Creamy Tahini Coleslaw with Miso

Coleslaw is a pleasure any time of year, but also a summertime favorite when the temperatures are soaring and less time in the kitchen over a hot stove is desirable. This twist on a classic incorporates miso and tahini into a thick and creamy dressing for something a bit out of the ordinary, resulting in a combination of flavors that you won't soon forget. Any sort of cabbage will do for this salad, such as nappa, savoy, red/purple or green — here I used a combination of red and green for a colourful and flavorful crunchy contrast.

I served this delightful salad with my signature beet and black bean high-protein burgers for an especially satisfying summer meal.

Creamy Tahini Coleslaw with Miso

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Published on July 14, 2023

Refreshing, colorful and crunchy coleslaw dressed with a creamy Asian-style tahini and miso dressing

Preparation: 25 minutes

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Dressing:

1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons white (shiro) miso*
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha or other hot sauce
1 teaspoon tamari (soy) sauce
juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons)
1 small shallot, minced

Salad:

3 1/2 cups thinly sliced or shredded red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced or shredded green cabbage
1 large carrot, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks
small bunch of green onions, trimmed and sliced into thin strips

Instructions:

To make the dressing, whisk together the tahini, rice vinegar, miso, olive oil and sesame oil until creamy. Add a few tablespoons warm water if the mixture seems too thick. Whisk in the honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sriracha or hot sauce, tamari, lime juice and shallot until everything is well combined.
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots and green onion. Toss with the dressing, and serve chilled or at room temperature.
*Note: A common and prized ingredient in Japanese cuisine, miso is a fermented soybean paste, combining soybeans, salt, and koji (a type of fungus cultivated on rice and other grains). The most common types of miso are red, white, and yellow. This recipe uses white miso which is lighter, milder and sweeter than darker varieties and well-suited for use in dressings, sauces and soups.

Makes 6 to 8 side servings