If you’re after an easy, light and refreshing side dish that can go alongside some Asian-inspired main meals, this salad is a great option. Super quick to make and perfect drizzled with my tangy tamarind dressing, this salad has a lot of different textures and flavours that make it delightful to eat.
This is one of those salads that’s an easy win and make sure that you take the five extra minutes required to toast the coconut flakes – it makes a world of a difference. And if you want to eat this salad as a light lunch, it can serve two topped with a jammy boiled egg!
How to Make Asian-inspired Green Salad
The first step to this recipe is to toast the coconut, which is super easy. Simply add some unsweetened shredded coconut to a rimmed baking sheet and then move it to a 180°C/350°F oven.
Toast the coconut until it’s lightly golden and very fragrant – only about three to five minutes.
Keep a keen eye on this as the coconut can burn very quickly. This step is super easy and I urge you not to skip it – the toasted coconut really adds a nice element an extra level to the salad.
Let the coconut come to room temperature while you assemble the rest of the salad.
To put together the salad, all you need to do is add some green lettuce to a large salad bowl. I like using something like a buttercrunch lettuce or a little gem – something with crisp yet tender leaves.
To the lettuce, add some frozen edamame that you’ve defrosted. Also, toss in a thinly sliced shallot. I like to add a little pop of colour and some heat, so I also like to include a chopped red chili.
I use a bird’s eye chili because I like things relatively spicy, but you can use something milder if you’d like, remove the seeds to curb the heat or omit it altogether. It’s your salad!
For some crunch, I also love tossing in some chopped, unsalted peanuts. Salted peanuts are usually too salty, so I always go with unsalted here. You should also add in your toasted coconut if you haven’t already.
Finally, for a herbal hit, I like adding in some chopped cilantro. If you’re not a cilantro fan, this would also be great with some torn Thai basil leaves.
Now, all you need to do is season with a bit of black pepper and drizzle with the dressing of your choice – I recommend using my tamarind dressing as it complements the flavours really well. Something like the miso vinaigrette that I use on my seared tuna salad is also a great option,
Toss the salad so that it’s evenly coated in the dressing and serve immediately – it’s absolutely delicious and sure to quickly become a favourite!
Asian Greens Salad with Edamame & Coconut
Ingredients
- 25 g (¼ cup) unsweetened coconut flakes
- 100 g (2¾ cups) green leaf lettuce like buttercrunch or little gem, chopped and rinsed
- 100 g (⅔ cup) frozen edamame defrosted
- 25 g (2 tbsp) unsalted peanuts roughly chopped
- 10 g (¼ cup) cilantro/coriander leaves and tender stems roughly chopped
- 1 small shallot thinly sliced
- 1-2 red chilis finely chopped, deseeded if desired
- 60 ml vinaigrette such as tamarind dressing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Add the coconut to a rimmed baking sheet and move it to the oven. Toast until golden and fragrant – about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the lettuce, edamame, peanuts, cilantro, shallot, chiles and toasted coconut to a large salad bowl. Drizzle over the dressing, season with black pepper and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This green salad with Asian-inspired flavours is such a great, fresh side to include with a variety of different meals!
Are you after an Asian green salad? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
