin Sesame Crunch Salad (Printable)

Crisp vegetables, sweet mandarin oranges, and a crunchy sesame topping with tangy ginger-sesame dressing.

# 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 (use vegan butter or 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

# 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. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, thinly 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 - Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the cooled sesame crunch mixture over the top and serve immediately to maintain maximum crunch.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sesame crunch topping is addictive enough that you will want to make double batches just for snacking.
  • It comes together in thirty minutes with zero cooking stress and looks beautiful on any table.
  • The dressing hits every note: sweet, tangy, savory, and just enough ginger warmth to keep things interesting.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad too early the crunch topping will go soggy within minutes, so always keep it separate until the last possible moment.
  • The sesame crunch can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature without losing its texture.
  • Shake or whisk the dressing again right before pouring because it will separate as it sits.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate the ginger so finely that it melts right into the dressing without any stringy bits.
  • Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before adding them to the crunch mixture to double down on the nutty flavor.

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