This Dan Dan Charred Cabbage Bean Salad is the best way to maximize on both fiber and flavor. Everything gets tossed in an umami forward dan dan sauce to make getting your nutrients in all the better!
Why You’ll Love This Dan Dan Charred Cabbage Bean Salad
- Great to meal prep: This is the type of salad that gets better and better as it sits. It holds up well, which makes it great to plan your meals around for the week.
- Versatile: A great base that can be enjoyed in a lot of ways. Make this salad then enjoy it with some crackers as a dip, stuff it into a wrap, or enjoy over a bowl of rice to make it a full and satisfying meal.
- Nutrient packed: Use this as a way to make sure you are getting enough fiber in! Plus, the way this salad is designed, you should also be able to absorb quite a bit of iron from it too.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cabbage: I used green cabbage, but red cabbage can work if that is what you have available.
- Cucumbers: The best cucumbers to use are either Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers. It tends to have a lot less moisture and better texture compared to regular cucumbers.
- Beans: I used a mix of chickpeas and cannellini beans, but you can also two of the same bean or swap for some edamame or fava beans. Use what you like!
- Sesame Paste: This is not the same as tahini. They both have completely different tastes. You can find Chinese sesame paste at some well stocked grocery stores, but I usually buy mine from a local Asian market.
- Spices: I use a combination of five spice, coriander, white pepper, and/or Sichuan pepper. You can keep it simple and season your cabbage with just salt and pepper if you like!
- Vegetable Broth: Use your favorite brand that is full of flavor. I personally like to use the brand Better Than Bouillon’s Vegetable Based reconstituted in water as it is the most flavorful.
- Peanuts: Roasted salted peanuts are preferred. Feel free to leave this out if you have a peanut allergy, or swap with some toasted sesame seeds instead.
- Scallions: This or chives can work for this dish.
- Chili Oil: Use your favorite umami-rich brand. I like Lao Gan Ma or Fly By Jing.
How to Make This Dan Dan Charred Cabbage Bean Salad
Prep and cook the cabbage: Cut the cabbage into 4 wedges straight through their core to keep the wedges intact. Combine the coriander, five spice, white pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt, then sprinkle it over the wedges on both sides to season. Place the wedges cut-side down in a heavy bottom skillet and cook undisturbed for about 7-8 minutes, or until evenly browned. Flip and sear on the other side for another 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Prep the cucumber: Use the flat of your blade to smack the cucumbers down their length to split them. Roughly cut on a bias into 1 inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Toss, then set aside for at least 10 minutes then discard any excess water.
Combine the salad base: Place the charred cabbage on a cutting board and chop up the charred cabbage wedges and discard the cores. Transfer to the mixing bowl along with the beans, cucumbers, chili peppers, scallions, cilantro, and peanuts.
Make the dressing: Add the sesame paste, garlic, tamari, sambal oelek, pepper, five spice, and maple syrup to a large jar. Whisk until a thick paste forms. Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth until smooth. Add the chili oil then give it a few stirs.
Assemble: Pour as much of the dressing over the salad as you like, then toss to combine. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.
Expert Tips
- Adjust the consistency of your sauce. The sauce is meant to be thinner in consistency, so it doesn’t seize up in the fridge. If you want a thicker sauce, use half the broth designated for the broth then feel free to add more to achieve your desired consistency.
- Make this nut-free. Swap the crushed peanut garnish for some toasted sesame seeds.
- For the best char. Use a heavy bottom pan that retains heat well. I like using a stainless steel pan or cast iron pan for this reason.
- Control the spice based on your tolerance. If you are sensitive to heat, you may want to use less chili oil, sambal oelek, or Sichuan. For reference, Sichuan pepper does have a mouth numbing component to it. If you don’t like that, feel free to swap the Sichuan for white pepper and adjust to taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! After you dress your bean salad, place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This is a way to help the cucumber release more liquid so that it doesn’t dilute the flavors in your salad. The motion of smashing also helps create more ridges for sauce to cling to, which also helps improve the mouthfeel and taste of the recipe. Do note, you can absolutely just slice or cube the cucumber, but you may want to use a little less broth in the dressing to accommodate for the difference in moisture.
Glad you asked. First, feel free to just use raw cabbage instead of the charred cabbage. What I would recommend here is just shredding it or using a bag of pre-shredded cabbage and add that to the bowl, so you save on cooking time. You can pre-make the sauce in advance to also help save time if you plan to make for the week.
Make It Balanced
Use the bean salad in a snack plate. Not only does it make it more fun to eat, but I feel it’s a great way to add in even more nutrition. Use the bean salad as a protein base then surround it with your favorite mini or sliced veggies (I used Persian cucumbers and mini bell peppers). I also like to serve with some extra nuts and rice crackers for extra crunch.
This also works really well on top of rice or quinoa in a bow or even wrapped up in your favorite whole grain or gluten-free wrap.
More Veggie Loaded Bean Salads to Try
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Description
This Dan Dan Charred Cabbage Bean Salad is the best way to maximize on both fiber and flavor. Everything gets tossed in an umami forward dan dan sauce to make getting your nutrients in all the better!
Charred Cabbage Bean Salad
Dan Dan Dressing
- Cut the cabbage in half through the core. Cut each half again through the core to create 4 equal wedges. Cutting through the core will help keep each wedge intact. In a small bowl, mix the coriander, five spice, white pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt. Sprinkle the seasoning over each wedge on both sides.
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Place the wedges cut-side down in the pan. Cook undisturbed for about 7-8 minutes, or until evenly browned before flipping and searing on the other side for another 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- For the cucumber, use the flat of your blade to smack the cucumbers down their length to split them. Roughly cut on a bias into 1 inch pieces. Transfer the cucumbers to a bowl and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Toss, then set to the side for at least 10 minutes. Discard any water that drains away then pat the cucumbers dry.
- To a large mixing bowl add the chickpeas and cannellini beans. Place the charred cabbage on a cutting board and chop up the charred cabbage wedges, making sure to discard the core. Transfer to the mixing bowl along with the cucumbers, chili peppers, scallions, cilantro, and peanuts.
- To make the dressing, add the sesame paste, garlic, tamari, sambal oelek, pepper, five spice, and maple syrup to a large jar. Whisk into a smooth, thick paste. Gradually whisk in half the vegetable broth until smooth, then add the remaining broth and whisk again to form a thin sauce. Add the chili oil then give it a few stirs.
- Pour as much of the dressing over the salad as you like, then give it a good toss to combine. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
Adjust the consistency of your sauce. The sauce is meant to be thinner in consistency, so it doesn’t seize up in the fridge. If you want a thicker sauce, use half the broth designated for the broth then feel free to add more to achieve your desired consistency.
Make this nut-free. Swap the crushed peanut garnish for some toasted sesame seeds.
For the best char. Use a heavy bottom pan that retains heat well. I like using a stainless steel pan or cast iron pan for this reason.
Control the spice based on your tolerance. If you are sensitive to heat, you may want to use less chili oil, sambal oelek, or Sichuan. For reference, Sichuan pepper does have a mouth numbing component to it. If you don’t like that, feel free to swap the Sichuan for white pepper and adjust to taste.
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