My asian chopped salad recipe wasn’t something I was planning to make. Our friends invited us over for dinner and we were in charge of making a salad to go with fish. Since you can usually make salads powerfully flavorful to accompany fish, I totally went for it. The flavors came together really well and we ate every last bite of the salad (and the fish!).

My husband and I started off 2020 on a Whole30. I think it’s HILARIOUS because I eat paleo 99.9% of my life and he’s literally sending me text messages about how watching his boss and co-worker eat tiramisu is DEATH (direct quote). At first I wanted to laugh and roll my eyes at him. HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL, BUDDY? Instead I just told him he’s doing a great job.

I think those of us who have been on a protocol long-term oftentimes forget how hard the initial change was. Cravings, isolation, disappointment.. they can all come up during the transition. Lucky for my husband, he only has to make it 30 days, but for many of my clients this is a change they may need to stick with for years to come.

The best way to make healing less boring is to get comfy in the kitchen. This Asian Chopped Salad is a great recipe for beginners because it’s easy yet tastes complicated, thanks to all the delicious flavors in it.

Is asian chopped salad healthy?

It certainly is when it’s homemade! Houlihans and other fast food chains have chopped salads available, but they oftentimes come with inflammatory ingredients like soy, corn, gluten, and even dairy! This one is anti-inflammatory because it uses healthier alternatives.

As a nutrition professional, I’m always trying to “eat the rainbow.” A variety of rich colors means you’re eating a variety of phytonutrients, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Read about what colors correlate with certain nutrients here.

How to make asian chopped salad?

It’s really simple. Just make your dressing with oil, lime juice, ginger, fish sauce, and coconut aminos, then add it on top of the listed ingredients. These Whole 30 and AIP-friendly, asian inspired flavors taste amazing together.  Traditional asian dressings are made with soy and sometimes refined sugar, but here we have a really basic, anti-inflammatory dressing that will rock your taste buds’ world!

How do I thinly slice avocados?

The presentation of avocados and mangos make this look way fancier than it is. Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Then, using a small knife, carefully slice into the avocado at your desired thickness, being careful not to puncture the skin in the back, but going through to it. Once the entire avocado has those slices, use a spoon to carefully separate the meat of the avocado from the skin. Fan them out and add them to your salad!

How do I cut a mango?

Mangos are delicious but they can be really tricky to cut! First, I like to peel the skin off with a small knife or peeler. I’ve tried peeling mangos many ways and this seems to produce the least amount of wasted fruit. Next, you should still be able to see where the mango is curved a bit, place that part away from you. Using a larger knife, cut slightly off-center down the whole mango. This helps you avoid the seed and gives you a big chunk of meat. Do the same on the other side. You can then cut the mango however you want! In this recipe, we slice it but it also tastes good chopped if you want more mango in every bite!

When I’m done, I feast on the mango meat still on the seed.. kind of like I’m eating ribs or something!

If you’re not on the autoimmune paleo diet, read this:

If you aren’t AIP and want to add an additional burst of flavor, sub the olive oil for toasted sesame oil and add some pan toasted cashews on there. This is how I typically make it for all of my friends and they love it, but it’s also really good with olive oil.

What should I eat with this recipe?

I recommend pairing this recipe with a protein like shrimp or fish. You could also try it with my sheet pan steak recipe. I’m all about keeping things simple while also eating as nutrient-dense as possible. Both of these dishes will support that!

Where should I buy my ingredients? 

I prefer to get my fresh ingredients at farmer’s markets. That isn’t always an option, though, (especially for ingredients like mango.. I live in Colorado!) so we also buy our groceries at Whole Foods, Sprouts and King Soopers. We buy bulk whenever possible as well as organic. Bulk supports our mission of creating less waste while organic supports our mission of being exposed to fewer toxins.

When it comes to pantry staples, one of my favorite places to find affordable ingredients is Thrive Market. I  buy my coconut aminos, fish sauce (AIP friendly & no sugar added!) olive oil, and sesame oil through them! First time shoppers can snag 25% off!

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Other recipes you may like:

AIP Stirfry Sauce

Thai Chicken Coconut Lime Soup

Sheet Pan Steak Meal Prep Recipe