This Asian-Inspired Salad with Garlic Pulled Pork is quick and easy to make and full of flavor. It’s a great way to use up leftover pulled pork and get those vegetables in. It comes together in 20 minutes using a delicious homemade ginger dressing and is Whole30, gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, with nut-free options.
Our salad uses bagged coleslaw to minimize chopping and prep time. We use the basic coleslaw mix we found at our local Walmart. You can also use an equal amount of finely chopped cabbage and shredded carrots instead if desired.
Making a big batch of pulled pork is a great way to meal prep for the week. To avoid food boredom, shake it up by using the leftover pork for recipes like this one and our Breakfast Hash. Our Garlic Pulled Pork can be made in the Instant Pot or slow cooker for a quick and easy protein!
Then, we bring in a tasty mix of complementary flavors and textures as we build this chopped salad. We use sliced green onions, finely chopped cilantro, toasted almonds, mandarin orange slices, and chopped red pepper. To toast your almonds, add 1 tsp olive or avocado oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the almond and cook, stirring regularly and watching closely, until fragrant and lightly browned. It’s a small touch that really deepens the flavor.
Mandarin oranges are easy to find in the canned fruit aisle. Just make sure you get ones with no sugar in the ingredients. Look for ones canned in “100% juice” to avoid non-compatible sweeteners (fruit juice is allowed on Whole30). Or, use fresh seedless mandarins or clementines if they’re accessible!
Finally, we finish this stunning and satisfying salad off with our Citrus Ginger Dressing, which you can find here. If you aren’t going to eat all of the salad in one setting, only add dressing to the portion you want to eat immediately. The undressed salad will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 1-16 oz bag coleslaw
- 2 cups leftover shredded pork
- 1 cup mandarin orange slices
- 1/2 cup toasted almond slivers
- 1 small red bell pepper finely chopped
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Citrus Ginger Dressing
- 1/3 cup 1/3 cup sesame oil
- 1/3 cup 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Alternatively, you can add ingredients to a mason jar with a lid and give it a shake until well mixed.
- COMBINE all ingredients except the dressing in a large bowl. Toss well. Add dressing to taste just before serving.
