Popular in Southeast Asian cuisine, Thai basil is sweet, and smells and tastes a bit like licorice. When I added it to this Thai-inspired vegan cucumber cabbage slaw recipe, the flavors suddenly jumped from “nice” to “on point”. Overall, the salad is a perfect balance of salty, sweet, sour and heat. And the Thai basil is the not-so-secret ingredient that brings everything together!
This recipe makes ~4 servings.
A few things…
- ・For the best flavor, use fresh Thai basil in the cucumber cabbage slaw. While testing, I also tried substituting fresh sweet basil. I thought it was still ok, but just had less of the Thai flavors.
- ・In the U.S., you can find fresh Thai basil at Sprouts, Meijer, Raley’s, Asian grocers, co-ops and more. It isn’t at every grocery store.
- ・I have tried this with Huy Fong Sriracha Chili Sauce and with a generic sriracha brand from Sprouts Farmer’s Market. You may need more or less sriracha based on your brand and tastes. Just give the slaw a taste and adjust the flavor, if needed.
- ・To prep the cucumber, I cut it lengthwise, used a spoon to hollow out the seeds, and then, sliced it up.
- ・Not serving right away? Keep the dressing and Thai basil separate from the rest of the ingredients. Add it at the very last minute, and then, taste, adjust flavors, and serve immediately. It does not age well all mixed together, and is best eaten right away.
This vegan recipe for cucumber cabbage slaw is terrific as a side dish or packed lunch? Or even on top of tacos... now, that sounds good!
Check out other UVK recipes, like Sriracha Tofu Salad, Pineapple and Cucumber Salad, Edamame Kale Slaw with Orange Sesame Dressing, Thai Red Curry Tofu or Tempeh Marinade, Ginger Miso Slaw, Slow Cooker Vegan Cabbage Rolls with Sauerkraut Tomato Sauce, Roasted Cabbage Soup, and more.
Let’s get chopping and mixing 💚
Cucumber Cabbage Slaw with Thai Basil, Sriracha, and Lime
2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce (OR reduced sodium gluten free tamari)
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp agave
1 tsp sriracha sauce (see notes above)
½ tsp garlic powder
1-2 Tbsp torn up Thai basil leaves (see notes above)
½ English cucumber, seeds removed and sliced (OR ~1½ cups sliced and seeded English cucumber) (see notes above)
½ cup thin sliced red bell pepper
3 cups shredded red cabbage (OR ~1 8 ounce package of shredded red cabbage)
⅓ cup crushed roasted cashews (OR roasted peanuts)
1. In a mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, canola oil, lime juice, agave, sriracha sauce, and garlic powder. Whisk together.
2. Add the Thai basil, cucumber, red bell pepper and red cabbage. Stir together, and taste. Adjust flavors, if needed (salt? sriracha? agave?). Top the cucumber cabbage slaw with crushed roasted cashews (or peanuts). Serve immediately.
2 responses to “Cucumber Cabbage Slaw with Thai Basil, Sriracha and Lime”
Love a good slaw! Sometimes I’ll eat it just as a salad, but I’d love to try Thai basil. It’s not available here though… thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! Here’s to hoping next time you’re in Bucharest, you happen upon the one package of it that has made its way. But if the cosmic forces don’t align, sweet basil is ok. Not entirely the same, but still ok. You could also get experimental and try some fresh mint leaves, cilantro or a combo of them. I haven’t done that yet, but I thought it might be good. If you give it a try or do something else, I’d love to know how it works out.