Asian Celery Date Salad (Fresh, Crunchy & Irresistible)
This Asian celery date salad is fresh, crunchy and full of bold flavor. With crisp celery, sweet dates, fresh herbs and a vibrant lime-sesame dressing, it's the perfect easy side for any meal.
Servings: 6
Calories: 178kcal
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey more to taste
- ½-1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or Sriracha more to taste
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
For the salad:
- 10 medium stalks celery with leaves sliced ¼-⅓ inch thick on a diagonal (roughly chop leaves)
- ½ medium head Napa cabbage very thinly sliced (about 4 cups) (or red cabbage)
- 8 medium green onions thinly sliced on a diagonal
- ½ cup pitted dates halved lengthwise, then chopped into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 large bunch fresh cilantro roughly chopped (reserve some of the pretty leaves for garnish)
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves thinly sliced (reserve small, pretty leaves for garnish)
- 2 medium jalapeños seeds and veins removed, finely chopped
For garnish:
- ½ cup salted cashews or peanuts more to taste
- fresh cilantro leaves
- small mint leaves
Instructions
For the dressing:
- Combine the lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, honey, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil in a jar.
- Shake well until fully combined.
- Taste and adjust, adding more honey for sweetness or chili garlic sauce for extra heat, as desired. Set aside.
For the salad:
- In a large bowl, combine the celery, cabbage, green onions, dates, cilantro, mint and jalapeños. Toss well to combine.
- Drizzle with 3-4 tablespoons of the dressing and toss again until lightly coated.
- Top with cashews and the reserved cilantro and mint leaves.
- Serve with extra dressing on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
This salad is not spicy as written; the jalapeños just add a fresh pop of flavor. For more heat, leave in some seeds or add extra chili garlic sauce.
Not a fan of cilantro? Fresh basil is a delicious substitute (add just before serving). Look for celery with lots of fresh leaves - they add extra flavor and texture.
Use soft, fresh dates for the best results.
To make-ahead: prep all ingredients and store separately; toss with dressing and add nuts just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 598mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 935IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg