This satisfying & fiber-packed cabbage crunch salad is made with crispy, baked chickpeas & rice tossed with plenty of herbs and veggies. Gluten Free + Vegetarian + Vegan Option

Bake: Spread rice & chickpea mixture across a large baking sheet. Smooth out in an even layer then bake for about 40-45 minutes until golden and mostly crispy.

Substitutions & Additions

A few different ways to adapt this recipe to make it your own:

🔀 Swap:

• Cabbage: Any cabbage variety will work: red cabbage, green cabbage, savoy, sweetheart, etc.
• Soy Sauce: Use coconut aminos instead for a soy free alternative. Keep in mind that coconut aminos are sweeter and less salty than soy/tamari so consider adding a 1/2 teaspoon salt to the dressing.
• Nuts: Swap out the peanuts for cashews or almonds instead. For nut free alternatives, try it with toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
• Nut Butter: You can use almond butter or cashew butter in place of peanut butter.
• Maple/Honey: Use 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar instead.

Tips

• If you have a food processor with a shredding/grating attachment, you can quickly & easily shred both the cabbage and carrot in no time.
• Use pre-shredded cabbage or a bagged coleslaw salad mix (with the dressing mixed in) to save time.
• Use leftover rice or microwave instant rice. It will save you prep time and it will usually crisp up a little easier/faster since it’s drier than freshly made rice.
• Make sure to stir the chickpeas and rice every 10-15 minutes or so to ensure everything cooks & crisps up evenly.

Enjoy!

Let me know if you try this crispy cabbage salad recipe! I’d love to hear what you made with it and how it turned out! Please leave a comment and review with your thoughts and suggestions for me and future readers.

Recipe

Crispy Peanut Rice & Cabbage Crunch Salad Recipe

Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes

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Crunchy, herby, peanutty. This cabbage crunch salad has crispy baked chickpeas & rice, shredded cabbage, fresh herbs and a creamy peanut dressing you’ll want to put on everything!

Ingredients

Peanut Dressing

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• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (120g)
• 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce (30ml)
• 1 tbsp sriracha (15ml)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (15ml)
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (15ml)
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup hot water (60ml)

Chickpeas & Rice

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• 2 cups cooked white or brown rice (400g)
• 1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry (15 oz | 400g)
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil (30ml)
• 1 tbsp sriracha (15ml) - ensure gluten free
• 2 tbsp of the peanut dressing dressing above

Salad

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• 6 cups white cabbage, thinly shredded (450g)
• 1 large carrot, julienned, shredded or finely chopped
• 1 cup spring onions, thinly sliced - measure after chopping (100g)
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped - measure after chopping (15g)
• ⅓ cup fresh mint, chopped - measure after chopping (15g)
• ½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped (48g)

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

1. Oven Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and a line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Peanut Dressing: Combine all peanut dressing ingredients and whisk together into a thick, smooth mixture. Set aside.
3. Season Chickpeas & Rice: In a large bowl, toss together: cooked rice, chickpeas, sriracha, oil and 2 tbsp peanut dressing. Mix until fully combined.
4. Bake: Spread rice mixture across the lined baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and mostly crispy all over. Stir the pan every 10-15 minutes to ensure things crisp up evenly.
5. Salad: Combine cabbage, carrot, spring onion, cilantro, mint and peanuts in a large mixing bowl. Add chickpeas and rice after roasting. Pour the dressing over the top and mix everything together until fully combined. Enjoy right away while still warm, or cold straight out of the fridge.
6. Leftovers: Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Notes

Substitutions

• Rice: Leftover or pre-cooked rice is ideal for ease and speed, but you can boil fresh rice instead.
• Cabbage: Any cabbage variety will work: red cabbage, green cabbage, savoy, sweetheart, etc.
• Soy Sauce: Use coconut aminos instead for a soy free alternative. Keep in mind that coconut aminos are sweeter and less salty than soy/tamari so consider adding a 1/2 teaspoon salt to the dressing.
• Maple/Honey: Use 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar instead. For vegan options - don't use honey. Use maple or brown sugar.
• Peanuts/Peanut Butter: Try it with cashew or almond nuts & nutter butter instead.

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: Grain Based Salads Cuisine: Asian