Cabbage and Cilantro Slaw with Peanut Sauce
Crisp and fresh tasting slaw with a peanut dressing. Honey, rice vinegar and soy sauce are key to giving the peanut dressing the characteristic sweet and tangy flavor.
Cabbage and Peanuts
Cabbage is the main ingredient in this recipe and is an excellent vegetable for creating salads. It has crunch, deep flavors, and pairs nicely with dressings and vinaigrettes with sweet, tangy or vinegary flavors. Cabbage is also a great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K. Raw cabbage contains much needed dietary fiber and folate.
Peanuts and peanut butter contain Magnesium, Niacin and Vitamin E. Peanuts are good sources of protein, high in folate, a B vitamins.
Peanut Botanical Information
Peanuts are grown underground, and not on trees like other tree nuts like walnuts, almonds, and filberts. While they function and are prepared much like a nut, botanically they are not a nut. Peanuts are legumes coming from the Leguminosae botanical family. There are four different types of peanuts. The Runner type is the most popular peanut grown in the US, and according the American Peanut Council this type makes up about 80% of total peanut production in five different states. The other three peanut types are Virginia (large kernel sold in shell), Spanish (small kernel with characteristic reddish skins) and the Valencia (small kernel popularly prepared fresh).
This salad contains green cabbage, peanut butter, and dry roasted peanuts. The dressing pairs sweet Hoisin sauce and honey with tangy soy sauce and rice vinegar for a sweet and sour flavor. Cilantro, carrots, green onions and parsley are added for color and flavor. While this is great on its own, the salad can be served with grilled chicken for an easy and light dinner salad. The recipe makes about 8 servings, and is best served fresh preserving the crunch in the cabbage.
Cabbage and Cilantro Slaw with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots
- 2/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
- 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 sliced green onions both white and green parts
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Place the shredded green cabbage in a bowl. Add in the peanuts, shredded carrots, chopped fresh cilantro and Italian parsley, and green onions.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, water and Hoisin sauce together until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and peanuts. Toss to coat all the vegetables well.
- Serve.
About the Peanut Industry. American Peanut Council. PeanutsUSA.com. Accessed 31 March, 2010.
Cabbage and Peanut Nutrition information provided by the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
Information about the Family Leguminosae. International Legume Database and Information Service. ildis.org. Accessed 31 March, 2010.
Peanut FAQs. The Peanut Institute. Peanut-Institute.org. Accessed 31 March, 2010.