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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 love it when you provide us with a glimpse into your culture and how you turn it Paleo
These sides look very interesting and deeply flavorful! Thanks for sharing.
All three of these look so good! That slaw is really catching my eye with the bright colors!
Thank you !
Love these healthy Asian side dishes. Made the Garlicky Cucumbers and they are divine!
That’s so great to hear, Stacey !
These look so fab, I want to make all three at once! They would make great fillings for spring rolls, too 🙂
What an awesome idea !
that sesame spinach is calling my name!
Me too ! Sesame spinach is definitely one of my favorite !
Oh cool! These all look so refreshing and healthy. I could see each of them with any of your main dishes but also with a grilled steak or roast chicken too. So versatile!
Thank you, Michele !
All 3 of these look amazing. Just made the garlicky cucumbers. So good!!
That’s so awesome, Katja ! Thank you for sharing. :))
Oooo I want to try that carrot slaw! My kids would love that too! Thank you!
That’s so wonderful, Renee.
Wow, three recipes for the price of one! The garlicky cucumbers look so good! Great recipes :)!
Thanks, Mark !