This easy and quick Japanese-style napa cabbage coleslaw is the best! If you wonder what to do with napa cabbage, give this salad a try!

Have you ever had this situation? You find a fresh napa cabbage at a local store but have no ideas what to do with it.
In that case, this recipe is for you! You will need only 5 ingredients and it's simple, easy to make, and absolutely delicious!
- This recipe is for you if:
- You love napa cabbage.
- You are looking for a Japanese-style napa cabbage salad.
- You are looking for an easy napa cabbage slaw recipe.
Let me show you how to make this simple salad. Let's get started!
About this recipe
- Japanese-style napa cabbage slaw recipe
- Easy and quick salad
- Season with salt, vinegar, and mayonnaise
- Fresh side dish
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).
- Napa cabbage - See below.
- Carrot - I pick carrot as it adds a nice color to the salad, but you can also add other crunchy vegetables, such as cucumbers, bell peppers, celery, and daikon radish.
- Salt
- Mayonnaise - I use Japanese mayonnaise.
- Rice vinegar - I use rice vinegar, but you can use other types of vinegar such as wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar, or lime juice.
Napa cabbage
Napa cabbage (or Chinese cabbage) is a type of cabbage widely used in East Asian cuisine. It's called Hakusai and is a popular versatile winter vegetable in Japan that you can eat raw, stir-fried, or stew.
Napa cabbage is light and full of nutrients. It's hydrated and low in calories, with abundant vitamin C, dietary fiber, and potassium.
If you can't find napa cabbage at your local grocery store, substitute it with other types of cabbage, such as traditional green cabbage, red cabbage, or savoy cabbage.
🔪Instructions
Ok, let me walk you through how to make it step by step. You can also watch this video.
- Cut vegetables: Shred napa cabbage and carrot and put them in a large bowl.
- Add salt: Add salt, massage them, and leave it for 10 minutes. The water contained in the vegetables comes out after some time. Doing this step before seasoning prevents the salad from becoming watery.
- Remove the excess liquid: Squeeze the vegetables and drain the water.
- Add seasonings: Add mayonnaise and vinegar, and toss them together.
Top with toasted sesame seeds if you like, and enjoy the salad! It's crunchy and yummy!
Storage
Store in an airtight container and keeps it in the fridge. It will be good for 3 to 4 days. The liquid comes out the next day, and the taste gets diluted, so please add seasonings to tweak the taste.
Variations
Napa cabbage slaw can be made in many different ways. Some variations you can try include:
- Asian slaw: Add sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar to the dressing and top with peanuts and cilantro.
- Spicy slaw: Add chopped red pepper to the dressing.
- Yogurt-based slaw: Add yogurt, lemon juice, and black pepper to the dressing.
Thanks for Stopping By
This is a super easy and quick Japanese salad. If you love napa cabbage, I'm sure you will enjoy it!
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you’ve tried this recipe(or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!
Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
More napa cabbage recipes
- Pickled napa cabbage
- Napa cabbage miso soup
- Napa cabbage miso stir-fry
- Vegetarian Napa Cabbage Rolls
- Napa cabbage miso stir-fry
📖 Recipe
Japanese Napa Cabbage Coleslaw
Print Pin SAVEIngredients
- ⅛ Napa cabbage, 300g
- ½ Carrot, 80g
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- Topping, optional: Sesame seeds, shredded nori
Instructions
- Cut vegetables: Shred napa cabbage and carrot and put them in a large bowl.
- Add salt: Add salt, massage them and leave it for 10 minutes.
- Remove the excess liquid: Squeeze the vegetables and drain.
- Add seasonings: Add mayonnaise and vinegar, and toss them together.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container and keeps it in the fridge. It will be good for 3 to 4 days. The liquid comes out the next day, and the taste gets diluted, so please add seasonings to tweak the taste.
- Substitute: You can substitute napa cabbage with other types of cabbage. Cucumbers and paprika are also delicious to add. You can substitute rice vinegar with wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Rickard
Hi Juri,
I love coleslaw, and I make two styles of coleslaw both using a European type of cabbage. One style uses a mayonnaise and vinegar dressing like yours, and the other an oil and vinegar dressing (AKA a vinaigrette dressing). I will definitely make both styles using a napa (or hakusai) cabbage per your recipe with a few modifications..
Speaking of napa/hakusai cabbage, I frequently pickle it (hakusai no shiozuke) in a pickle press (tsukemonoki). I actually prefer the Japanese version of pickled cabbage over the Korean kimchi version as the sweetness and nuanced taste of the napa cabbage is the star as opposed to an overwhelming red pepper taste.
JURI
Thanks for your comment, Rick! I would love to try coleslaw with that vinaigrette dressing. Sound so yummy! Thanks for your suggestion!