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Paleo Asian Side Dishes – 3 simple and quick Asian-inspired Paleo vegetable sides that will become your favorite side dish recipes!
If you love Asian-style side dishes, you’ll also love my very best Asian sauces for grilled chicken!
This week I’m sharing with you three very popular everyday Paleo Asian Side Dishes –
Cold Garlicky Cucumbers – 涼拌黃瓜 (Liángbàn huángguā)
Chilled Sesame Spinach – 芝麻菠菜 (Zhīma bōcài)
Crunchy Celery-Carrot Slaw – 涼拌芹菜 (Liángbàn qíncài)
These vegetable sides are great for winter and summer. Easy and quick, and they go perfectly with any protein-rich main dish, like my Paleo Mongolian Beef, Paleo Tender Pork Roast, or Thai Red Curry Chicken.
Click the Pin button & Save these three mouthwatering Paleo Asian Side Dishes.
They will become your favorite after one bite !
Cold Garlicky Cucumbers – Paleo Asian Side Dishes #1
This is probably one of the most iconic side dishes in Taiwan. Almost every noodle shop along the streets of Taiwan serves this cold garlicky cucumber dish.
There are 3 key things to know so the cucumbers will be crunchy and refreshing.
1. Use mini Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers.
These cucumbers have thinner skin and there’s no need to remove the outer skin. My first choice would be to use the mini cucumbers.
2. Remove the seeds of the cucumbers.
After slicing them in half, use a small teaspoon to scoop out the seeds so that the cucumbers will be less watery and remain crunchy.
3. Smash them.
Oh yeah. You’ve heard me right. Smash them in a ziplock bag with a meat pounder or a small bottle. Why smash ? The smashed cucumbers will grab the dressing sauce better and hence they will be more yum!
Chilled Sesame Spinach – Paleo Asian Side Dishes #2
There are quite a few different dressings for this dish but my favorite is the Sesame paste dressing.
My Paleo Sesame paste dressing is very versatile. You can use it not only for this dish but also for salad dressing or even for grilled chicken breasts.
Follow the recipe instructions below and taste and make adjustments to your desired consistency.
It’s creamy, savory, and with a hint of toasted sesame fragrance and slightly sweet.
I’m mouthwatering just thinking about this Chilled Sesame Spinach.
Crunchy Celery-Carrot Slaw – Paleo Asian Side Dishes #3
Similar to the cold garlicky cucumber, the crunchy celery and carrot salad taste even better the day after.
Cut the front and tip-end of the celery and use a peeler to peel off the outer tough fibrous skin. Slice them to matchstick thin (about 3-inch length as instructed below).
Give them a quick toss in hot boiling water and rinse in cold tap water. Add some simple seasonings and voila! Another wonderful Paleo Asian Side Dish is ready to go!
Asian carrot celery slaw recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 5-6 stalk celery About half of one bundle
- 2 large carrots
Seasonings:
- ¼ to ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- One pinch ground white pepper
- Drizzle Toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
Prep the veggies:
- Trim the base and leafy tops of the celery. Rinse well, then use a peeler to remove any tough, fibrous strings. Cut into 2.5 to 3-inch (6 to 7.5 cm) sections, then slice lengthwise into thin matchsticks.
- Peel the carrots. Slice diagonally into thin pieces (a little thicker than ⅛ inch / 3 mm), then stack a few slices and cut into matchsticks.
Blanch:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with a pinch of salt. Add the celery and carrot matchsticks and blanch for about 1 minute.
Cool and drain:
- Quickly rinse the vegetables under cold or ice water to stop cooking and keep the colors bright. Drain well and shake off excess water.
Season:
- Add the veggies to a large mixing bowl. Toss with salt, grated ginger, sesame oil, and white pepper. Use your hands to massage and toss wel.
Marinate, Chill, and Serve:
- Let the slaw sit for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator, or chill overnight for deeper flavor. Sprinkle it with toasted sesame seeds before serving. Best served chilled.
Notes
- Storage: Store the slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. The vegetables may soften slightly over time, but they’ll stay crisp and full of flavor.
- Carrot and Celery Thickness: Pay attention to the slicing instructions in the recipe — the size of the matchsticks makes a big difference. If they’re too thick, the seasoning won’t absorb well. If too thin, the veggies can turn soft and lose their crunch after a day or two in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t find the actual recipe for the spinach dish? How much of the ingredients do I use for the sauce?
Hi Lainey, please check out this recipe with details. Thank you so much. https://iheartumami.com/gomaae-japanese-spinach/
What is the purpose of blanching the veg for a cold salad?
Great question! If you are referring to the carrots and celery, lightly blanching the veggies will bring out natural sweet flavor and remove the “raw” taste. This is also the same method used in Taiwanese and Chinese side dishes.
If it’s the spinach, well, that’s how this side dish is done in Japan. 🙂
Ahhhh, I understand!! Thank you! I am making a lot of your dishes this week! We can’t wait! 🙂
That sesame spinach sounds absolutely amazing! I love it
I love how simple and flavorful these are! I feel like simple is really key in side dishes so there’s more veggies on the table in less time!
All of these look so nourishing and delicious! Can’t pick just one–I want all three.
I love all 3 of these salads – they’re so nutritious and full of my favourite seasonings! I’ll definitely be trying these at some point – thank you!
All of these sound so good! My youngest would go crazy for the cucumber and spinach one. I wish I had all of these to snack on right now. YUM!
These look so delicious and vibrant in color. Great job, hun!
I might need to try these soon!
These sides look so deeply delicious and nutritious.Thanks for sharing your creativity.