If you were to make a multi-part Venn diagram combining my favorite salad things, you could nestle this right in the center. It’s one part wedge salad, the fork and steak knife kind, something I am so into I talked my podcast co-host Kenji (okay, it wasn’t hard) into dedicating a whole episode to it. And it contains cabbage, and not just cabbage but Napa cabbage, which I think deserves more credit as a salad green. [This can be convenient to know as it often comes in heads large enough to feed a small family for a week.] Napa cabbage is a little leafy, a little crunchy, and yet kind of juicy too and I’ve used it, sliced thin, in everything from this Italian-style salad to a classic Caesar.
Speaking of Caesar salads, this salad answers questions I don’t think anyone asked, such as … What if we replaced the anchovies or Worcestershire sauce in Caesar dressing with fish sauce? What if we replaced the Dijon with miso? What if we replaced the lemon juice with rice vinegar? What if we replaced the coddled egg with mayo? What if we got an umami boost not from parmesan cheese, but toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil? What if we topped it not with croutons but crispy shallots? What if we used Napa cabbage instead of romaine lettuce?
“Well Deb, it would no longer be a Caesar salad,” the pedants will correctly say but these questions ran circles in my brain for the better part of a month before I caved and this turned out to be the wildly delicious answer — a refreshingly crunchy, busy, dynamic salad we can’t get enough of. I can’t wait for you to try it too.
The Smitten Kitchen Classroom Wishlist Project 2024 is going strong! In the US, a tremendous number of teachers don’t get the funding they need to set their classrooms up for success. Most will end up paying out of their own pockets to buy educational materials, which is all wrong. I’ve asked teachers to send me their wishlists in hopes that we can help clear as many as possible, as we did the last two summers. Help out if you feel you’re able — you will unquestionably make a teacher’s (and their students) day! [Project information. Direct link to spreadsheet. A little article that came out about the project yesterday!]
Video
Napa Cabbage Wedge with Miso Dressing
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds napa cabbage (often half of a large one)
- 2 large shallots
- Neutral oil for frying
- 6 to 8 radishes, diced small
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, plus extra to drizzle
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Assembly
Dressing
To wash and crisp your cabbage: Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters, leaving the end intact. Lower into a large bowl of cold water. Let sit for 10 minutes, but longer is fine too. [I’ve neglected mine for 1 to 2 hours before while preparing other things.] Remove from water, shaking off excess and letting any sand or debris fall to the bottom of the bowl. Place on a thick kitchen towel and pat dry.
To crisp shallots: Peel and thinly slice shallots. A mandoline is ideal for this as it ensures shallots cook evenly, but I sliced mine by hand. Place in a small-to-medium skillet and barely cover with oil. Turn heat to medium-high and cook shallots, watching carefully, until they’re just lightly golden brown, then turn the heat off and let the residual heat of the oil take them a shade darker, to a medium copper brown. [The color will change quickly at this point, and I’ve had to toss burnt shallots many, many times when I didn’t watch closely.] If you’ve sliced your shallots by hand, you’ll find that some pieces are done sooner; you can use thin tongs or a fork to fish them out sooner. Drain in a sieve, reserving the oil for the next time you want to fry shallots. Spread crispy shallots on two layers of paper towel and season immediately with salt, then transfer shallots to a bowl. If you keep them on the towel too long, the oil on the towel will soften them, which will be sad.
Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk miso, garlic, fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar to combine and smooth out miso. Whisk in sesame oil, a tablespoon at a time, then neutral oil and sugar. Add mayo and whisk to smoothly combine. Add sriracha or chili oil (I used some from a jar of chili crisp) to taste. Add salt, if needed, but it is unlikely you will. You could also add a bit more miso, instead of salt.
Assemble salad: Cut cabbage quarters into smaller wedges and arrange on a serving plate. It’s not mandatory, but I like to drizzle the cabbage wedges with 1 to 2 teaspoons rice vinegar before adding the dressing for extra brightness. Drizzle dressing over to taste, then scatter the wedges with radishes, scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and crispy shallots. Eat right away.
Do ahead: Extra washed cabbage, dressing, and shallots keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Store separately.
Previously
6 months ago: Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova Stack
1 year ago: Corn Cacio e Pepe
2 years ago: Corn Butter Farro
3 years ago: Baked Farro with Summer Vegetables
4 years ago: Mathilde’s Tomato Tart
5 years ago: Black Pepper Tofu and Eggplant
6 years ago: Foccacia Sandwiches for a Crowd
7 years ago: Blackberry-Blueberry Crumb Pie
8 years ago: Summer Squash Pizza, Peach Melba Popsicles, and Chile-Lime Melon Salad
9 years ago: Raspberry Crushed Ice
10 years ago: Cold Noodles with Miso, Lime, and Ginger and Apricot Pistachio Squares
11 years ago: Charred Corn Crepes, Burst Tomato Galette with Corn and Zucchini and Strawberry, Lime, and Black Pepper Popsicles
12 years ago: Pink Lemonade Bars and Charred Pepper Steak Sauce
13 years ago: Sugar Plum Crepes with Ricotta and Honey
14 years ago: Everyday Chocolate Cake and Zucchini and Almond Pasta Salad
15 years ago: Asparagus with Chorizo and Croutons and Sour Cherry Slab Pie
16 years ago: Cantaloupe Salsa and Plum Kuchen and Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad
17 years ago: Huevos Racheros, Blueberry Crumb Bars, Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing, and Quick Zucchini Sauté
18 years ago: Moules Frites
Didn’t think cabbage could sound so appealing. Will definitely try. Could you recommend what to use to make it vegan for my pain-in-the -you know what partner?
You could just use my miso-sesame dressing here, which is naturally vegan.
Thank you Deb
Vegenaise!
Yum – always good to have more ways to use up the Napa after I make your amazing mango napa slaw!
This looks absolutely delicious! I’m not sure what a Napa cabbage is when it’s visiting Australia 🤔, but it looks like a wombok and the flavours certainly align, can’t wait to make it this weekend.
Don’t use a wombat by mistake!
Wombok is Napa cabbage! Seems Australia chose to simplify the Chinese name instead of using the Japanese name!
love this dressing, very nice and napa cabbage is a nice change for me, thank you!
The whole time I was reading I was expecting you to comment in the recipe on the microwave method of frying shallots! Have you tried it? This does look fab tho, my kids call cabbage juicy too!
perfect. just came back from Japan where the food was so fresh and good. and after eating masses of shredded cabbage today, this still looks crave worthy. great riff on a wedge/caesar, and I need inspiration how to use what I have on hand. you’re the best
Still in the cuisine of Japan, I checked out a library book about Edward espe brown the author of the complete tassajara cookbook. here he describes one of his favorite dishes for making at home–year in ,year out.
Chinese Napa cabbage cut in quarters lengthwise, cut out cores, then cut the quarters crosswise, massage with salt, then use whatever you have to get sweet and sour, such as lemon with hone, perhaps a dab of chutney, add grated ginger, oranges or avocado ,as is handy. garnish with sesame pumpkin,,or sunflower seeds.
who knew, deb? he’s been doing this since 1970, you posted it, then when I read it in this book just today, it was that picture in my mind of your post with the Napa cabbage cut exactly that way with sweet and sour dressing sesame sprinkled. I visit that photo often while anticipating your next post.
as always, you’re the best!
I make a similar dressing to this all the time for many salads- we call it “Japanese restaurant dressing” because a place we used to go to had a similar mayo-miso one they used for their house greens. It’s also fantastic on cold noodles, and makes the best macaroni salad!
try this Cook’s Illustrated method for frizzled shallots, etc.:
For Shallots:
Place 3 shallots, peeled and sliced thin, in medium bowl with 1/2 cup vegetable oil and microwave at 100 percent power for 5 minutes. Stir and microwave at 100 percent power for 2 more minutes. Repeat stirring and microwaving in 2-minute increments until shallots begin to brown (4 to 6 minutes total), then repeat stirring and microwaving in 30-second increments until shallots are deep golden (30 seconds to 2 minutes total). Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper towel–lined plate; season with salt. Let drain and turn crisp, about 5 minutes, before serving.
For Garlic:
In place of shallots, use 1/2 cup garlic cloves, sliced or minced. After frying, dust garlic with 1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar (to offset any bitterness) before seasoning with salt.
For Leeks or scallions:
In place of shallots, use 1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced into very thin 2-inch-long strips, washed thoroughly, dried, and tossed with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (which accelerates browning).
FWIW, I’ve done the microwave method and I didn’t care for it because the shallots turn so quickly from almost done to burn and you can’t monitor it as closely through a microwave door, or that was my experience. Mine were utterly burnt before 5 minutes. Others might have more success with this but I wanted to at least warn based on my experience, as that’s my job here. :)
Doing it on the stove allows you to see the moment they start turning golden and cut the heat so you can pull them at the right time.
…Or just buy a package from the Asian market…
Yes, I have some in the cupboard I don’t use often enough. I hope it works for this recipe. I’ll report back.
Hello, this is another student from Lamar High School’s IB Language Literature class, and I was hoping to put in a request for a Panna Cotta recipe?
You should make this Greek yogurt panna cotta! It’s breakfast-y but kind of fun and fancy too.
Not a fan of napa cabbage but the dressing is incredible – even on the end of a digit. I used it with my grilled shishitos and lots more to come. Tonight on iceberg. – thanks.
Thank you for sharing this idea! I have a mountain of shishitos in the garden and have been struggling with ideas for using them.
This was really delicious! I just would not make it as a wedge salad again–there were lots of delicious flavors on the top, but when you got to the underneath layers, you were just pretty much eating plain cabbage. Plus water continued to leak out of the wedges, creating a diluted puddle on the plate. I would absolutely make it again but, for me, I’d thinly slice the cabbage and toss it with the dressing in a bowl before adding the shallots, etc. Also, I added chopped hard boiled egg for protein so that this could serve as a main dish.
Scrolling down and seeing “18 years ago” was jarring. I do remember being in high school and reading about your making bagels in OK. Love this blog, love all your successes 🙂
I feel the same! And thank you.
Looks delicious! Any recommendations for substitutes for the fish sauce to make this vegetarian?
I’mi haven’t made Deb’s dish with it yet but generally like Minimalist Baker’s vegetarian fish sauce substitute
I just left the fish sauce out, as I don’t care for it. No substitute was needed–it was delicious!
Made this salad last night and it was one of our favorites! Couldn’t get napa cabbage so we used regular romaine. Also added avocado and cherry tomatoes, which went well with the creaminess of the dressing. We paired it with steak but also think it would be great with shrimp or salmon.
We made this for dinner tonight and loved it! I would shred the cabbage as if for a slaw next time, as I felt like I really had to battle it in my bowl. Otherwise very very yummy.
As Deb mentioned, wedge salads are knife and fork affairs. Definitely time for a plate, not a bowl.
I also love taking wedge salad ingredients and just doing a big chop salad on the cutting board.
Sounds delicious! I love napa cabbage and I love miso dressings…
I have been making a lot of fresh salads lately, often with cabbage, and they are a hit in my extended family. I just saw beautiful Napa cabbage in my local Whole Foods, and I can’t wait to make this. And Deb, I notice you suggesting using a kitchen towel rather than paper towels in your recipes, and I’m so happy you are a role model for American cooks to stop using throw-away materials. And saving the shallot oil! Genius,
10/10! Delicious- big hit with both the adults and the teenagers. Definitely will make again!
I love the crispness of the nappa cabbage – and the dressing is beyond fantastic. I didn’t even miss the parm or the croutons :) Thanks for another keeper Deb.
Anyone tried this with savoy cabbage? Yay for another amazing recipe, Deb! I am on a Caesar salad kick, and this is such a wonderful riff on that. You read my mind!
I did! It was great though maybe a bit more challenging to eat than Napa cabbage? Definitely worked for us though when I was too lazy to walk to a farther grocery store.
I made this and it was sooo good! I could drink that dressing! Thank you for this recipe!
My oh my! This salad is the best. An explosion of flavors. Thanks for my new favorite salad Deb!
Okay, just made this and skipped the fried shallots and it was STILL amazing!!!! Super easy too, but I love fresh cabbage salads. Awesome recipe!
This was outrageously good!!! Ties with your blue wedge salad for best salad in the whole world!!!! WOW!!!
For me, this didn’t live up to expectations. It felt like there was an abundance of salty umami but not enough balance. Needed some sweetness and maybe some more richness/creaminess. Surprisingly, I could hardly taste the shallots, so it was mostly watery crunchy veg with a very salty pungent dressing. It did not have all the different notes (creamy blue cheese, sweet tangy tomatoes, smoky bacon) that make a typical wedge salad so good.
I made this into a slaw with shredded cabbage and thinly sliced radish and green onion and it was DELICIOUS and I want to add this to meals all the time now. Also, because cabbage is heartier it saved well and I had the most delicious lunch the next day.
This was so good! Being a klutz, I messed up the beautiful wedges so ended up tossing the salad. I didn’t confess it was supposed to be a wedge. Everyone loved it and wants more Napa salads.
I loved it—my mouth watered just from reading it! I’ll definitely give it a try!
Deb, you have my full and complete support in your cabbage obsession. My cabbage obsession started with your cabbage and sausage casserole recipe. The first time I had it, my husband made it. It was at a time that I was working and he was not. I had chosen the recipe and had all the ingredients but was too swamped to handle it so, for the first time, I assigned it to him. He was super doubtful and grumbly. He’s not a vegetable fan let alone cabbage but I persisted, he made it and we ALL absolutely loved it! I make it often and we all agree, it’s never been better than that first time. I probably skimp on the butter :)
Now I always have a cabbage in the fridge. I will be making this recipe for a pot luck tomorrow and I’ve printed out two more of your cabbage salads for the upcoming weeks. I’ll report back later! Vive le chou!
Also, I highly recommend Sue Li’s Gingery cabbage rolls. I hate cabbage rolls (no offence to your MIL) but these are Chinese pork and chive dumpling filling wrapped in napa cabbage. The cabbage remains fresh tasting and the broth is delicious. So good!
I’m probably condemning myself to internet food blog purgatory with this comment, but here I go–I made the dressing, but (brace yourself) not the rest of the salad. Instead, I simply served the dressing over crunchy green lettuce, chopped cucumber, cubes of roasted butternut squash, and sliced baked chicken thighs. It was what I had on hand and I needed something for lunch. It was DELICIOUS.
Importantly, I added about 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to the dressing and I think it took it from excellent to perfect.
Would you believe I was just combing the internet for a brilliant use of Napa cabbage that was not kimchi (Although I love it)? I came across this recipe and am so excited to give it a go. Also I’m a sucker for any type of wedge salad, so…thank you, Deb!
This salad is delicious. Brought it for Easter and it was well received. I brought the leftovers home and got a little drunk and this iswhat I craved. If you want to eat a salad when you’re drunk you know it’s delicious. The second time I ate it I changed it into more of a chopped salad and I liked that better. It was easier to get all the delicious bits in one bite that way. Wish I had made more fried shallots though.