Crispy cabbage, carrot, onion and red bell pepper are tossed in a quick and easy dressing featuring Gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger. Simple Spicy Korean Coleslaw is flavorful and delicious!
Side salads don’t have to be boring! This coleslaw uses Gochujang Korean chili paste to kick up the spice level just enough to make it interesting. Adding the dressing ahead of time and giving the coleslaw time to soak in the flavors lets the cabbage become infused with soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger.
As a side or as an addition to a sandwich, this coleslaw is delicious and memorable!
What You’ll Need to make Simple Spicy Korean Coleslaw
- Coleslaw Mix – To save time and energy, we use a 16 ounce bag of pre-made coleslaw mix. If you prefer, you can shred your own cabbage. You will need about 6 cups.
- Green Onions – Thinly sliced, 1/4 cup. This is typically about 4 green onions.
- Shredded Carrot – One large carrot, peeled and shredded. We like adding the shredded carrot for the color and the sweetness that it brings to the coleslaw.
- Red Bell Pepper – Bell pepper adds another texture to the coleslaw. We like using red because it is the sweetest but any color medium sized bell pepper may be used.
- Seasoned Rice Vinegar – This is less acidic and milder than other vinegars and has a slightly sweet and sour flavor.
- Gochujang Paste – We use 2 tablespoons of Gochujang in our coleslaw because it provides a nice underlying heat without being overly spicy. Feel free to use more or less according to your taste!
- Vegetable Oil – We use vegetable oil for this recipe but any olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola oil may be used instead.
- Fresh Garlic – We prefer to use fresh garlic and 2-3 cloves minced is about one teaspoon. You can substitute garlic paste, chopped garlic, or in a pinch, use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Fresh Ginger – We usually buy a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger for this. Peeled and grated, you need one tablespoon, You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger if you don’t have fresh.
- Soy Sauce – Low sodium or regular soy sauce may be used. Feel free to substitute coco aminos if you prefer.
- Sesame Oil – Common in Asian dishes, a little goes a long way. This has a nutty and earthy taste.
- Sesame Seeds – We like these for garnish but they are completely optional. We like toasted sesame seeds the best.
How to make Simple Spicy Korean Coleslaw
This simple salad is flavorful and complimentary to almost an Asian dish. It is also a great salad on its own or when you want to take something a little unusual to a picnic or a party.
It is packed full of great textures and flavors, with just the right amount of spice and it is super easy to make!
In a small bowl or a mason jar, combine the Spicy Coleslaw Dressing ingredients. Whisk or shake until completely combined.
In a large bowl, combine the Coleslaw Salad Mix ingredients and toss to combine.
Add the dressing to the salad and toss until completely coated.
Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to overnight to allow flavors to develop.
Stir just before serving and garnish with sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Other Easy and Delicious Salads You May Like
Easy Thai Chicken Salad – crunchy cabbage and chopped chicken all tossed in a delicious creamy Asian inspired peanut dressing.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad – a fun pickle twist on a traditional pasta salad!
Easy Greek Orzo Salad – Tender orzo, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives tossed in a zesty dressing.
Southwest Summer Salad – Fresh corn, bell pepper, red onion and black beans are tossed in a vibrant and tangy dressing.
Mediterranean Spinach Salad – fresh spinach leaves, crisp cucumber, marinated artichokes, couscous, and sun dried tomatoes tossed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette with tangy Feta cheese.
Simple Spicy Korean Coleslaw
Ingredients
Coleslaw Salad Mix
- 1 bag pre-made coleslaw mix (16 oz) about 6 cups
- 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced, about 4
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot 1 large
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped, 1 medium
Spicy Coleslaw Dressing
- 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic 2-3 cloves
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger peeled & grated
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds if desired.
Instructions
- In a small bowl or a mason jar, combine the Spicy Coleslaw Dressing ingredients. Whisk or shake until completely combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the Coleslaw Salad Mix ingredients and toss to combine.
- Add the dressing to the salad and toss until completely coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to overnight to allow flavors to develop.
- Stir just before serving and garnish with sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
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